The Philadelphia Phillies, now sitting at 25–25 on the season, have started to find some rhythm after an uneven start. Much of their recent improvement has been driven by strong outings from Zack Wheeler and Christopher Sánchez, who have helped steady the starting rotation and fuel a recent stretch of better play.
That said, the Phillies are still handing the ball every fifth day to Aaron Nola, and his struggles have become a growing concern. Nola is in the early stages of a seven-year, $172 million contract that runs through the 2030 season, but his performance this year has mirrored many of the issues he showed last season. Once an All-Star in 2018, Nola is no longer pitching at that level, even as he moves closer to the franchise record for games started.
Through nine starts and 45.2 innings this season, Nola owns a 5.91 ERA, numbers that are difficult for the coaching staff to overlook. Philadelphia may soon be forced to consider changes, whether that means adjusting his role or giving him a brief reset away from the major-league rotation. While his overall career résumé suggests he doesn’t belong in the minors long-term, a short stint could help the 32-year-old right-hander regroup.
The warning signs are becoming increasingly clear. Nola’s strikeout rate has dipped, his walk rate has climbed, and hitters are consistently making loud contact against him. Even though it’s still only midseason and the sample size remains relatively small, the trend is troubling and points toward both short-term and long-term challenges for the organization.
Those issues surfaced again on Wednesday against Cincinnati, when Nola allowed four earned runs over five innings. That outing came on the heels of another rough start against Pittsburgh, where he surrendered six earned runs. Over his last six starts, he has been charged with 24 runs, with home runs being the most persistent problem. Nola has already given up 18 homers this season, an alarming pace this early in the year.
A trade would be difficult given his contract and current performance, leaving the Phillies with limited options. A brief reset in the minors could be one path forward, but if that doesn’t happen, Philadelphia may simply have to live with a starter carrying an ERA in the upper-5.00 range—an uncomfortable reality for a team with postseason ambitions.