Phillies' familiar issues resurface as change questions grow louder

ATLANTA — Rob Thomson said after Saturday night’s extra-inning win, which snapped the Phillies’ 10-game losing streak, that the club needed to “stack well-played games.”

For a moment, it felt like Zack Wheeler’s return might help them find some traction and take a series in Atlanta.

But by the end of the first inning Sunday, that felt unlikely. The Phillies’ worst habits were back out in the open, especially when Matt Olson turned on Aaron Nola’s fastball for a three-run homer.

The Phillies fell 6-2 to the Braves in the series finale at Truist Park, yet another series loss.

Nola did not have sharp location with his fastball or knuckle curve. That is not a good formula when overpowering velocity is not part of the profile.

Thomson kept his diagnosis simple.

“Fastball command,” Thomson said. “That’s what it comes down to. Curveball’s good, changeup’s good. It just is missing in the heart of the plate a little bit too much.”

Even on the Olson homer, Nola missed up and in, out of the zone, and still watched the Braves’ first baseman yank the 93.5 mph fastball into the Chop House seats in right.

The long ball remains Nola’s biggest problem. Since the start of 2023, he has allowed 86 home runs in 518 2/3 innings. That comes out to a 1.49 HR/9, the second-highest mark among starting pitchers with at least 500 innings in that span.

It is hard enough to win when the other team hits a three-run homer. It gets even harder when another two-run shot follows.

That happened in the second, when Atlanta’s No. 8 hitter, Eli White, crushed a middle-in sinker into the Phillies’ bullpen in left-center to make it 6-0.

Nola now carries a 6.03 ERA through six starts. He posted a career-high 6.01 ERA last season.

Nola did not pin it all on one thing. He felt his fastball location was “decent” overall, but the misses hurt him in the biggest spots.

“I didn’t give the guys too much help,” Nola said. “Put us down real quick there. I missed those couple pitches for those homers.”

At that point, any hope of meaningful run support was already on thin ice. And the damage also took a toll on Nola’s pitch count.

BIG INNINGS

Thomson mentioned before the game that one of the Phillies’ biggest issues has been long innings from their starters. Sunday was another example.

A 23-pitch first. A 27-pitch second. A 26-pitch fourth.

That has become a theme. Phillies starters entered the day leading the National League in pitches per inning at 17.7, a number reflected in their league-high 1.64 WHIP.

They also lead the Majors in 25-plus pitch innings.

It is not just a pitch-count issue. Phillies pitchers have allowed two or more runs in an inning 44 times, the most in baseball. The last Phillies team to allow that many so early in a season was the 1956 club.

Sunday’s early deficit was especially damaging because Chris Sale was on the other side.

“You’ve got to battle,” Thomson said. “You’re facing Sale, so you know you’ve got to keep the runs against limited. They just jumped on us.”

Nola knew the same.

“It’s hard for the offense to come back after I give up six in the first two innings,” Nola said. “Especially when you’re facing Chris Sale out there.”

LACKING LENGTH

All of that feeds into another problem: the Phillies are not getting enough length from their starters.

That is surprising, considering both the talent in the rotation and what this group has done the last two seasons.

The Phillies led the Majors in starts of seven innings or more in both 2024 and 2025. They had 37 in 2024 and 39 in 2025, 10 more than the next-closest team last season.

This year, 28 games in, they still do not have one.

That has put a real strain on the bullpen, which entered Sunday ranked third in the National League in relief innings. With Jonathan Bowlan, Zach Pop and Jhoan Duran on the injured list, the Phillies have had little choice but to lean on the same relievers again and again.

“I think we’re OK,” Thomson said. “I think that Luzardo’s going to come around. I think that Sánchez is going to pitch deep into games. Now we’ve got Wheeler back, we’re building his innings. Nola’s better than what he’s been in the last couple outings. I think that’ll all work itself out.”

LEFTY STRUGGLES PERSIST

At this point, the Phillies’ issues against left-handed starters are impossible to ignore.

Sale was the latest to exploit them Sunday. The future Hall of Famer went six innings, allowed one hit, gave up no runs and struck out nine.

The Phillies are now 0-10 in games started by lefties who are not openers. That is the longest such streak in the Majors since the 2007 Royals, who finished 69-93.

And the deeper numbers are even uglier.

Phillies right-handed hitters have produced a .501 OPS against left-handed pitchers this season. Since those splits started being tracked in 1974, that is the worst mark in baseball. They have also posted the lowest batting average (.168), lowest slugging percentage (.249) and a .204 BABIP in those matchups.

That points to both a personnel issue and a performance issue.

Thomson acknowledged the Phillies may have to discuss bigger changes.

“We’ve got to fix that for sure,” Thomson said. “We’re 0-10 against left-hand starters that aren’t openers. That’s telling. We’ve got to fix that somehow.”

Schwarber pushed back against the idea that one ugly April split has to force a larger shakeup. He also did not deny how poor the results have been.

“It’s not like the record’s going to change overnight or our outings here against left-handed pitching are going to start overnight,” Schwarber said. “It’s going to be a continuous build to it, a continuous grind, and we’re ready for that.”

The Phillies have tried adjusting the lineup against southpaws. They have even hit Felix Reyes cleanup, and he still has not logged 20 big league at-bats.

Something has to change.

THE OUTSIDE NOISE GROWS

Asked about the outside noise that comes with a prolonged losing stretch, Thomson leaned on his time in the Yankees organization and made it clear he is not consumed by job-security speculation.

“It’s normal,” Thomson said. “I’ve never worried about that my entire career. I worked for [George Steinbrenner] for 28 years and it never bothered me. I don’t have time to think about it. I think about other people and what I can do to help them. It’s out of my control.”

Thomson was referring to George Steinbrenner, the late Yankees owner who was known for frequent managerial changes.

Dombrowski fired Joe Girardi on June 3, 2022, and Thomson took over a team that later reached the World Series. Earlier this week in Chicago, Dombrowski said the Phillies were not looking to fire their manager.

That does not mean the pressure around the staff has disappeared. The Phillies’ offense has been one of the worst in baseball and hitting coach Kevin Long is naturally part of that conversation.

Thomson defended Long, though.

“Absolutely,” Thomson said when asked if he trusts Long. “Kevin is one of the best in the game. There’s a couple of Hall of Famers out there that will tell you that.”

Schwarber also pushed back when asked if changes to the personnel or coaching staff were needed.

“No, I don’t think so,” Schwarber said.

With a travel day and an off day Monday, the conversation around the Phillies is unlikely to quiet down.