Aaron Nola eyes rehab assignment, eventual return to Phillies rotation: ‘I have a lot of bullets left’

NEW YORK — Right-hander Aaron Nola faced hitters at Yankee Stadium on Friday afternoon. The next time he does that could be on a Triple-A mound.

After throwing a successful live batting practice before the start of the Phillies’ three-game series in New York, the veteran starter told reporters he’s eyeing a rehab assignment in the minor leagues with Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

“Everything felt normal,” Nola said. “I think I’m ready to go out and pitch in Lehigh in a game situation.”

Out since May 15, Nola was transferred to the 60-day injured list on June 19. He was originally sidelined with a sprained right ankle before later suffering a stress fracture in the right side of his ribcage. These are the first real injuries Nola has dealt with since 2017.

The 32-year-old said his recovery has helped him realize just how important the lower half is for a pitcher. When Nola was throwing with stiffness in his ankle, he was unable to properly rotate during his delivery. He said that put extra stress on his ribs and led to the second injury.

“It starts from the ground up,” Nola said.

With a solid base beneath him and no pain in his ribs either, Nola tossed 56 pitches in three innings of live BP, manager Rob Thomson said. “Command was excellent,” Thomson noted. Backup catcher Rafael Marchán stepped in the box to face Nola and said the righty “looked good.”

“I think he got a little tired at the end,” Marchán said, “but that was good, because that’s the way that he can push himself to see how he’s feeling. But the breaking ball was good. The heater was good. The changeup was good, too. I’m just happy to see he’s throwing. He’s facing hitters now and almost ready to come back.”

Thomson agreed that Nola “looks like he’s ready” to head out on a rehab assignment with the IronPigs soon. The manager said he’d want Nola to build himself up to “at least” 90 pitches in the minors. Maybe that takes three or four starts if he begins at around 60 pitches in the first one. Nola will likely throw another bullpen with the Phillies in the meantime.

Nola, typically a workhorse who eats up close to 200 innings, has only made nine big-league starts this season with a 6.16 ERA in 49 2/3 innings. The Phillies have strong starting pitching, but they could still use the Nola of old in the rotation.

Perhaps the time off could provide a fresher Nola after his early-year struggles. Of course, he’d prefer that he was healthy the entire time. But Nola thinks he’ll have plenty in the tank once he works his way back.

“I feel like I have a lot of bullets left right now,” Nola said. “But obviously I have to be smart about it, too.”