Phillies: Aaron Nola’s Setback Cause for Long-term Concern

Another injury is setting Aaron Nola back, and the Phillies shouldn’t count on him being a productive starter long-term

Aaron Nola continues to miss time on the disabled list, this time with a lower back injury. Placed on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to April 21 Nola won’t return to the starting rotation when eligible on Monday according to multiple reports.

How long Nola could be out for is still unknown but the reports of a setback during a simulated game on Friday. Still dealing with a combination of stiffness and soreness Nola could miss more than the two starts he was slated to go without.

Nick Pivetta will continue to fill Nola’s role in the Phillies starting rotation.

Between the elbow and back injury at the age of 23, it’s time to question whether Nola can sustain himself throughout an entire major league season.

Earlier this month we ran an April Fools joke that Nola would miss the entire season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, something that several people fell for. Call it mean spirited or improper but the fact that thousands of people read it and fell for it exposes our fears of the former first round pick missing even more time than first expected.

In an organization with a motley of pitching prospects due to arrive in the next couple of years the Phillies need to determine who can lead the charge towards a championship. Has Nola already proven he’s too fragile to be relied on?

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Based on the fact he will need Tommy John surgery at some point in his career based on the prior elbow injury and his extended pitching motion, it, unfortunately, may be so.