The Phillies lost 9-4 to the Reds on Wednesday after a rough outing by pitcher Aaron Nola, pushing his ERA to 6.04. Despite the poor performance and mounting frustration, catcher J.T. Realmuto expressed complete confidence in the veteran star. However, Nola is playing under a massive $172 million contract, leaving many to wonder how long the team can wait for their struggling ace to turn things around.

“It’s tough to see anybody struggle, but especially somebody like Nola,” Realmuto told Lochlahn March of the Inquirer. “He works so hard, he’s such a good competitor. He’s gotten a lot of big outs for this team. We wouldn’t be where we’re at without him. So, we’re all pulling for him to get through it, and we have confidence that he will.”

The Phillies dropped their first series since Don Mattingly took the helm on April 28. In the final game on Wednesday, the Phillies’ pitching staff surrendered 15 hits, of which Nola allowed eight.

He looked sharp early, retiring the top of the order on 11 pitches. However, he unraveled after the first inning. He gave up four runs in the 77 pitches he threw during the Phillies’ 9-4 loss on Wednesday.

Nola has been a Philly since his MLB debut in 2015. He had his career-best season in 2018, with a 17-6 record, posting a 2.37 ERA across 33 starts. His current struggles, however, look like a pattern. Nola is coming off a brutal 2025 season where injuries inflated his ERA to 6.01. Now healthy, he is still searching for answers. His performance is critical for a Phillies team trying to climb back into the playoff race after a terrible start to the year.

On Wednesday, after a clean first inning, the righty starter’s struggles resurfaced in the second. The Reds took the lead in no time as the first three batters Nola faced all reached with a double, single, and double, and then scored, blowing up the Reds’ lead to 3-1.

After the game, a dejected Nola reportedly remarked, “Not that great, honestly. I felt better today. I missed some balls over the plate, and they capitalized on them. Tough one again.”

By the time Nola left the mound, the Reds had tacked on another run. In the fourth, Blake Dunn tripled on a 91 mph four-seamer. After retiring a batter, as Nola released a sinker, Dunn scored on Higgins single. After Nola’s latest start, Realmuto believes that he needs to get better control of his command, as Nola put traffic on the bases.

This season, Nola’s pitches are going more over the heart of the plate and skirting around edges. He has an elevated walk rate of 9.0% in 2026, compared to last season’s 6.9%. Nola’s K/BB ratio has also dropped to 2.83.

“You saw how good he was in the first inning today. It’s still in there,” Realmuto told Inquirer Sports’ March. “For me, it all comes down to command and being able to throw the ball where he wants. That’s always when he’s been at his best.”

Realmuto, who is hitting .212 this season, went hitless in his 4 at-bats against the Reds on Wednesday. 77 pitches and 55 strikes later, Nola’s outing came to an end as the Phillies trailed 4-1. But the Phillies could not recover.

Alec Bohm’s solo shot and Edmundo Sosa’s two-run homer in the sixth had turned things interesting for a minute. The game was within reach as the scoreboard read 5-4 with the Reds leading.

However, the Phillies’ bullpen could not stop the bleeding. Orion Kerkering took over the seventh midway from Tim Mayza, only to give up a single and a two-run double. The Reds’ rookie Sal Stewart scored on the double. Jose Alvarado closed the ninth with a 441-foot homer from Stewart that landed straight in left-field’s second deck.

Meanwhile, interim manager Mattingly is ready to help his veteran pitcher improve.

Phillies’ interim manager promises to help Aaron Nola

Wednesday was Aaron Nola’s fourth start since Mattingly took charge, and he has only had one quality start since. Against the Miami Marlins on May 4, Nola threw six scoreless innings despite giving up five hits.

In his other two outings, Nola allowed 6 hits each, including 3 runs against the Colorado Rockies and 6 runs against the Pirates. But Mattingly is determined to help him and make any necessary adjustments.

“He’s going to keep working. We’re not going to stop trying to help him in any way we can,” said the manager. “We’re counting on him to be the guy he’s been and continue to make adjustments to have success.”

Till now, the Phillies have tried different strategies, including pitching backwards. In such cases, Nola would opt for off-speed pitches earlier in counts instead of a fastball. However, they have yet to find a perfect game plan for him.

The Phillies have an off-day to recoup before they take on the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday.