Less than a month ago Aaron Nola was seen as the current and future ace of the Phillies' staff, but that was before the 23-year-old righthander's recent rough stretch.
Nola, who takes the mound in Saturday against the defending World Series champion Kansas City Royals, has failed to get through the fourth inning in each of the last four starts.
"I hadn't really ever gotten hit around this much ever in my career, but it's going to happen," Nola said before Friday's game against the visiting Royals. "I feel we will run into those rough patches now and then.