The announcement that Zack Wheeler was headed to the IL was a defining moment of the Philadelphia Phillies' 2025 season.

Losing their ace made fans panic, leading them to question how the season would conclude without Wheeler. To ease their worries, arms like Christopher Sanchez, Ranger Suarez and Jesus Luzardo stepped up in Wheeler's absence, ending 2025 as one of the top rotations in baseball.

If the Phillies' pitching performance without Wheeler proved anything, it's that they can survive without their ace in the rotation, meaning the three-time All Star can take his time returning to his role, even if that time extends into the 2026 regular season.

However, there are a few caveats, as Suarez's contract value continues to climb as the offseason progresses, making it more and more unlikely that he'll return to Philadelphia next season, leaving two major holes in the rotation.

The Phillies rotation will feature Sanchez, Luzardo and Aaron Nola to start 2026, with Luzardo's contract up for arbitration and the other two in the middle of standing contracts, but the other spots aren't filled by any means.

Taijuan Walker still has one year left on his contract, but his performance combined with the fans' disdain is likely to lead the front office towards releasing or trading him. However, if a suitable replacement isn't found, Phillies fans might end up seeing Walker on the mound in 2026.

Looking away from potential returners, Philadelphia could end up calling on Andrew Painter, a prospect that fans have been waiting on for years, to fill one of the empty spots. The 22-year-old has seen action and relative success at every level of the minor leagues, and it might be time to see if that success translates to the big show.

Painter regressed a bit last year, starting the season on the Triple-A Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs after pitching in only six games since the 2022 season. The right-hander threw for a 5.26 ERA over 118 innings pitched, allowing 69 earned runs on 129 hits. 

What the Phillies are likely looking for is the production they saw from Painter in 2022, where he excelled in three separate leagues: Single-A, High-A and Double-A. The then-19-year-old notched a 1.56 ERA over 103.2 innings pitched over 22 games. Additionally, he allowed only 18 earned runs on 67 hits. If Painter can return to his 2022 form, he'll quickly become an important piece of the Phillies rotation in 2026.

Aside from pitchers within the organization, there's an extensive list of arms available on the free agency market that the Phillies could bring in on manageable one-year contracts. 

One option for Philadelphia could be Nick Martinez, who spent the 2025 season with the Cincinnati Reds as both a starter and a reliever. In his two seasons with the Reds, Martinez tallied a 3.83 ERA en route to a 21-21 record, and his strikeout-to-walk ratio is strong at 232-60 to go along with a 1.123 WHIP. 

Spotrac by MLB predicts Martinez's contract value at $14.3 million per year, a sum that the Phillies could manage to supply even after resigning Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto. 

Philadelphia could also focus on another starter who had a similar season to Martinez and is valued at almost a third of his contract value in Patrick Corbin. 

The 36-year-old's one-year contract with the Texas Rangers has run it's course, and the Phillies could capitalize on bringing Corbin in on a similar deal of their own. 

Corbin threw for a 4.40 ERA in 155.1 innings pitched, ending the 2025 season with a 7-11 record after starting 30 games. The left-hander seemed to revert to his early-career production in his 13th season, heavily improving in almost every category in 2025 compared to any season since 2020. 

Additionally, Corbin's contract value is only $5.5 million for a one-off deal, making him an affordable and convenient option for the Phillies to pick up to complete a five-man rotation until Wheeler returns. 

Taking all of this into account, Philadelphia could see a starting lineup on Opening Day 2026 that features Sanchez, Luzardo, Nola, Martinez/Corbin and Painter, either sending the rookie back down to the minors or extending the rotation to six men upon Wheeler's return. 

Losing Suarez and waiting on Wheeler might frustrate many fans or lead to worry, but the bones are still there, and the Phillies are still set to feature one of the top rotations in the MLB in 2026.