SPORTZONE27

The Philadelphia Phillies are enjoying a strong season, but their momentum could be tested soon due to an injury to one of their core players. Pitcher Aaron Nola is dealing with soreness in his sprained right ankle and, according to ESPN, had to skip a scheduled bullpen session because of it.

Nola was placed on the 15-day injured list on May 16 with the ankle issue. His performance this season has been underwhelming, and in his most recent outing before the IL stint—against the St. Louis Cardinals—he gave up 12 hits, nine runs, and three home runs, all career worsts.

So far this season, Nola has a 1-7 record with a 6.16 ERA over nine starts. In his 11 years with the Phillies, he holds a career record of 105-86 with a 3.78 ERA.

The injury occurred during an agility drill in the outfield while the team was in Tampa. Nola admitted the pain caused him to overcompensate physically, leading to broader discomfort.

“Obviously, I never want to go on the IL,” Nola said. “As a competitor, I’m here to pitch. I’ve worked through minor issues before, and they didn’t affect me. I thought this would have settled down by now, but it hasn’t. It’s frustrating.”

To fill the gap left by Nola, the Phillies called up right-hander Daniel Robert from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Robert was acquired in a trade with the Texas Rangers on April 30.

Additionally, infielder Edmundo Sosa missed Philadelphia’s May 24 game against the Oakland Athletics due to soreness in his left wrist.

Despite these setbacks, the Phillies still have the talent to stay competitive in the NL East. If Nola can recover and return to form, they’ll be well-positioned to maintain their strong performance. For now, however, they’ll have to move forward without one of their top arms.