As the Phillies quest for a playoff berth intensifies, manager Gabe Kapler looks poised to increase his ace’s workload in hopes that Aaron Nola can carry the team to the promised land. As Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports writes, the Phillies are considering starting the 26-year-old Nola every fifth day for the stretch run, regardless of intervening off days. Last year’s third-place NL Cy Young finisher has been far and away the most reliable of the Phillies’ starting rotation, which has sorely lacked for production outside of its ace. If the Phillies were to employ such a plan, Nola would make eight more starts over the next month-plus, which would place him at a total of 35 at season’s end. As Salisbury notes, though, Nola has often benefitted from a fifth day of rest and features considerably better career numbers with the extra day off. Of course, it’s undeniable that Nola is the Phillies’ best option to start games and the club is confident that, in a playoff race that may well be decided in the waning days of the season, their chances are maximized with Nola on the mound as often as possible.
Here’s all the latest from baseball’s East divisions…
- Mets starter Marcus Stroman left today’s start against the Indians after just four innings because of left hamstring tightness. Tim Healey of Newsday has an update, with Stroman undergoing an MRI that showed no reason for concern. Indeed, it’s only hamstring tightness for the new Met, who has now made four starts with his new club. All indications are that the injury is nothing serious, so it seems as though Stroman should be good to go for his next start.
- A pair of young Braves regulars are slated to begin rehab assignments in the coming days, per Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Shortstop Dansby Swanson will join the Class-A Rome Braves on Thursday for a rehab stint, with rookie slugger Austin Riley joining him the following day. Swanson has been out since late July with a heel issue, while Riley has missed about two weeks with a partially torn right LCL. While the Braves have found capable replacements for both young stars and has gotten by without the pair, the club would no doubt welcome Swanson and Riley back to the lineup as soon as possible. Swanson has put together his best offensive season, while Riley has gotten his career off to a blistering start, slugging 17 home runs in just 66 Major League games.
- Yankees pitching prospect Deivi Garcia has been moved to the bullpen for Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre, according to Connor Foley of the Scranton Times-Tribune. While the organization has not given an explicit explanation for the move, it seems likely that it’s motivated by one of two things: most likely, the Yankees are limiting the workload for Garcia, who is just 20 years old and has already eclipsed 100 innings pitched for the season, a threshold that he never reached prior to 2019; or, less likely, the team is preparing Garcia for the role he would have in the Majors as a potential September call-up. The club has taken a similar course of action in the past with Justus Sheffield and Chance Adams, though both were further along in their development than Garcia.
- Injured Rays rookie Brandon Lowe may have hit a roadblock in his recovery from a right shin contusion, as he exited his rehab game with Triple-A Durham with a left quad strain, according to Juan Toribio of MLB.com. That injury, of course, is separate from the shin contusion, though the severity is not yet known. Lowe will return to St. Petersburg tomorrow to be further evaluated, at which point more details will likely be made available. Lowe, who has generated buzz as a Rookie of the Year candidate, has not played for the Rays since July 2. He had previously been expected to return in late August or early September, but that timeline may have been complicated by the introduction of another, unrelated injury.
I understand that our options are limited, but I swear to God, Nola is on the first year of a multi-year extension. If Kapler blows out Nola’s arm for a wild card spot, I’m gonna be pissed
I genuinely hope we make the playoffs and I believe that we have the talent to do so, but I honestly don’t believe that the Phillies are going to do anything as long as Gabe Kapler is the manager.
Obviously, the pitching is a problem, and a lot of that is on Klentak too, but it has also been mismanaged. On top of that, the recent line-ups haven’t been putting our guys in the best position to succeed.
Hoskins is an RBI guy- why is he hitting lead-off? Yes, he’s slumping, so move him down to 5th. I think they should have Cesar hitting leadoff, Segura second, Realmuto third, Harper 4th, Hoskins 5th, Kingery 6th, Dickerson 7th and Quinn/Hasely 8th–
Anyway, it’ll be interesting to see how it shapes out
I strongly concur. Even if they win the wild card, there is no way in this reality that the Phillies can beat the Dodgers in a playoff series.
Same was said about the rsox last year??? Since the 2012 big trade , how many world series dodgers win?
Anything can happen.
