The Philadelphia Phillies enter September with momentum after sweeping the Los Angeles Angels over the weekend. As Philadelphia concludes its West Coast trip, the team has gained ground on the Chicago Cubs in the National League wild-card race and is tied with Chicago for the top position entering Monday.
The Phillies’ recent success has been a team effort, but Aaron Nola has emerged as one of the club’s biggest surprises. After struggling at times early in the season, the veteran right-hander delivered one of his strongest stretches in August. Maintaining that form could be crucial for Philadelphia during the final month of the regular season.
Aaron Nola Could Be a Major Phillies X-Factor in September
Nola is scheduled to start Philadelphia’s series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night. The Phillies have plenty to like about what he accomplished in August leading into that start.
In five starts this month, Nola has posted a 2-1 record and a 2.79 ERA. He has also recorded 37 strikeouts in 29 innings, showing an improved ability to generate swings and misses. His curveball has been particularly effective, while opposing hitters are batting just .231 against him in August.
Although August has been Nola’s best month of the season, his turnaround began to take shape in July. He had started to find his rhythm despite not recording a win. That progress has now carried into August, making the veteran look more like the dominant version of Nola Phillies fans have seen in the past.
Nola will be an important part of Philadelphia’s push toward the postseason. The Phillies have been playing well recently, and a stronger back end of the starting rotation gives the team a better chance to succeed. With Philadelphia’s playoff-clinch number down to 21, an October berth appears increasingly likely.
If Nola continues pitching at his August level, he could enter the playoffs as the Phillies’ fourth starter in a longer series. That would represent a significant turnaround from the way he began the season, but he must sustain his performance throughout September to make that possibility a reality.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
