Philadelphia Phillies' Aaron Nola Has an Unexpected Problem

A big reason why the Philadelphia Phillies re-signed J.T. Realmuto on a three-year, $45 million contract last winter was because of how well he handles the pitching staff.

Yes, it was also largely because there really weren't any other truly enticing options available, but the $15 million AAV certainly seemed like a lot for a declining hitter whose defense clearly wasn't even the same anymore.

But the Phillies really valued Realmuto's stabilizing presence in the locker room and behind the plate, so they opted to retain him.

The problem? His presence might be sabotaging Aaron Nola.

Nola had yet another impressive outing on Saturday, tossing seven innings of one-run ball in a loss to the Atlanta Braves.

What does that have to do with Realmuto? Well, Garrett Stubbs caught him, and Patrick Gordon of The Philadelphia Baseball Review has unveiled some shocking stats.

In the 12 games Stubbs has caught Nola, the veteran pitcher has logged a 3.39 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. In the 13 contests Realmuto has served as his battery mate? Nola has posted a 5.21 ERA and 1.47 WHIP.

That is a massive difference, and it makes you wonder if the Phillies can really solve all of the issues Nola has been experiencing since last season by making Stubbs his permanent backstop.

Philadelphia signed Nola to a seven-year, $172 million contract extension back in November 2023. After a strong first season after inking the new deal, Nola imploded in 2025, recording a 6.01 ERA. He also had a 6.04 ERA heading into July this year before enjoying a sudden turnaround.

And what accompanied Nola's resurgence? Stubbs behind the dish.

Considering that Realmuto has always been known as a stalwart of a defensive backstop, this is certainly jarring. But sometimes, pitchers favor certain catchers, and Nola clearly appears to favor Stubbs.

So, what happens in October when Nola is slated to start a playoff game? Do the Phillies keep Realmuto in the lineup? Or would they start Stubbs?

It's looking more and more like it should be the latter. It's not like Realmuto has been an offensive dynamo this season anyway, and the Nola's improved production with Stubbs starting should represent the difference maker.