Aaron Nola makes second rehab start in record-setting win for IronPigs

Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola made his second minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Wednesday, throwing in a record-setting win for the IronPigs in the first half of a doubleheader. Nola allowed one run in 3 2/3 innings in a 12-1, seven-inning victory, the 287th for manager Anthony Contreras.

Contreras, who’s led the IronPigs since 2022, now holds the franchise record for managerial wins.

Nola has been sidelined for the Phillies since May 15, first with a sprained right ankle and then with a stress fracture in his ribcage. The veteran right-hander had not really dealt with an injury problem since 2017, but now he’s missed a large chunk of this season.

He made his first start with Lehigh Valley last Friday, tossing three scoreless innings. On Wednesday, he threw 69 pitches, 40 of which were strikes. He walked two, struck out three and gave up four hits. Nola is expected to make another rehab appearance for the IronPigs next Tuesday in Buffalo, N.Y. He’ll need to continue to build his pitch count before returning to Philadelphia’s rotation.

With a 6.16 ERA in nine starts to begin the year, Nola could potentially benefit from the time off, assuming he remains healthy and pain-free. He’s typically a workhorse who pushes 200 innings per season. But since the early results were not what the Phillies were looking for, a refreshed Nola could be a boost for the club down the stretch.