The Philadelphia Phillies saw starting pitcher Aaron Nola leave his start on Saturday due to an injury.
Nola was removed from the game in the top of the sixth inning after being hit by a comebacker. He tried a warm-up pitch but had some discomfort and then gave the ball to manager Don Mattingly as he exited the game with a trainer.
According to Paul Casella of MLB.com, Nola was heard saying ‘I can’t’ after throwing a second warm-up pitch.
“Aaron Nola took a 104.8 mph comebacker off his lower left leg. He threw a couple warm-up pitches, but appeared to say, “I can’t” following the 2nd one. He’s out of the game. The Phillies — without any real SP depth — will be holding their breath for good news,” Casella wrote on X.
Brooks Raley replaced Nola in the top of the sixth inning with the Phillies trailing 2-0.
Nola went 5 innings, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits, while striking out 8. Before exiting the game, Nola recorded his 2000th career MLB strikeout and got a standing ovation from the Phillies fans.
This season, the right-hander has struggled, going 3-9 with a 5.55 ERA.
Nola Opens up on Struggles
Nola was expected to be a key part of the Phillies’ rotation, but he has struggled this season.
After another poor start at the end of June, Nola reflected on his frustrating 2026 season.
“I definitely haven’t really had a stretch like this ever in my career,” Nola said. “I mean, over my career, I feel like I’ve been kind of an innings eater since I’ve been with the Phillies. It’s been tough, you know? I mean, I haven’t really stepped foot in the sixth inning too much this year. It’s a little bit different, but I’ve got to keep working. I believe I can get back to that point.”
Despite Nola’s struggles, the Phillies didn’t add to the rotation at the trade deadline as many had expected.
Phillies Drops Series Opener to Blue Jays
On Friday night in the series opener, the Phillies suffered a 5-4 loss to the Blue Jays.
The game featured Blue Jays hitting coach David Popkins being ejected after complaining that Zack Wheeler wasn’t throwing off the rubber.
“I saw them talking after the first or second, and then John told me to make sure I stay on the rubber,” Wheeler said. “I threw one TV game earlier this year, and I guess MLB thought I was off the rubber, but we have the data that showed that I was on. … So then that [fourth] inning, I think their hitting coach just yelled, ‘Get him on the rubber!’ And John tossed him.”
Wheeler, meanwhile, said he will continue to pitch the way he does, where he sometimes goes as far as he can towards first base on the rubber.
“I’ve been pitching over there forever, and I’m gonna keep doing it,” Wheeler said. “They’ve lost a lot of games over there, so they’re probably trying to pick some things up to complain about.”
The Phillies entered play on Saturday with a record of 62-55 and is 8 games back of the Braves.
Phillies Make Aaron Nola Injury Announcement During Blue Jays Game