PHILADELPHIA -- Depending on the day, week, series, homestand or road trip, everybody has an opinion on the Phillies’ greatest need before the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline.
Starting pitching re-entered the conversation on Monday night.
Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola blew a five-run lead in an 11-7 loss to the Pirates at Citizens Bank Park. Nola, whose 302nd career start with the Phillies moved him into third place on the franchise’s all-time list, allowed eight runs (seven earned) in just 4 1/3 innings to fall to 3-5 with a 6.04 ERA.
Nola has a 6.02 ERA in 34 starts since the beginning of the 2025 season.
The Phillies have a top-tier starting-pitching trio with Cristopher Sánchez, Zack Wheeler and Jesús Luzardo. But with Andrew Painter recently demoted to Triple-A, the Phillies find themselves short in the final two spots in the rotation.
Nola has not pitched more than 6 1/3 innings in a game this season. In fact, he has thrown only 63 pitches in the sixth inning or later. Right-hander Alan Rangel has allowed five runs in nine innings in two appearances since he took Painter’s spot in the rotation. The Phillies have used an opener in each of those starts.
There is little more than a month before the Trade Deadline, but the Phillies have several holes they could fill. But a depleted farm system seems unlikely to get them everything they need.
They could use a right-handed bat. They could use another high-leverage reliever or two.
But maybe they will decide on a starter instead.
It’s not ideal, but starting pitching has fueled the Phillies’ resurgence since late April. Phillies starters had an MLB-worst 5.80 ERA during their 9-19 start through April 26, which cost manager Rob Thomson his job. From April 28 through Sunday, the Phillies’ rotation ranked third in baseball with a 3.34 ERA.
The Phillies spotted Nola a 5-0 lead with solo home runs from Trea Turner and Brandon Marsh in the first inning and Kyle Schwarber’s sacrifice fly and Bryce Harper’s two-run homer in the third inning. It was Harper’s 20th homer of the season.
But Nola allowed a two-run homer to Esmerlyn Valdez in the fourth inning to cut the lead to 5-2. Jared Triolo hit a solo homer to ignite a six-run rally in the fifth. Nola left the game with the game tied, the bases loaded and one out.
All three runs scored to give Pittsburgh an 8-5 lead.
Nola’s 23 swings and misses against the Pirates were the second-most whiffs in his career. He got a career-high 26 whiffs on May 8, 2018, his lone All-Star season. Gerrit Cole is the last pitcher to get 23 or more whiffs in a game and allow eight or more runs. He did it on July 29, 2021.
Marsh hit his second homer of the game in the eighth inning, another solo shot to cut Pittsburgh’s lead to 8-6. Marsh is a finalist to be an NL starting outfielder in next month’s All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park.