Zack Wheeler will make his presence felt whenever he toes the rubber. But one thing has been missing for most of the offseason: clarity on when the 35-year-old will return after thoracic outlet syndrome ended his 2025 season. On Monday, Rob Thomson and Dave Dombrowski addressed that question duri ng a virtual media session. “I don’t think he’ll be ready for Opening Day, but it’s not going to be too far behind that,” Thomson said. Wheeler is still in the early stages of his throwing program. the Phillies manager reiterated he’s at the 90-foot flat-ground phase, and that he looked “very good” Saturday. “We’re still plugging along and it all depends on his strength,” Thomson said. “All that being said, he’s doing well.” With Wheeler opening the on the shelf, the rotation will line up with Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo at the top, with Aaron Nola, Taijuan Walker and presumably rookie Andrew Painter filling out the staff. The Phillies — and Dombrowski — don’t want to assume that group simply holds without another move. The market, and the way this winter has unfolded, leaves the door open. “There are a lot of starting pitchers that are still unsigned at this time,” Dombrowski said. “I don’t know where this is all going for sure, but I do think that this is going to be a spring now, where you continue to have more trade conversations than you normally do during spring training just because of the late developing, signing of players, which puts a focus on movement for other players when somebody signs.” That slow-moving pitcher market has created a chance for a team like the Phillies to add depth at a lower cost. The problem is the tax. According to Spotrac’s luxury-tax evaluation, the Phillies sit fourth-highest in tax payroll at just under $312 million. Last year, that total sat over $314 million. At this rate, every dollar spent now triggers a 110% tax. For a roster that’s “pretty well set,” the cleanest add is the type that doesn’t involve much risk — a one-year flier who can cover innings if Wheeler needs more time, or if things go sideways behind him. Walker Buehler remains a fit. It helps that the 31-year-old was sharp in his three appearances with the Phillies last season, posting a 0.66 ERA in 13.2 innings. Even with an ERA north of five across his first 23 outings in Boston, Buehler still posted above-average rates in average exit velocity (87.9 mph, 82nd percentile) and hard-hit rate (37.8%, 70th percentile). He has a diverse seven-pitch mix, did his best work with his sinker and sweeper last year, and has postseason experience and swingman history. If the Phillies prefer a left-handed starter, there are two crafty options. José Quintana, 37, has stayed reliable while bouncing around the league. Over 24 starts with the Brewers last season, he won 11 games and posted a 3.96 ERA with an 89-50 strikeout-to-walk ratio. It was his fourth straight season with a sub-4 ERA. He’s a pitch-to-contact arm with NL East experience (two seasons with the Mets) and a solid postseason track record. Nestor Cortes comes with more risk, but the track record is real. His 2025 was derailed: eight starts, a 6.29 ERA and 13 home runs allowed in 34.1 innings. But from 2021 (his first season as a full-time starter) through 2024 with the Yankees, Cortes was one of the better left-handers in the sport. Among left-handed starters with at least 80 starts in that stretch, he posted a 3.33 ERA (eighth-best), a 1.08 WHIP (third-best) and an opponents OPS of .657 (seventh-best). Even if the recent metrics didn’t qualify, that four-year run is why the idea is at least worth discussing if the cost stays in the flier range. Oct 27, 2022; Houston, TX, USA; World Series game one Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander (35) shakes hands with Dave Dombrowski before answering questions from the press at Minute Maid Park (Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports) A longer-shot name is one Dombrowski knows well: Justin Verlander. Verlander’s 2025 line was ugly early — a 4.99 ERA through 16 starts with the Giants — and the trade noise followed. The Giants held, and Verlander finished strong. Over his next 13 starts, he allowed 21 earned runs in 72.2 innings for a 2.60 ERA. If the soon-to-be 43-year-old wants meaningful innings, a chance to add to his 266 wins, and an opportunity to mentor a young starter like Painter, Philadelphia checks those boxes. The money, environment and timing would all have to line up, but the Dombrowski connection is real. He drafted the three-time Cy Young award winner in 2004 with Detroit. The Phillies president of baseball operations also brought up trades, which is where the roster math gets tricky. Given where the payroll sits, the likeliest trade target would be another affordable starter. One name that stands out in that category is Casey Mize in Detroit. The former No. 1 overall pick made his first All-Star team in 2025, and the year had substance behind the recognition. After injuries plagued his first four seasons, including missing all of 2023, Mize rebounded last year with a 14-6 record, a 3.87 ERA, and a 3.89 FIP. Notably, he issued only 36 walks in 149 innings. Jul 15, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; American League pitcher Casey Mize (12) of the Detroit Tigers pitches in the sixth inning during the 2025 MLB All Star Game at Truist Park (Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images) The salary is what makes him especially interesting. Mize is set to make $6.15 million in his final year of arbitration in 2025, which is affordable for a one-year rotation rental. The Tigers also just signed Framber Valdez to a three-year, $115 million deal, which could make a starter expendable. The price in prospects would be the real cost — Detroit lacks pitching depth, and a deal would likely start with arms such as Cade Obermueller (No. 7 prospect per MLB Pipeline) or Matthew Fisher (No. 10). Taking on Mize’s salary would still trigger the tax penalty, but the AAV is far more manageable than most remaining free-agent starters. If the Phillies do move a position player to create another lane, it probably won’t be Nick Castellanos bringing back a starter. Dombrowski said the club is doing “everything [they] can” to move him before the first full-squad workout next week, but the leverage isn’t there. If the Phillies are confident Dylan Moore can handle the platoon role against left-handed pitching, then Edmundo Sosa could become more movable. That’s one cleaner path to bringing in an arm without changing the identity of the roster. The bottom line is simple: the Phillies have to bridge the early-season gap without Wheeler. They’re optimistic he’ll return to form. But that’s still uncertain — and so is the stability of the backend with Nola, Walker and Painter. Given that reality, it would be surprising if Dombrowski isn’t still looking for one more starting option. Monday’s update didn’t close the door. It made the approach clearer. ...read more read less