PHILADELPHIA — If Aaron Nola needed to show the Phillies something on Friday night, he showed it.
He enjoyed his best start in more than a year in his final outing of the 2025 regular season in Friday’s 3-1 victory over the Twins at Citizens Bank Park. It was vintage Nola, and it might have secured his spot in the Phillies’ postseason rotation, though they don’t need four starters until the National League Championship Series.
“I’ll do whatever, man,” Nola said. “I’ll do whatever to help the guys win, man. Everybody pulls the same in here. We want to get back to the World Series and win it.”
Nola allowed two hits and one run in eight innings in his longest start since May 14, 2024, when he tossed a shutout against the Mets at Citi Field. He retired the first 17 batters he faced before allowing a home run to Christian Vázquez with two outs in the sixth. He allowed a leadoff triple to Kody Clemens in the seventh, but he struck out the next two batters and ended the inning with a flyout to left field.
“It feels good to get back out there in the eighth again,” Nola said.
He got a standing ovation when he finished it.
“Nola is who he is for a reason,” Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto said. “He’s been really good for us for a long time. So especially coming off a start like that, the confidence is definitely high with him.”
Nola struck out nine, including a fifth-inning strikeout of Twins first baseman Edouard Julien that was the 1,872nd strikeout of Nola’s career, surpassing Robin Roberts (1,871) for second place on the franchise’s all-time list.
Only Hall of Fame left-hander Steve Carlton (3,031) has struck out more.
“That’s humbling, for sure, to be on a list with those guys,” Nola said.
Nola is one of the greatest pitchers in Phillies history, but there is a chance he does not start in the NL Division Series.
It is something that would have been unfathomable just a year ago.
The Phillies will play Game 1 of the NLDS on Oct. 4 at Citizens Bank Park. Cristopher Sánchez (13-5, 2.57 ERA) will start Game 1. Left-hander Ranger Suárez (12-7, 3.12 ERA) is likely to start Game 2. Left-hander Jesús Luzardo (15-7, 3.92 ERA) is likely to start Game 3.
Now, the Phillies have not announced anything other than Sánchez’s start in Game 1, but Suárez and Luzardo have outpitched everybody else in the club’s rotation this season. And while it is not ideal to start three consecutive left-handers in a best-of-five series, those three lefties are probably the team’s best chance to advance to the NLCS.
Nola finished his 11th season with the Phillies just 5-10 with a 6.01 ERA, which ranks 134th out of 139 pitchers (minimum 90 innings pitched) — although he has a 3.91 ERA in his past four starts.
He has pitched OK at times, but he has been plagued by big innings.
“He’s going to be on the postseason roster,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said before the game. “What he’s going to be, I’m not sure. So, we’ll figure that out once we know who we’re playing.”
Nola could pitch out of the bullpen, if needed.
“We didn’t set any roles yet,” Thomson said after the game. “Nothing’s changed. … I think he could [pitch out of the bullpen]. That doesn’t mean he’s not going to start, either.”
Walker Buehler could be an option. He has a 0.66 ERA in three appearances (two starts) with the Phillies. Taijuan Walker posted a 4.11 ERA in 33 appearances (21 starts).
But Nola’s performance on Friday only helped his cause. His four-seam fastball averaged 92.7 mph, which tied a season high. Realmuto loved what he saw from his curveball and changeup. He said at times this season they haven’t had the same bite that they’ve had in the past.
Both were back on Friday.
“It’s great to see,” Realmuto said. “You know Nola. He’s a competitor. So, this season obviously wasn’t the one he wanted, but to see him go out on top and take some momentum into the postseason, it’s really good to see.”
