It’s true that baseball has a funny way of exposing weaknesses, subtly at first, then, before you know it, all at once. And for a team aiming for October glory, even the smallest cracks can create big tremors. As we speak, the Philadelphia Phillies are now squaring off against troubles with the $8.5 million pitcher. As a result, it has put the team in a shaky spot. And the growing headline has nothing to do with his one bad outing; it’s about a building pattern now.

At the heart of that growing headline is 31-year-old veteran pitcher Jordan Romano. When he stepped onto the mound in the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Phillies expected him to protect their two-run lead. Instead, the manager pulled him before he could record an out. He just allowed a hit and a walk. Then, Mookie Betts ripped a double to left-center, scoring one run and moving Shohei Ohtani up to third base. By that point, manager Rob Thompson had run out of patience. Thereafter, when Ohtani came in to score for the tying run later that inning, it marked the third time in five games that Romano had allowed two runs.

And after the game, manager Rob Thompson didn’t hold back when reporters asked him about Romano. Thompson admitted, “(Romano’s) velocity is something we’ve got to check into.” He continued, “Everything out of the training room is no red flag. He feels fine. I don’t know whether it’s a dead-arm issue or what, but it concerns me a little bit.” Thompson didn’t shy away from pointing these concerns out publicly. The Phillies rely on Romano as their high-leverage weapon. With the season hanging in the balance, his troubles are becoming an even greater burden for the team.

On the other hand, it’s even worse when you see Romano’s former team—the Toronto Blue Jays, who signed Jeff Hoffman after his all-star season with the Phillies last year. He turned out to be perfect to go three-for-three in save chances. While Hoffman is proving ideal for the Blue Jays’ three-year investment, the Phillies are hoping for Romano to pull it together before it’s too late.

The only way forward for Romano is to make his next appearance against the Atlanta Braves a statement. He delivers a performance that reminds everyone why he’s a perfect fit for the Phillies.

Wheeler vs. Sale headlines Phillies-Braves clash

All hints point to the Atlanta Braves vs. Philadelphia Phillies becoming the ones to watch out for. As it turns out, the Braves had to mix up and rearrange their rotation. And it will make this matchup more intense than you can imagine. We will now be witnessing last year’s top two NL Cy Young finishers line up against each other in a rematch.

Chris Sale, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, will be opposed by Zack Wheeler, the player who was edged out last year in the race for the NL’s top pitcher.

When Wheeler was asked about the results during spring training, he admitted, “Yeah, I mean, I think Chris deserved it,”. He continued, “I have no ill feelings towards anybody. But I think he deserved it,”. That being said, Wheeler, a Georgia native, would subtly enjoy the chance of outdueling Sale in Atlanta.

So far Wheeler has been off to a great start. He has a 1.38 ERA and 18 strikeouts across his first two outings of the year. And well, the Phillies are standing at 7-2 after knocking off the Los Angeles Dodgers. Sale, on the other hand, has a 5.40 ERA over his first two starts. He has a total of 10 innings pitched. Not to mention, the Braves have had a rough 1–8 start.

It’ll be a one-of-a-kind matchup—witnessing two powerhouse teams, each with something to prove amidst the spotlight shining bright on their two aces.