5 storylines to watch in Phillies camp as stars leave for Classic

This story was excerpted from Todd Zolecki’s Phillies Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Cristopher Sánchez packed his bags, said his goodbyes and left BayCare Ballpark on Wednesday morning.

He is the latest Phillies player to leave camp to play in the World Baseball Classic. He will pitch this month for the Dominican Republic.

Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and Brad Keller left town on Saturday to play for Team USA. Other Phillies in camp on WBC rosters include Max Lazar (Israel), Aaron Nola (Italy), Dante Nori (Italy), Edmundo Sosa (Panama), Garrett Stubbs (Israel) and Taijuan Walker (Mexico). Jesús Luzardo (Venezuela) could leave at some point, if he is needed in the semifinals or final.

They’re gone, but there’s still plenty to watch besides everyday guys like Trea Turner, J.T. Realmuto, Alec Bohm, Adolis García and Bryson Stott.

Here are five storylines to keep an eye on as Spring Training continues.

1. Justin Crawford and Andrew Painter
Realmuto said Sunday that the Phillies don’t need Andrew Painter (Phillies’ No. 2 prospect, No. 28 overall) to “light the world on fire” in a rotation that includes Zack Wheeler (eventually), Sánchez, Luzardo, Nola and Walker. The same is true for Justin Crawford (Phillies’ No. 3 prospect, No. 53 overall) in a lineup that includes Harper, Schwarber and Turner.

Crawford just needs to catch the ball in center field and hit a little as the Phillies’ No. 9 hitter.

It’s very early, but so far Crawford has shown a readiness to do both. He is batting .316 (6-for-19) with three doubles, one walk, five strikeouts and one stolen base this spring. He has played well in the field, too.

Painter threw two perfect innings in Sunday’s spring debut against the Yankees. He looked like a big leaguer pitching against a solid lineup (even without Aaron Judge).

Painter makes his next start on Saturday.

2. Zack Wheeler
It would be something if Wheeler rejoins the Phillies’ rotation in early April as he suggested is possible. Every step Wheeler takes this spring will generate some level of news. (He threw his third bullpen session on Wednesday.) It certainly will be news if he pitches in a game before the Phillies head to Philadelphia on March 23, whether it is a Grapefruit League game or a Minor League game at Carpenter Complex.

3. Bullpen
The Phillies have two bullpen jobs available and a slew of candidates. Non-roster invitees, even ones with big league experience, typically face longer odds to make the Opening Day roster, so let’s look at the relievers on the 40-man roster.

The group includes Kyle Backhus (4 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 3 K), Yoniel Curet (1 IP, 2 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 2 K), Nolan Hoffman (4 1/3 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 7 K), Seth Johnson (4 2/3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K), Lazar (3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K), Rule 5 Draft pick Zach McCambley (4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 3 K), Zach Pop (2 2/3 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K) and Chase Shugart (3 IP, 2 H, 1 K).

Backhus, Johnson and Shugart have been the standouts.

4. Bench
Sosa and Otto Kemp are locks to be half of the Phillies’ four-man bench. Rafael Marchán or Stubbs will be the backup catcher. Phillies manager Rob Thomson has said he prefers a utility player for the final spot.

Dylan Moore is the favorite for that job. He won a Gold Glove in 2024 as a utility player.

Beyond that, however, keep an eye on the remaining outfielders in camp, following multiple reports that Johan Rojas is facing an 80-game suspension for violating the league’s policy on PEDs. If the Phillies lose Rojas, they will lose important center-field depth.

Phillies No. 8 prospect Gabriel Rincones Jr. is dealing with tendinitis in his knees and has been sidelined this spring. It leaves Pedro León as the only remaining healthy outfielder on the 40-man roster, behind García and Brandon Marsh.

León has played 205 games in center field in his Minor League career.

Non-roster outfielders in camp include Crawford, Bryan De La Cruz and prospects Nori (No. 7 Phillies prospect) and Dylan Campbell.

5. The Triple-A rotation
The Phillies used eight starters last season, not including openers Tanner Banks and Joe Ross. They used 10 in 2024, not including Banks and Orion Kerkering. They used eight in 2023, not including Connor Brogdon, Dylan Covey and Matt Strahm.

The Phillies will almost certainly use more than six starters this year (i.e. Wheeler, Sánchez, Luzardo, Nola, Walker and Painter), which means somebody from the Triple-A Lehigh Valley rotation will pitch at some point. Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said last weekend that the Phillies are looking for starting-pitching depth, but in the form of an optionable starter.

The projected IronPigs rotation includes Jean Cabrera (2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K), Tucker Davidson (no appearances), Alan Rangel (4 2/3 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 1 K) and Bryse Wilson (4 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K). Cabrera is the organization’s No. 15 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.