The Philadelphia Phillies have gotten off to a horrible start in 2026. There is no hiding that change needs to be made, but what can be done to save their season?
Taijuan Walker has had enough chances to overcome his hardships in Philadelphia. He has been thrown out to the mound every fifth day for years now with the same results. He gets hammered every time he sets foot on the MLB mound.
Walker’s time in the rotation should not last much longer, especially considering the impending return of Zack Wheeler. Once that does happen, the next step is to remove Walker from the roster completely. There is no reason he should pitch for the Phillies again after Wheeler is back.
Walker’s stats show just how abysmal he has been in red pinstripes. In his three-plus seasons in Philadelphia, he has never had an ERA below four, with the numbers only dropping that low when he was forced into the bullpen. In 19 games in 2024, his ERA was 7.10. Through four games this season, it’s an even higher 9.16. Having him continue to pitch for the Phillies would be complete organizational negligence.
The trio of Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, and Bryce Harper has continued to be the only mainstays in terms of positioning in the lineup. What comes after them is where the trouble occurs.
Alec Bohm has been horrible to begin his contract year, pushing him down to the seventh spot or lower in the lineup when he plays. His batting average sank to a measly .136 on the year. He has just had one hit in the past ten days. Bryson Stott has not been able to continue his spring training success in the regular season. His OPS is below .500 through his first 15 games. Adolis Garcia, while he has had success in the field, has not put it together at the plate yet with a batting average below .230.
Dave Dombrowski and the Phillies front office are more to blame for this than anyone else. They have put out the same lineup every year as fans plead for major changes. Bo Bichette would’ve been great, but they lost him to the rival New York Mets. Instead of pivoting to another free agent, they decided to stick with Bohm and hope for unrealistic development from a nearly 30-year-old.
Justin Crawford has shown some promise at the bottom of the lineup, but a rookie can’t be the only producer after the big three. He’s hitting .273 with an OPS above .700 from the nine spot. Finding the sweet spot is key, that is, if one even exists. Shifting the lineup around and finding something that clicks may be the last resort until the next change needs to be made.
Firing Rob Thomson would be the most drastic move that could be made, but it may become necessary if struggles continue. The problems with the Phillies have not entirely been due to the manager, but he has not done anything to help turn it around. There have been multiple instances where he has left pitchers in too long, a common theme through his tenure as Philadelphia skipper.
Don Mattingly would be the clear replacement if a move were made. The baseball legend has experience heading a club and has had success in the role. If anything, providing spark to the clubhouse with a new voice could be the only choice.
The Phillies are better than what they have shown early in 2026. The lineup needs to produce, and the rotation needs to step up. With that being said, this core is the same; it has been with the ceiling only lowering every time they run onto the field. Change needs to be made, or this season will be a waste.
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