7 best late-season call-ups in Phillies history

The Phillies have had some big-name players make impacts after a late-season call-up.

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Aaron Nola got his September call-up in 2015
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Aaron Nola got his September call-up in 2015 | Tim Nwachukwu/GettyImages
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Chase Utley

Chase Utley may not have been the prolific hitter that he eventually turned out to be in his first year in the big leagues with the Phillies. Nevertheless, he provided solid production for the club when he made his debut back in 2003. After a less-than-stellar short stint in early April, Utley was recalled in mid-August that very same year and never looked back.

With the late-season call-up, Utley primarily manned second base, along with a few pinch-hitting assignments. In the end, he posted a .244 average and .697 OPS with 11 runs scored, nine doubles, one triple, one home run and 17 RBI while demonstrating great plate discipline with 11 walks and 17 strikeouts over 37 games played. His solid play earned him part-time status for 2004, and he eventually became the full-time starter by 2005.

From there, six All-Star nominations, four Silver Slugger Awards and one World Series championship title later, he has become arguably the best Phillies second baseman of all time.

Aaron Nola

Following the trade of long-time Phillies stalwart Cole Hamels to the Texas Rangers, Aaron Nola was thrust into the starting rotation to close out the 2015 season. Little did they know that was the beginning of Nola becoming a mainstay in their starting five for the next decade, and possibly beyond. Nevertheless, he certainly gave everyone a good glimpse of the future at the time when he posted strong numbers across the board in his debut season with the Phillies. 

In 13 starts, Nola compiled a stellar 6-2 record with a 3.59 ERA, 107 ERA+, 1.20 WHIP, along with 19 walks and 68 strikeouts in 77 2/3 innings pitched. His highlight came in a game against the Miami Marlins on Aug. 23 that year when he nearly pitched a complete game shutout in just the seventh start of his career. He threw eight scoreless innings in the end, scattering three hits on two walks and six strikeouts.

From there, Nola has been the anchor at the front end of the Phillies rotation, posting a career 102-77 record with a 3.67 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with 1,744 strikeouts in 1,594 1/3 innings pitched in 263 starts. Among his successes include an All-Star season in 2018 in which he ended up being an NL Cy Young finalist as well. Even today, he remains a key part of the Phillies’ everyday success and hopes to be for a long time.

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