4 Phillies Takeaways From Another Series Loss to Braves

Easily the biggest takeaway for Philadelphia from this weekend series was getting to see Zack Wheeler back on the mound. After dealing with a blood clot and thoracic outlet syndrome, he was back for Game 2 of the series.

It was a solid debut, with the veteran righty going five innings and being charged with two earned runs on three hits and three walks to go along with six strikeouts. He was in line for the victory, but Tanner Banks was charged with two earned runs without getting a single out in relief of him.

With Wheeler back in the mix, taking the spot of Taijuan Walker, the Phillies have one of the strongest rotations in baseball. It will be what helps get the team back on track.

Trea Turner Showing Some Life At Plate

There have been a lot of players struggling in the Philadelphia lineup, with leadoff Trea Turner being among them. Against Atlanta, he started showing some signs of life at the plate, an encouraging sign for sure.

He had a hit in all three games, including a home run in Game 1. Turner also drew three walks, looking to jump-start a dormant Phillies offense.

There is still a long way to go, but getting on base five times in a three-game series is a great step in the right direction.

Aaron Nola Regression

The level of concern for Aaron Nola is on the rise. The veteran righty struggled last season with injuries and effectiveness, and thus far in 2026, the latter has unfortunately carried over.

Nola gave up seven hits, including two home runs, and three walks, resulting in six earned runs in 4.2 innings of work against Atlanta. He did have six strikeouts, giving him 35 on the year in 31.1 innings pitched.

However, that is about the only positive to his stat line. His ERA is at 6.03, and his ERA+ of 71 would be a career low. He still has a positive bWAR of 0.2, but there is cause for concern.

Jose Alvarado Settling In

The 2026 season has not been a good one for left-handed reliever Jose Alvarado, who has struggled to the tune of a 7.45 ERA. However, he does look to be settling in.

In their extra-inning victory to snap the 10-game losing streak, Alvarado pitched an important 1.1 innings and allowed only one hit. That base runner was eventually picked off to help keep the score where it was at.

Relievers’ ERAs are volatile given the amount of innings they work. Alas, Alvarado has now worked two clean outings in a row without a run being allowed, and has not been scored upon in four out of five appearances, giving up only one run in 4.2 innings of work.