Phillies’ Starting Staff Finds a Groove During Series Win Over the Cubs
Apr 26, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jesús Luzardo (44) delivers a pitch against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Coming into the all-important series against the red-hot Cubs this past weekend, the Phillies had many questions and concerns regarding their underwhelming play as they came off of a four-game losing streak. One concern that would soon rise hopes again is the starting staff.
It’s obvious that starting pitching is as essential as it gets. If you can throw a starter for six plus innings, you will more than likely find yourself in a winning position, which has not been the case in the 2025 MLB season for the Phillies.
The Phillies have seen, so far, Ranger Suarez on the injured list, a very rare inconsistency from Zack Wheeler, a returning concern from Taijuan Walker, soreness and pain from Cristopher Sanchez, and, most concerning, a forgettable start to Aaron Nola‘s season.
In this series, the Phils managed to continue the good and turn around the bad within the starters Walker, Luzardo, and Aaron Nola.
Walker Bounces Back
In Friday’s showdown, Walker got the nod in the miserable, cold, and windy conditions.
In three innings pitched, Walker gave up two earned runs and gathered four strikeouts. This stat line isn’t the most impressive line, but those who have seen his struggles wouldn’t say he pitched badly at all. Walker looked comfortable and fought the wind as much as one could in the “Windy City” of Chicago. Walker was also able to keep the ball inside the park, something he is known to struggle with.
Walker sits at a 2.78 ERA, which would be a respectable number to stay at throughout the season.
Another Masterclass from Luzardo
The Phillies bounced back in the series after Friday night’s shutout with the help of the most important pickup of the offseason in Luzardo.
Luzardo went six innings while only giving up three hits and three walks. He also gave up zero earned runs and collected five strikeouts. Once again, Luzardo checked off all the boxes on his stat sheet, something he’s been able to do all year.
Though he shows dominance every time he has stepped on the mound in pinstripes, Saturday’s win looked like his best start yet. It is almost certain that if Luzardo keeps this momentum going, he will for sure be in the running for the National League Cy Young Award.
The Return of Nola
To put it simply, Nola has struggled. He has looked frustrated as he has failed to find the zone, a problem he’s not accustomed to. The long ball continued to haunt him at the start of the season, and his pitch count only rose start after start.
On Sunday Night Baseball, however, we witnessed a vintage Nola start for the first time in this 2025 season. Though not receiving a decision, Nola was able to go seven innings while keeping his pitch count under 100.
The command showed up, as Nola walked only one batter and struck out nine. He looks to have found his sinker and cutter again, which gave him trouble at the start of the year. One run crossed the plate during Nola’s time on the hill, which even by itself looked preventable in the outfield.
Although he will have more bad performances as well as good, Nola has possibly found himself again, along with the many other starters.
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Luke Raidy
Luke has covering the the Flyers and Phillies for Philly Sports Reports since 2025. He is a junior at North Penn and being a huge Philly sports fan has brought so many experiences, such as going to the NLDS, NLCS, and even the World Series in 2022. He has also met former superstars in the city of Philadelphia, such as Wayne Simmonds from the Flyers. Though being a student-athlete, Luke enjoys his time where he is writing and reporting on Philadelphia sports.