There’s only one thing standing in the way of the Dodgers in bringing a trophy to LA: The World Series.
I think kapler and hos mismanagement is the main problem, followed closely by lack of pitching and front office moves. Harper was a bad signing, and the team has no depth. they do have some good pieces no doubt but they are not a playoff team like espn likes to think
Harper was not a bad signing. Bravo resentment much?
Spot on
Hoskins gets on base. He walks a lot. On paper he should be an RBI guy, but this year he is either walking or flying out. I actually think he’s the best option at lead off, and it’s been working the last few games. He walks and then you have Harper and Realmuto with a chance to bring him home. Hernandez has struggled in the leadoff spot and doesn’t get on base as much as Hoskins. I actually like the move.
Everyone is down on Kapler and the Phillies pitching. Well, since the break, the Phillies have the 5th best bullpen in baseball. Their starters have also performed well. It’s been the offense that continues to struggle. Kapler’s lineup shuffles have produced results. This team is still not where they need to be, but Kapler is dealing with the cards he was dealt. Hoskins was batting cleanup for the majority of the year and the results were awful.
Agreed. While I haven’t been a fan of Kapler entirely, he is using the cards he has been dealt. All things considered, he hasn’t done as bad of a job as some people believe.
He had to move Hoskins to get him going. He’s been downright abysmal over the last month or so. He see’s pitches, so he needs to be at the top right now so the Phillies hitters get a good look at what a pitcher has. Even though Hoskins isn’t hitting, that’s a tremendous thing to have. J-Roll did that consistently and it paid dividends.
If anyone had said in March “Hey Kapler, you aren’t going to have Neshek, Hunter, Arano, Robertson, Ramos, or Seranthony, and McCutchen for almost all season AND you’re starters aren’t going to pitch at 50% of what they were last year”, most people wouldn’t pick this team to go .500 let alone be sniffing a WC spot.
Yes, Kapler has made some questionable decisions. However, for the injuries and lack of performance plaguing this team, they aren’t in a bad spot.
Swanson makes this average lineup a whole lot better. Personally, I’ll move him back to the second hole and Albies to the fifth spot. Regardless what decision is made, hopefully, Duvall is no longer behind JD.
You just seem to be the most negative fan of the Braves on earth.
Does he skew glass-half-empty most of the time? Sure.
But one man’s pessimist is another man’s realist. I would suggest it’s healthy to consider a more critical viewpoint even if you want to maintain a fully positive outlook on what’s to come.
AllOurGods is right; Braves lineup is top-heavy and adding Swanson to 2-hole could give JD some added protection. It’s a valid argument.
@allourgods always like reading your comments and wondering how in the world you think you know more than the team. They don’t need you. Just watch the games.
AOG is the one who thinks he knows more than the team. He’s the one incessantly criticizing the teams trades, or lack thereof.
Don’t forget always predicting how bad they’ll fail in the playoffs.
Many on this site believe they know more about their team than others. That doesn’t set him apart from anyone.
Jonny Mac was implying that AOG doesn’t think he knows better than the team, and that he laughs at people who do. I was correcting that misperception.
I agree 100%
Mets vs Nats one game playoff. Degrom vs Max would be sweet.
Best matchup until one of them faces Verlander…
Nice dreaming exile. Too bad it won’t happen.
That was opening day too! I like how that one ended up!
Until you get the bullpens
O’Day is also going to pitch in a GCL games Saturday.
This feels like its going to be a bad idea by the Phillies.
The Mets have been playing with amazing confidence. What the so called experts kept blabbing was how they should have done a tear down and rebuild.
When you look at the team you see a group of players who are extremely young.
Alonso 24, McNeil 27, Rosario 23, Davis 26, Conforto 26, Smith 24, Nimmo 26, Nido 25,Gillemore 25, Panic 28, Matz 28, wheeler 29, Syndergaard 28, Diaz 25, Stroman 28, Lugo 29, Famelia 29,Gsellman 25. Then the old men, Lagares 30, Ramos 32, Frazier 33, Lowrie 35, Cano 36, Cespedes 33, Avelon 30, Wilson 32, DEGrom 31
With the core of the team so young, why would any expert say you should rebuild?
They will point to the first half and say they were awful so they must not be very good. Of course the season is 162 games long.
