The Philadelphia Phillies received a major boost as both starting pitcher Aaron Nola and third baseman Alec Bohm were officially reinstated from the injured list. The timing of the news coincided with the team wrapping up a four-game set in Washington against the Nationals, and the club confirmed that the roster moves were completed ahead of the series finale, which was streamed on Roku. While the return of two key regulars is a welcome sight for the Phillies, it did come with a few tough roster decisions. Rookie infielder Otto Kemp was the immediate casualty on the 26-man roster, as he was optioned back to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to open space for Bohm. Kemp had been struggling at the plate recently, which made him the logical choice to be sent down despite the valuable depth he provided in his short stay with the big-league club.
As for Nola, his activation did not require a 26-man roster move, as the Phillies were already left with an opening following Saturday’s troubling announcement that ace Zack Wheeler had been placed on the 15-day injured list after doctors discovered a blood clot in his right arm. However, because Nola was coming off the 60-day IL, the Phillies had to find room on the 40-man roster. The organization ultimately made the difficult decision to part ways with outfielder Cal Stevenson in order to make that happen. Stevenson, who logged only eight at-bats with Philadelphia this season but managed to collect two hits, was released outright. He could not be designated for assignment and placed on waivers due to being injured, forcing the Phillies to cut ties with him altogether.
Altogether, Sunday’s flurry of moves underscored both the challenges and benefits of managing an MLB roster in the thick of a playoff push. The Phillies gained back two proven contributors in Nola and Bohm, but at the cost of temporarily losing a rookie option in Kemp and permanently parting ways with Stevenson, whose brief time with the club came to an end because of unfortunate circumstances.
Philadelphia Phillies fans have been waiting quite some time to see Aaron Nola take the mound again. In fact, it has been a full three months since his last big-league start. That absence will finally come to an end on Sunday, when the 31-year-old right-hander makes his long-anticipated return to the rotation after a prolonged stay on the injured list. Nola’s initial setback came on May 16, when he landed on the 15-day IL with what was first diagnosed as a right ankle sprain. At the time, the hope was that the issue would require nothing more than the minimum stint away from the team. However, as he worked back toward game shape, he sustained a stress fracture in his ribs, which complicated matters significantly and ultimately forced the Phillies to transfer him to the 60-day IL.
Prior to his injuries, the longtime Phillie was enduring one of the roughest starts of his professional career. Through his first nine outings of the 2025 campaign, Nola had compiled a disappointing 1–7 record while posting a bloated 6.16 earned run average and a 1.51 WHIP. Over the span of 49 2/3 innings pitched, he struck out 52 hitters but also surrendered 16 walks, a ratio far from the elite form he has demonstrated in years past. Still, the Phillies were encouraged by what they saw during his recent rehab assignment with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Across three appearances with the IronPigs, Nola surrendered only three runs in 12 1/3 innings of work while recording 17 strikeouts compared to just three walks. His final tune-up was especially dominant: in 5 2/3 innings, he fanned 11 batters and threw 84 pitches, looking very much like the ace Philadelphia is accustomed to relying on.
The organization is optimistic that Nola will resemble the pitcher who has been a fixture every fifth day since breaking into the majors in 2015. That version of Nola has built a career record of 105–86 with a 3.78 ERA, serving as the backbone of the rotation for nearly a decade. His return is particularly crucial given the uncertain status of fellow ace Zack Wheeler, who is sidelined indefinitely.
The Phillies are also getting another key contributor back in the lineup: third baseman Alec Bohm. Bohm’s absence stemmed from a fractured rib on his left side, an injury he sustained when Padres right-hander Yu Darvish hit him with a pitch just before the All-Star break. Interestingly, Bohm’s stint on the injured list was not made official until July 19, after the break had already passed. He was able to shake off the rust during a four-game rehab stint with the IronPigs, where he went 3-for-17. While the overall line included just a .176 batting average, the more important indicators were his one home run, one triple, two RBIs, and the fact that he struck out only once, suggesting his timing was starting to return. According to reporting from Ty Daubert of Phillies Nation, the 29-year-old felt good from the moment he played in his first rehab contest last Sunday. On Sunday against Washington, Bohm is not only penciled back in as the starting third baseman but also batting cleanup, underscoring how much faith the team has in him.
Statistically, Bohm has had a productive season to this point. Over 92 games, he has hit .278 with a .715 OPS, along with eight home runs, 42 RBIs, and 39 runs scored. Those numbers become even more impressive when broken into segments: after a sluggish first few weeks, Bohm has turned things around dramatically since May 1, batting .304 with an .802 OPS over that span. His consistent production has made him one of Philadelphia’s most reliable offensive pieces, and the team is counting on that trend to continue now that he is healthy again.
To make room for both Nola and Bohm on the active roster, the Phillies had to option rookie Otto Kemp back to Triple-A. Kemp, who debuted in early June, showed flashes of promise but ultimately could not sustain consistent production at the plate. Across 161 plate appearances over 46 games, he posted a .228 batting average with a .298 on-base percentage and a .359 slugging mark. He managed four home runs, drove in 17 runs, and scored 17 times, while moving defensively between left field, first base, and third base. Unfortunately, Kemp’s recent performance slump made the decision an easy one. Over his last 55 plate appearances dating back to July 21, he batted just .163 with a .542 OPS and struck out at a concerning 36.4 percent clip.
Initially, there was speculation that utility player Weston Wilson might be the odd man out when Bohm returned, but Wilson’s hot streak at the plate ensured his spot was safe for now. That left Kemp as the logical choice to be sent down. The demotion could benefit him, however, as he will now have the opportunity to get consistent at-bats once again in Lehigh Valley, where he has thrived this season. With the IronPigs, Kemp owns a robust .313 batting average, an eye-popping 1.010 OPS, and 14 home runs across 58 games. The Phillies will be hoping he can rediscover that form and perhaps work his way back to the big-league club later in the year.