Cristopher Sánchez’s Rise Only Highlights Aaron Nola’s Struggles More
The Philadelphia Phillies are laser-focused on repeating as division champs and finally capturing that elusive World Series crown. Early into the 2025 season, the team has shown real potential, but also revealed a few cracks that still need smoothing out.
While it’s far too soon to panic, signs of regression—especially from key players—aren’t the kind of headlines any contender wants following them. One of the biggest storylines so far is the emergence of left-hander Cristopher Sánchez, who’s building on his 2024 All-Star campaign and taking his game to new heights. Unfortunately, his breakout comes as Aaron Nola, the longest-tenured Phillie, is experiencing a brutal downturn
Sánchez’s Breakout Filling the Void Left by Nola
After going 11-9 with a 3.32 ERA and 153 strikeouts across 181 2/3 innings last season, Sánchez earned his first All-Star appearance and a well-deserved four-year extension. Coming into 2025, expectations were sky-high—and he’s delivered. With added velocity and refined mechanics, Sánchez has been electric. His latest outing saw him rack up a career-high 12 strikeouts over seven innings, securing his second win and improving to 2-0 with a 2.96 ERA and 31 strikeouts in just 24 1/3 innings. His current K/9 rate of 11.5 is a massive leap from last year’s 7.58, per FanGraphs.
But as Sánchez soars, Nola continues to spiral.
Nola’s Regression Dampens the Rotation’s Potential
Nola’s latest start—a rough one—saw him surrender 11 earned runs, including two home runs, on nine hits and four walks over 5 1/3 innings. That performance dropped him to an 0-4 record with a bloated 6.65 ERA through just four starts. His 9.2% barrel rate is the highest of his 11-year career, and he’s clearly struggling to find consistency.
One of the long-standing concerns with Nola has been his unpredictability. Since 2019, he’s alternated between sub-3.50 and over-4.00 ERA seasons, and the drop in fastball velocity this year raises more red flags. If the trend continues, 2025 could be another rollercoaster ride.
There is a sliver of hope—Nola’s expected ERA (xERA) sits at a more forgiving 4.02, suggesting some bad luck could be involved. But as the Phillies’ rotation—anchored by Zack Wheeler and newly added Jesús Luzardo—starts to look historically good, Nola’s NL-leading 16 earned runs have cast a bit of a shadow over what could be a dominant group. If he can turn it around, this rotation still has the potential to be among the best ever.