Rob Thomson Announces Aaron Nola Decision Amid Spring Training

Even when he was on the field, Nola took a clear step backward. The 32‑year‑old made 17 starts and posted a career‑worst 6.01 ERA, finishing with a 5‑10 record and losing the trust of the coaching staff in October. His strikeout numbers remained strong as he collected 97 across 94 1/3 innings, but this spring is an important one for him.

Given his track record as an All‑Star with three top‑ten finishes in NL Cy Young voting, he has earned time to get back on track, but he must show he can be durable again and pitch to the standard the Phillies expect.

On Wednesday, manager Rob Thomson announced that Nola’s first spring training outing will come Friday against the Detroit Tigers. This is important because it marks the beginning of his ramp‑up toward Opening Day, giving the Phillies their first look at how his physical condition has responded after an offseason focused on recovery. It also sets the timeline for how many more outings he can realistically make before the regular season begins.

Nola is still under team control for five more seasons on his seven‑year, $172 million extension. If he struggles again, that contract could quickly become a problem for a team already facing financial limitations.

Still, the Phillies believe last year has a chance to be an outlier. Nola has spent his entire 11‑year MLB career in Philadelphia since being drafted seventh overall in 2014, and the organization continues to view him as a pillar of the rotation. A strong spring would go a long way toward restoring confidence and stabilizing a staff that needs him to rebound.