The Philadelphia Phillies’ nightmare started before most fans had settled into their seats. Five Milwaukee Brewers hitters stepped to the plate, and all five crossed home plate in a devastating first inning that would doom the team’s 6-3 loss. Behind this catastrophic opening stood the franchise’s $172 million investment, struggling to find answers as his command abandoned him when it mattered most.

That investment? Aaron Nola. The brutal reality hit hard when the ace’s evening began with a walk, a hit batter, two singles, and a crushing homer before he could record a single out. The pitcher, who signed his massive contract extension to be the team’s reliable anchor, watched helplessly as his fastball velocity dipped to 91.7 mph and his precision evaporated. This marked another troubling chapter in what has become a concerning pattern since his return from injury.

The right-hander didn’t mince words when confronting his glaring weakness. “I just think the first inning’s kind of bitten me on the butt past couple times,” Nola admitted with raw honesty. “I feel like it’s been all year, and even before I was hurt. The one inning’s been kind of blowing up on me.” His 8.38 ERA across four starts since returning from his rib fracture tells a stark story of struggle. “I wasn’t that crisp,” he said, acknowledging his command felt completely “off.”

Manager Rob Thomson delivered his own blunt assessment while maintaining faith in his star pitcher. “He was better. Not quite Nola-like, but he was better,” Thomson said, offering measured praise for Nola’s recovery after the disastrous opening frame. The manager refused to consider using an opener, drawing on Nola’s playoff transformation last season when his 4.46 regular season ERA became a sterling 2.35 in October. “He wasn’t throwing all that well, and as soon as the playoffs started, he got it going,” Thomson explained, clinging to hope that his ace would rediscover his magic when the stakes rose highest.

As the Philadelphia Phillies navigate Nola’s struggles on the mound, another storyline brewing in Philadelphia threatens to dominate the offseason conversation. While one star battles to regain his form, another’s breakout season could force some difficult financial decisions.

Phillies Face Tough Decision on Schwarber’s Future

While Nola battles his demons on the mound, another Philadelphia Phillies’ star faces uncertainty of a different kind. Kyle Schwarber has been absolutely crushing baseballs this season, putting together numbers that scream MVP candidate and creating a massive headache for the front office come winter.

The 32-year-old designated hitter sits atop the National League home run leaderboard while pacing all of Major League Baseball in RBIs. His explosive performance has the Phillies rolling as one of baseball’s elite teams, but age becomes the obvious talking point when he hits free agency. ESPN’s Jeff Passan expects initial hesitation from teams, writing: “Teams will scoff because of the age, the strikeouts, the positional inflexibility.”

However, Passan believes Schwarber’s total package will trigger serious competition. “But Schwarber’s total package will ultimately push some of them off such concerns and trigger a bidding war. If he wants, he can get at least four years,” he projects. The money talk gets even more serious: “The salary, at that term, should be at least $30 million a year.”

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The Atlanta Braves loom particularly troubling threat for Phillies fans. With Marcell Ozuna likely departing, Atlanta needs a designated hitter and possesses the resources to make a serious run at Schwarber. Dave Dombrowski’s Phillies haven’t been shy about spending, but losing their slugger to a division rival would sting beyond just financial implications.