Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Phillies' Aaron Nola Has One of MLB's Most Cringeworthy Contracts

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matthew Sullivan | Last updated Jun 30, 2025 1:15 PM ET

In the offseason, the Philadelphia Phillies signed starting pitcher Aaron Nola to a massive contract extension. That deal keeps Nola through 2030 and pays him $172 million overall.

After his tough start to the 2025 season, Nola's huge contract was deemed one of the top ten most "cringy" contracts by Bleacher Report writer Kerry Miller.

"In those first nine starts, though," Miller writes. "Neither his knuckle-curve nor his four-seamer were anything close to the lethal offerings they used to be, and he's only one and a half years into a hefty seven-year deal."

Nola's first nine starts of 2025 have gone poorly. He has a 6.16 ERA and a 1-7 record. Across 49.2 innings pitched, Nola has allowed 59 hits, 34 earned runs, 11 home runs, and 16 walks. He's also struck out 52 batters.

Over the past two years, Nola has struggled to contain the long ball, allowing 32 and 30 home runs in 2023 and 2024, respectively. But, while the overall number isn't there yet, his home runs allowed per nine innings is the highest it's been in his career.

Nola, after a rough start to his new big-money contract, is called one of baseball's most cringeworthy contracts. With how Nola is in year one of a massive extension, the struggles look a lot worse.

While he's on the 60-day injured list with a fractured rib, Nola is working his way back to the mound for the second half of the season. His first impression on his big deal hasn't been great, but there's still plenty of room to improve.

If he can turn things around when he comes back, his $172 million extension could look better than it does now. In a nightmare scenario where this is what Nola provides the rest of his career, this extension would be one of the worst in recent baseball history.

But, for now, Nola can still rebound. It's just nine starts into his extension. As Nola's signed for the next six and a half years, he has time to turn things around. However, for now, his contract is one of the "cringiest" in baseball.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: