Aaron Nola’s afternoon against the Toronto Blue Jays on Aug. 8 started with a milestone and nearly ended with a scare.
The Phillies right-hander punched out catcher Brandon Valenzuela in the second inning with a 93.4 mph sinker for his third strikeout of the day, and it also happened to be the 2,000th strikeout of his career. Nola became just the seventh active pitcher to reach that mark and the 94th pitcher in MLB history to get there.
Nola didn’t spend much time soaking it in, though. With a runner on first, he was already locked in on the next pitch and the next out.
“It’s easier said than done to take it in,” Nola said, via Charlotte Varnes of The Athletic (subscription required), “but there’s a lot of guys that have 2,000 strikeouts. For me, it’s a good accomplishment, but the game obviously means a lot. To have a guy on first base - you’re trying to keep him there and get the next guy out.”
Then came the part the Phillies were hoping to avoid. In the sixth inning, Nola took a comebacker off the inside of his right knee off the bat of Blue Jays outfielder Jesus Sanchez, with the ball leaving the bat at 104.8 mph.
Philadelphia was trying to squeeze as much work as possible out of Nola because the bullpen was taxed, and he had already reached 95 pitches by the time he started the sixth. The hit came on pitch No. 97, and Brooks Raley was already warming in the bullpen in case the Phillies needed to make a quick move.
For a moment, the focus shifted away from the milestone and toward the possibility of a serious injury. That concern appears to have eased. X-rays were negative, and Nola said he expects to be ready for his next turn.
“Planning on making my next start,” Nola said, “and hoping for a good week and that it subsides real quick.”
"Hope for a good week this week and the [pain] subsides really quick."Aaron Nola says he's still planning to make his next start. | @WapnerNewman pic.twitter.com/z9e1HixXcz
That next start is set for Aug. 13 against the Minnesota Twins in the Field of Dreams game, an appearance Nola surely doesn’t want to miss.
The timing matters even more because the Phillies did not add a starting pitcher before the MLB trade deadline, making any rotation injury a major problem for the club. Andrew Painter also had to leave his most recent start with hamstring issues, though he is expected to be fine for his next turn.
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