Which Phillie has the most to prove in 2026?

It’s a prove-it year for the Phillies.

After back-to-back National League East titles and defeats in the Division Series, the Phillies need to have success in October.

Before the postseason, the Phillies have a lot to accomplish in the regular season.

A ton of individual players enter this season with a lot to prove. From Bryce Harper to Alec Bohm, here’s a look at the Phillies players who have the most to prove entering the 2026 season.

Nathan Ackerman — Staff Writer — Alec Bohm

Bryce Harper has a narrative to dispel. Bryson Stott has a long-term future to secure. J.T. Realmuto has a point to prove. Alec Bohm has all 30 teams to convince, tens of millions of dollars to earn, a franchise player to win over at cleanup and a short-term job to maintain. 

Ironically, the stakes to the Phillies may not be crazy high. Bohm is already exceedingly likely to be elsewhere in 2027, they have other (not many, but other) potential pivots at cleanup this year, and Aidan Miller can take Bohm’s job at third if they deem the latter insufficient. But Bohm needs to stave all that off. He needs to give them a reason to keep Miller in Triple-A. He needs to tap into some of the upside that could encourage some general manager to tack on a couple extra dozen million dollars to his contract this winter — and to land a job with a contender, not some middling club seeking veteran presence (and/or salary floor adherence).   

And he needs to satisfy Harper, who explicitly said the Phillies need better at cleanup. While not in the top three of cleanup appearances last year for the Phillies, Bohm will likely have the first crack at it this year. More by default than by outright winning the job, there’ll be pressure on Bohm beginning Opening Day to justify that placement. Otherwise, he could lose it — with plenty more to lose, too.

Destiny Lugardo – Site Director – Bryson Stott

The second half of last season was encouraging for Stott. After posting a .637 OPS in the first half, Stott transformed into one of the most productive hitters in the lineup, with a .294/.368/.487 slash line in the second half. Lowering his hands allowed him to think less about mechanics in the batter’s box, and it paid off tremendously.

Now, Stott is out to prove that his productive second half is not a mirage. He is off to a hot start in spring training, but it’s still spring training. Stott’s excellence at second base makes him a valuable high floor player, but he has had an OPS+ above league average only once in his major league career. If he could transform himself into an above average hitter with an elite glove, you are looking at one of the best second baseman in baseball. It would come at a great time for Stott, who is only two years away from free agency.

Bailey Digh – Staff Writer – Jesús Luzardo

There isn’t an obvious answer here. Perhaps the most obvious isn’t one player, but instead the whole team, given how things have gone in October over the last few years and the tight window this current core has to prove it’s capable of winning it all. But Luzardo stands out, for two reasons.

The first being the uncertainty of Zack Wheeler’s 2026 performance, along with the current state of the Phillies’ starting rotation depth. We just don’t know how Wheeler is going to look when he returns. Coming off a major injury and surgery at his age is worrisome. If he’s not able to return to form, someone will have to help Cristopher Sánchez lead the rotation. There’s also not much starting depth beyond Taijuan Walker and Andrew Painter, both of whom will likely start the regular season in the rotation. The Phillies will need Luzardo to help Sánchez create a one-two punch atop their starting staff while staying healthy, which ties into reason No. 2.

Luzardo has never made 30-plus starts in back-to-back seasons. He made 32 last year; if he does that again, he stands a great chance of cashing in ahead of the 2027 season. Luzardo is a pending free agent who will be entering the open market ahead of his age-29 season. If he proves he can repeat what he did in 2025, Luzardo won’t just be helping the Phillies. He’ll be helping himself earn a massive contract.

Ty Daubert – Editorial Director – Bryce Harper

The 2026 Phillies are a team with much to prove, and their biggest star is no exception. It’s been nearly five months since Dave Dombrowski publicly questioned whether or not Harper can return to “elite” status in the major leagues once again, and the only thing that will answer the offseason’s most controversial debate is how the two-time National League MVP performs.

Harper is a future Hall of Famer, an icon of his era with all the accolades to show for it. And he was productive in 2025. But even if you think Dombrowski made a miscalculation and caused some unnecessary drama by going public with his comments, at least one point was accurate: Harper, with an .844 OPS, was not elite last season.

This could be a pivotal year for Harper, 33. He’s played 14 seasons in the big leagues and dealt with a number of different injuries. At the same time, he’s as talented and proven as just about any hitter in the game. While the Phillies can certainly win with Harper playing the way he did last year, it’s obviously much easier to imagine them competing for a World Series if he can put the offense on his back like we’ve seen him do in the past. Time will only tell if Harper can still be the superstar everyone is used to watching.