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The strength of the Philadelphia Phillies coming into the 2025 MLB regular season was their starting rotation. For the most part, this group has lived up to the billing. Their newest addition, Jesus Luzardo, has been excellent.
Finally healthy, he is showing the same form he did in 2022 and 2023, the best stretch of his career to this point. With an upgraded repertoire and increased velocity, he is mowing down opponents. Zack Wheeler hasn’t quite found his groove yet with a 3.
62 ERA, but has had some dominant flashes with 50 strikeouts in 37.1 innings. His control remains impeccable with only eight walks.
Cristopher Sanchez has taken the next level, turning his devastating changeup into a putaway pitch. That has aided him in striking out 33 batters in 26.1 innings.
He did have an injury scare, but looks to be okay. Out of nowhere, the team has received excellent contributions from Taijuan Walker, who struggled mightily in 2024. He has been excellent in place of the injured Ranger Suarez with a 2.
78 ERA across 22.2 innings with 20 strikeouts. The biggest surprise to this point has been Aaron Nola, who has struggled mightily over the first month.
As reliable a front-end starter as there is in baseball, he has gone 0-5 over his first six starts, getting hit hard by opponents. A .272/.
336/.456 slash line has been recorded against him, surrendering six home runs. That has been an Achilles heel for him in recent years, as he gave up a National League-high 30 last year and 32 the season prior.
What makes the start this season so concerning is that there are some underlying metrics that don’t provide much optimism to Nola returning to the ace form he has shown previously. “It could be nothing -- Nola's strikeout rate is still solid -- but the fastball velocity is down a tick, and a 91 mph fastball in this day and age should at least raise a red flag when you're getting hit this hard,” wrote David Schoenfield of ESPN , who picked the Philadelphia star as his biggest starting pitcher disappointment thus far. On the bright side, Nola is still generating an elite chase percentage of 35.
1%, which is in the 91st percentile. But, that is the only advanced stat he is excelling, as his Baseball Savant profile has a lot more blue than anyone would like to see. He is currently surrendering the highest xBA, xSLUG, wOBA and xwOBA of his career.
It will be interesting to see how the seasoned veteran looks to overcome his lack of velocity and what he changes with his game plan on the mound to get back on track after finishing 11th in the NL Cy Young voting in 2024. Recommended Articles.
