On Tuesday, manager Rob Thomson announced that Philadelphia Phillies' starting pitcher Aaron Nola will miss even more time than initially thought.
The right-hander was originally placed on the 15-day injured list with an ankle sprain in mid-May. His recovery was slowed when it was reported that he had to push back a bullpen session due to stiffness in his side.
That injury may now be explained.
Aaron Nola will be on IL longer than expected after latest injury update
Matt Gelb of The Athletic reported that Nola was diagnosed with a stress reaction in his right rib cage, according to Thomson. The long-time Phillies starter will refrain from throwing for two weeks. This likely delays his return to the mound until after the All-Star break.
An MRI showed a stress reaction in Aaron Nola’s right rib cage, Rob Thomson said. Nola will not throw for at least two weeks. A rather significant setback that probably means he doesn’t return until after All-Star break.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) June 10, 2025
Nola may have had his struggles to begin the season, but has been a model of consistency when it comes to staying healthy. Dating back to 2018, the longest-tenured player on the club has surpassed 200 innings pitched three times and eclipsed 180 innings three times.
When healthy, Nola can be a top pitcher in the National League. His absence will be noted. However, his extended stay on the injured list gives Mick Abel more time to prove his worth.
Phillies will continue to rely on rookie Mick Abel in starting rotation
Abel was called up when Nola first went on the IL. He had the daunting task of facing off against Paul Skenes in his Major League debut, and he dazzled, collecting his first career win after throwing six shutout innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The organization's No. 8 prospect was called up again when Taijuan Walker was officially moved to a permanent bullpen role, per MLB.com's Paul Casella. He pitched another solid game in Toronto last week, going 5 1/3 innings allowing just three hits and one earned run.
Abel is slated to pitch again Tuesday night at home against the Chicago Cubs. So far, he's shown that he possesses the ability to get big-league hitters out.
The Phillies will rely on their 23-year-old rookie to be an anchor in their formidable rotation in Nola's absence. If Abel continues to pitch well, the front office will have some decisions to make when their injured starter returns. The situation may become more complicated as Andrew Painter continues to rehab from his Tommy John surgery.
The Phillies find themselves in a good position when it comes to their rotation if the rest of the staff can stay healthy. After all, a contending team can never have too much starting pitching.