The Philadelphia Phillies have returned home following a highly successful road trip on the West Coast. They posted a 6-1 record, sweeping the Colorado Rockies in four games and winning two out of three against the Athletics. Their only setback was losing the series finale in Sacramento on Sunday, despite holding the lead in the eighth inning.
Although there was plenty of news during the trip, some of it may have been missed by East Coast fans due to the late game times. You’ve likely heard about Kyle Schwarber’s massive home run in Denver, which marked his 300th career homer. Maybe you missed Johan Rojas’ encounter with security at Coors Field, or the thrilling 11-inning victory on Saturday.
As the Phillies prepare to host the Atlanta Braves tonight to start a three-game series, here’s a roundup of other news you might have missed.
Phillies News: Aaron Nola’s ankle injury progressing slower than anticipated
Aaron Nola, who was placed on the 15-day injured list on May 16 due to a right ankle sprain, was expected to make some progress during last week’s team travel. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. According to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Corey Seidman, Nola’s ankle isn’t recovering as quickly as hoped. He was scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Saturday, but those plans were canceled.
Any further setbacks could force the veteran right-hander to head to Lehigh Valley for a rehab assignment—something he’s keen to avoid.
It doesn't sound like Aaron Nola will throw a bullpen session this weekend in Sacramento as the Phillies had hoped. Right ankle still sore.https://t.co/w1TzbKNsjV
— Corey Seidman (@CSeidmanNBCS) May 25, 2025
“I hope so,” Nola said Sunday about steering clear of a rehab stint, according to Seidman. “That’s the ideal outcome. But honestly, I need to see how it feels once I’m off the mound. Since I’m on the injured list, I want to make sure I fully recover and regain strength. I want to be able to run and sprint without any issues.”
Before the injury, Nola was struggling with a 1-7 record, a 6.16 ERA, and a 1.51 WHIP in nine starts. Hopefully, now that he’s back in Philadelphia, his recovery will speed up and the Phillies can get him back on track for the rest of the season.
Scuffling J.T. Realmuto might be dropped in Phillies’ lineup
It’s clear that J.T. Realmuto hasn’t been hitting well this season. The experienced catcher is batting just .232/.303/.381 with five home runs and 19 RBIs. On the recent road trip, he struggled even more, hitting only .172 over six games, including grounding into his 10th double play of the year on Sunday.
According to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, Phillies manager Rob Thomson is considering swapping Realmuto and Alec Bohm in the lineup—though that move is still uncertain (subscription required).
Something needs to change. Realmuto, a right-handed hitter, has been batting fifth against left-handed pitchers. Bohm, also right-handed, has been in great form. Since early May, the third baseman has slashed .341/.382/.537 with four home runs and 12 RBIs, including an impressive .355/.355/.613 line with two homers and six RBIs on the road trip.
It remains to be seen if Thomson will adjust the lineup this week.
Phillies’ ace Zack Wheeler extends scoreless streak
Zack Wheeler pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings in Friday’s series opener against the Athletics. Knowing him, he was probably a bit frustrated he didn’t make it through the seventh inning—he’s just wired that way.
According to MLB.com’s Theo DeRosa, the 34-year-old has now extended his scoreless innings streak to 22 2/3, marking his longest such run as a Phillie and the second-longest of his career. The last time Wheeler allowed a run was in the fourth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays on May 6.
Wheeler currently holds a 6-1 record with a 2.42 ERA and an impressive 0.88 WHIP. His 88 strikeouts in 70 2/3 innings rank second in the National League, trailing only MacKenzie Gore of Washington by five strikeouts.
In his next start on Wednesday, Wheeler faces a tougher challenge against the Atlanta Braves, who recently got former NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. back from the injured list. The Braves scored five runs against Wheeler in their April 8 matchup, though not all were his fault.
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