Well, that escalated quickly.
The week started with hope. It ends with questions — lots of them.
After getting swept at home by the Milwaukee Brewers, the Phillies packed their bags, headed north, and tried to reset the vibes. And for a brief moment, they did. They opened their two-game set in Toronto with a win. A real win. Good pitching, timely hitting, the whole thing.
Then Thursday happened.
A 9-1 loss. Jesús Luzardo gave up eight earned runs for the second straight start — let that sink in — and the Phillies' offense decided to take the afternoon off. Again. They’ve now scored a total of two runs in their last two games. You don’t have to be a sabermetrics guru to know that’s not ideal.
They’ve dropped six of seven. The vibes? Not great.
The club now opens a three-game set against the Pirates 1 1/2 games behind the Mets in the NL East.
Pitching Matchups
Friday: RHP Joe Ross (2-1, 4.34) vs. LHP Bailey Falter (4-3, 3.14)
Saturday: LHP Ranger Suarez (4-0, 2.72) vs. LHP Andrew Heaney (3-4, 3.39)
Sunday: LHP Cristopher Sanchez (5-1, 3.15) vs. RHP Paul Skenes (4-6, 2.05)
Nola Update
So here we are. Aaron Nola — the guy who’s made a living off dependability, durability, and doing exactly what’s asked of him every fifth day for the better part of a decade — is suddenly showing signs that, well, maybe he’s human after all. It started with an ankle. Not in a game. Not even during bullpen work. No, he rolled it during a conditioning drill in the outfield at George M. Steinbrenner Field — the kind of thing that wouldn’t even make the injury report in most other sports. But for pitchers, ankles matter. And when you’re 6-foot-2, 195 pounds and your mechanics are built on balance and repeatability, they matter a lot.
That was May 16. Fast forward to this week: Nola had a live BP session lined up that was supposed to be the green light for a rehab stint. Instead, his body pumped the brakes. Stiffness. Uncertainty. And now, we’re back in wait-and-see mode.
Necks. Ankles. Age. And maybe, just maybe... a little wear on the tires?
Let’s not overreact — not yet, anyway. This is still Aaron Nola we’re talking about, a pitcher who made 32 starts last year, 32 the year before that, and 34 the year before that. A guy whose biggest selling point has always been this: he shows up. Rain or shine. Slumps or streaks. Four-hour games or two.
But here’s the part that makes you shift a little in your seat: This isn’t just about missing a turn or two. It’s about what happens next. This is Year Two of a $172 million deal. The Phillies didn’t pay for flash. They paid for foundation. And if the foundation starts to creak — even a little — that changes things.
So maybe Nola comes back later this month and reels off 15 straight starts like nothing ever happened. But in a season built on big dreams and tight margins, the Phillies can’t afford a version of Aaron Nola that’s anything less than the workhorse they thought they signed.
And neither can Aaron Nola.
