Five things we learned about the Phillies from the first half of 2018

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WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 17: Aaron Nola #27 of the Philadelphia Phillies and the National League pitches in the fifth inning against the American League during the 89th MLB All-Star Game, presented by Mastercard at Nationals Park on July 17, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

Aaron Nola is truly an ace

When Aaron Nola was drafted, his ceiling was a good No. 2 pitcher. Early in his career, he showed that potential. This year, he is rising above that ceiling into true ace territory.

In 20 starts this year, Nola has a 2.30 ERA, 2.60 fielding-independent pitching, 3.74 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 0.98 WHIP. Opposing hitters have a .196 batting average against Nola. According to Baseball Reference, Nola has been worth 5.9 wins above replacement this year. He has already tied his career WAR total prior to this year and could very well be an eight to nine-win player by the end of the season.

Nola is tied for first in wins and allows the fewest home runs per nine innings of any qualified pitcher. He is second only to Jacob deGrom in ERA and WAR and second to Max Scherzer in innings pitched. Nola ranks in the top-five in win-loss record, WHIP, hits per nine innings, strikeouts, ERA+, and FIP.

Nola was an obvious choice for the All-Star Game, impressing in his inning of work. He is an early favorite for the Cy Young award and should at least be a finalist when the season wraps up. Even if he doesn’t win, he has established himself as a top-tier pitcher this season.

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