I am still waiting for the experts to say thank goodness Brodie is in charge. Maybe his best decision was to ignore the experts and support Mickey Calloway. Mickey has done a phenomenal job of keeping the team together and playing hard every day. This is what a managers job is to do. He can’t make people succeed.
most of those guys are pushing 30, thats hardly “extremely young” esp in baseball years
Dude, the Mets will always be second fiddle to the yanks. And they’re not that good of a team as demonstrated last week in Atlanta.
Don’t upset the apple cart. Nola to finish the year with 33 games instead of 35 should still be applauded.
@parkers
Do you think the Mets are as young and talented as the Yankees? Who do you think has a better foundation for future success? Just curious!! Good Luck to the Mets, the NL East is VERY INTERESTING!
Put the Mets in the AL and they’re a top 3 team. Mets young hitters don’t get to face awful pitching which is every AL team outside of the Astros
lofl
Put the Mets in the AL and you’d see DeGrom, Wheeler, Syndergaard and company wouldn’t be as successful. Matz would have either been demoted to AAA or banished to the bullpen. There is a benefit for these pitchers in the NL East.
What’re you talking about? Braves and Nationals are both sixth and eighth in runs scored and Philly is right in the middle of the league overall. Only the AL east (extremely top heavy with BOS and NYY) and NL west have a better showing.
The AL has a DH. The NL does not. It is a different animal. Take them out of Citi Field. Do it over 162 games (30+ starts if they are lucky), and they’d have problems. I’d rather pitch in Nationals Park, Citi Field and in Miami than many others.
Maybe…. but that’s ONLY if they are replacing either the Yankees, Red Sox or Tampa Bay. Otherwise, they’re on the outside looking up at the other 3.
When completely healthy. The Yanks r position by position better then then Mets except at first base. But the Mets have better starting pitching. And the Yanks obviously have arguably the next bullpen in baseball. The Mets don’t have a Gleybar Torres or Aaron Judge. The only starting pitcher the Yanks have that would b in the Mets rotation right now (when healthy) is Sevy. I’d take DeGrom, Thor , Stroman over anyone on the Yanks staff except a healthy Sevy. And it would b a toss up between Matz and Tanaka.
A Gleybar Torres who is avg at best when he doesn’t get to play the orioles. Aaron judge who hasn’t been close to the player he’s hyped to be since his rookie year
This take is so hot that my computer is melting.
The numbers don’t lie bud
You’ve wasted 3-5 seconds of everyone’s life with your nonsense bud.
Yeah nonsense to think a guy hitting under 230 for the 2nd straight year and leads his position in errors (Sanchez) is a stud. Judge is now going to finish yet another year under .300 and under 30 hr and 100 rbi real super star right there and Torres has incredibly mediocre numbers if you take out the orioles stats but yeah complete nonsense
Sounds like the Analytic Boys are worried about their jobs! They are willing to throw the stats out the window now in an effort to keep their jobs! They better NOT burn Nola’s arm out!!!
Work the ace into the ground. Surprised old Phillie fans aren’t having 1964 flashbacks
i know everyone will say otherwise, but i fee like if any pitcher in baseball can start 35 games anymore it’s Nola. One forget that he isnt a fireballing K crazy pitcher like a lot of starters nowadays. Every 5th day is something he cam probably handle, and with rosters expanding in September, he can always be reomved an inning early if need be.
Agreed, but like someone said above, they can’t blow Nola’s arm out trying for a WC spot. It’s not like they are a legitimate WS contender. If the Phils were like the Dodgers, I would think differently.
I hope you’re right and they bring up some fresh arms in September to help this rotation out, but like Ricky Bo said last night on Post Game Live “Who’s left?” If the Phillies are seriously going to contend for that WC spot in September, they will need some length out of that rotation. Right now only Nola and Vargas can get into the 6th consistently and that’s not going to get it done. Surely, Vinny Velo has looked better as of late, but I wouldn’t bet on him going that far until he can do it more consistently.
Lowe having a set back is a big blow to the Rays lineup, especially against RHP. They don’t have a huge amount of power as is and taking out a 25-30 HR bat hurts. I hope this quad strain is minor and he can get back on the field in a couple of days.