Aaron Nola has now issued bases-loaded walks in back-to-back starts, something he had only done once in his ten-year career until this recent stretch. The veteran righty didn’t hold back postgame, calling this “by far, the worst start I’ve ever had.”

Wednesday night was another rough outing for Nola, and although there were glimpses of a turnaround midgame, the damage was done early—and again late. The Phillies were crushed by the Giants, 11-4, and Nola’s inconsistency was at the heart of it.

Right from the jump, he struggled to find the strike zone. He gave up three straight hits, walked Heliot Ramos to load the bases, then walked Wilmer Flores to bring in a run. A grounder from Patrick Bailey skipped off shortstop Trea Turner’s glove, driving in two more. Just like that, the Giants were up 4-0, and the Phillies were playing catch-up once again.

It was déjà vu for Nola, who had walked in a run in his previous start as well—something that used to be a rarity for him. Now, he’s done it twice in a row and three times total in his career. His record sits at 0-4, and while slow Aprils aren’t new for Nola, this is on another level.

He did manage to settle down after the shaky first inning, needing 35 pitches to get through it. From the second through the fifth, he allowed just one more run and looked more like himself, giving the Phillies a chance to claw back. He entered the sixth at 81 pitches, but manager Rob Thomson let him go out for another inning—and that’s when things unraveled again.

Nola loaded the bases once more with a single and two walks before handing things over to reliever José Ruiz. Ruiz then walked in another run, and the game spiraled out of reach.

Nola’s final line: 5.1 innings, 9 hits, 7 runs (6 earned), 4 walks, 8 strikeouts. His ERA ballooned to 6.65, and his WHIP climbed to 1.662. He’s now issued four walks in each of his last two starts—a concerning trend.

“I need to get ahead in the count more,” Nola said after the game. “I’m giving away too many free passes, and it’s making things harder than they need to be. Eight walks in two starts just isn’t good enough. I’ll get it fixed.”

And the Phillies need him to. Entering the season, their rotation was seen as a major strength, but Nola’s struggles are putting that in doubt.

At this point in his career, Nola is a known quantity. When he’s in rhythm, he’s dominant—racking up strikeouts and mowing down lineups. But when he’s off, he fights the strike zone, racks up pitches early, and often finds himself in trouble.

His off nights have always been frustrating, but they’ve usually been balanced by brilliance. So far this season, though, that upside hasn’t shown up.

Still, there’s time for him to get right. It’s mid-April, and Nola says his arm feels good and his confidence hasn’t wavered. The results just haven’t followed yet.

Manager Rob Thomson remains optimistic. “He’s a battler,” Thomson said. “He throws 35 pitches in the first inning and still makes it into the sixth. That tells you everything you need to know about how hard he competes.”

But ultimately, the game got away from Nola—again. And until he finds his rhythm, it remains a concern.

“All I can do is keep grinding,” Nola said. “Have a good week of preparation, take that into the next outing, and just go out there and compete.”