Phillies starting rotation still anything but figured out

Even with the Phillies entering their third month of the 2019 season, the starting rotation still needs a lot of work to be playoff caliber.

Coming into the year, I and pretty much everyone else assumed that the Phillies‘ rotation would be a real strength. They were the team’s best unit last year (more or less by default) and very well could’ve been this season. However, two and a half months into the year, the rotation is anything but settled.

As a whole, Phillies starters rank 15th in ERA, 19th in WHIP, 20th in opposing weighted on-base average and strikeout-to-walk ratio, 26th in the league in Fangraphs wins above replacement and fielding-independent pitching and 28th-worst in home runs allowed. The only teams with worse starting pitchers in terms of fWAR are the Mariners, Angels, Orioles, and Giants.

Zach Eflin has been the team’s best starter by a long shot as the only one with an ERA below 4.00. He has two complete games, including one shutout, a 2.88 ERA, a 1.194 WHIP, and 3.17 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

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Beyond Eflin, no starter has done well by any measure. Aaron Nola, who was supposed to be the team’s ace, is posting his worst numbers since his injury-shortened 2016 season. Nola started to look like he was turning things around in May, but in two starts this month he has allowed nine runs in 12 innings.

Jake Arrieta started well, but his performance since then indicates how gilded that early success was.

Since April 27, he has a 5.52 ERA, allowing five or more runs in four of his eight starts in that span. He ranks fourth in the National League with 14 home runs allowed this year.

Nick Pivetta is pitching better since returning from Triple-A at the end of May, but anything is better than how he started. Even with just four runs allowed in 20 innings pitched since returning, he still has a 4.93 ERA. While it would be nice if the demotion turns things around for Pivetta, it’s still far too early to make a definitive statement about it.

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Jerad Eickhoff is the latest casualty of Philadelphia’s rotation with the news that he will move to the bullpen. This comes following Eickhoff’s horrific start Monday night when he gave up five home runs in just three innings. That brought his season home runs allowed total to 16, tied for most among NL pitchers.

With Eickhoff now out of the rotation, it’s anyone’s guess who starts in his place Saturday. The team doesn’t even know with Ranger Suarez, Cole Irvin, Vince Velasquez, or an opener all options per Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Whatever they go with, it certainly won’t be a long-term option.

Philadelphia is rumored to be all over the starting pitching trade market, with interest in Madison Bumgarner, Zack Greinke, and Mike Minor. However, their limited prospect pool could hinder the quality of moves they make, especially with other needs on the roster.

Whatever the team decides to do to improve their rotation, something must be done to address for one of the worst starting pitching units in all of baseball.