One of the more positive developments for the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2025 season has been the consistency of their starting rotation. However, veteran pitcher Aaron Nola has been a glaring exception. His struggles hit a low point on Wednesday night when he was rocked for nine runs and couldn’t make it through the fourth inning—another disappointing outing in a growing pattern of ineffectiveness.
This situation is particularly concerning for the Phillies, given that Nola is only in the second year of a seven-year contract. Under normal circumstances, a pitcher performing this poorly might be demoted or even released, but his hefty deal complicates those options. As a result, the Phillies are left grappling with how to handle a significant underperformer in an otherwise dependable pitching staff.
Phillies Cannot Afford to Continue to Start a Failing Aaron Nola
It looked like the veteran might be turning a corner with a strong finish to April. Nola delivered a solid 7.0-inning outing against the Cubs, giving up just one run, then followed it up with 6.0 scoreless innings versus the Diamondbacks. This was the version of Nola Phillies fans had hoped to see earlier in the 2025 season.
However, the momentum didn’t last. Over his next 8.2 innings, Nola gave up 13 earned runs and allowed five home runs — one of the roughest stretches of his career, and certainly among the worst Philly fans have witnessed from him.
While Nola’s career ERA sits at 3.78, his current 6.16 ERA paints a troubling picture. How the Phillies will respond remains uncertain, but the most probable course of action seems to be sticking with him for the time being and hoping he pitches his way out of the slump. Cutting ties with the veteran isn’t feasible, and a move to the bullpen doesn’t appear to be on the table.
At this point, Nola stands out as perhaps the most frustrating part of Philly’s season. If he doesn’t improve significantly, the team may soon be forced into making a tough call.