Philadelphia Phillies rookie starting pitcher Mick Abel will be getting at least a few more major league starts this season. Aaron Nola had a stress reaction to his rib cage which Phillies manager Rob Thomson told reporters, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic. Nola was already on the injured list with a right ankle injury. Abel has been filling in for part of the time Nola has been out. Nola will be shut down for at least two weeks according to Gelb, who noted that this will probably mean Nola is out through the All-Star break. He last pitched in a game on May 14 against the St. Louis Cardinals. A few days later, he was placed on the 15-day IL with the ankle injury.
An MRI showed a stress reaction in Aaron Nola’s right rib cage, Rob Thomson said. Nola will not throw for at least two weeks. A rather significant setback that probably means he doesn’t return until after All-Star break.
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Nola has a 1-7 record with a 6.16 ERA in nine starts this season, along with a 5.00 FIP and a 3.25 K/BB rate. He has a career-worst 1.99 HR/9 allowed rate, and a career-worst WHIP, batting average against, and BABIP against. Nola is in the midst of the worst statistical season in his career. This has been the main weak spot in the Phillies rotation this year. Nola has been one of the most durable pitchers in baseball, having the second most innings pitched since the start of the 2015 season, trailing only Gerrit Cole. Nola has pitched 1,671 innings in his major league career.
Phillies Rookie Mick Abel Getting Extended Chance
Performances From Abel So Far
Abel has undergone a career resurgence this season. In the majors, he has a 1-0 record with a 0.79 ERA in two starts. Abel has a 1.13 FIP and an 11.00 K/BB rate in those starts. Furthermore, Abel did not issue a walk in either of his first two major league appearances. He has a 0.706 WHIP with a .195 batting average against and a .267 BABIP against. This past offseason, the Phillies opted to add Abel to the 40-man roster to avoid him being available in the Rule 5 Draft. So far, this decision has paid off. Abel now has an extended chance to show that he deserves a spot in the Phillies rotation long-term. The Phillies might have a starting pitching logjam, but that is not a bad thing.
Potential Additional Impact Of Nola Setback
The highly anticipated debut of Andrew Painter might be impacted by this news. Painter is expected to make his debut in late July after the All-Star break. Nola might end up returning around the same time, which could complicate things from a roster construction standpoint. The Phillies might have to end up moving one of their starting pitchers to the bullpen to make things work. Ranger Suárez or Jesús Luzardo would likely move to the bullpen in that scenario. Abel continuing to pitch well would solidify his spot in the rotation. If that happens, he should stay in the major league rotation for the long run. Abel or Suárez being traded is also a possibility. In any event, the Phillies will figure it out.
