What is Going On With the Philadelphia Phillies Rotation?
The Philadelphia Phillies rotation has been lackluster to start the 2023 MLB season. Between Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler, Taijuan Walker, Bailey Falter and Matt Strahm, the group has put up a 4.57 ERA in 65 innings pitched. That number is also being dragged down by Strahm's 10 innings of scoreless baseball.
Without Strahm, that number inflates to 5.40.
Nola has struggled mightily and holds a 7.04 ERA after three starts, and outside of Strahm, no Phillies starter has a sub-4.00 ERA. The WHIP numbers are just as unsightly.
Coming into the season, there were high hopes about how the double-head dragon of Nola and Wheeler could lead this team to the promised land. Couple that with new acquisition Walker and some steady pieces in Ranger Suarez and Andrew Painter, the sky was the limit.
Now, the latter two are injured, and the two aces are woefully underperforming.
Granted, the offense hasn't provided much run support, but that's tough to do when Bryce Harper is out of the lineup recovering from Tommy John surgery and Rhys Hoskins is out with a torn ACL. Oh, and Hoskins' backup in Darick Hall is out two months after thumb surgery.
But even then, the offense has stepped up and done its job at times this season. The rotation, once again Strahm aside, has not.
So, what gives?
Sometimes the most obvious answer is the right one. None of these pitchers have ever pitched into November. Even starting a tad later last season due to the lockout, it's a lot for a pitcher to pitch into November and then be ready for spring training in February.
None of that even mentions the extra innings that were put on their arms, especially the aces who took the brunt of the workload in the postseason.
But it begs the question: can they recover as the season goes on?
Good pitchers usually do, but the start has been concerning. Wheeler appears to be getting back on track as each start has gotten progressively better. His last appearance was a 6.0 innings pitched, one-run performance.
Nola has been a different story altogether.
Perhaps the return of Suarez will help stabilize things and take some of the pressure off of the top of the rotation.
Until then, Philadelphia will continue to search for answers and hope that things get back on track.
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