Get Used To It Folks, This Is The Aaron Nola You Are Going To See For The Rest Of The Season

I'm not naive enough to have one outing by a pitcher sway me into how I believe they will perform for the rest of the season. Especially now for the Phillies with 68 games yet to play. But I stated Tuesday morning on the John Kincade Show that my anxiousness for that night's start by Aaron Nola was precipitated by the fact that I believed his outing was going to be a window into what the rest of his season is going to look like.  

The thought came to me because of many reasons, mostly because it was Nola's first start after the All-Star Break so he had some days of rest behind him. I also think, as the thinking pitcher that he is, it was a good time for him to reflect on the way the first half of his season went, with a sprinkling of good outings and bad and a frustrating penchant for giving up the long ball. 

Tuesday, Nola pitched into the eighth inning and wound up with the win after giving up just two earned runs, not allowing a walk while striking out six. He also did not give up a home run, a rare instance for him this season. But most importantly, Nola didn't make the game-changing mistakes that have hindered his outings much of this season. As John Kruk pointed out, his misses- whether purposely or accidentally - weren't left out over the plate where opposing hitters could back-foot and get set to launch a moon shot into the night. 

When he isn't on his game, Nola is around the strike zone way too much, which means hitters can settle in, hope to guess correctly on what type of pitch their getting - curve, slider, sinker - and look to crush it because it would be in their zone. Tuesday, Nola was not only all over the strike zone but also everywhere outside of it. Nola went up and in when he had two strikes on a hitter. He threw it low and outside when he had batters confused. He was good Aaron Nola on Tuesday. 

And for no rhyme or reason, I believe that is going to be the norm for the rest of this season. Nola will get around 13 more starts this season, barring injury. So here is my prediction on that: I say the Phillies will win 9 or 10 of those games. I believe Nola will have an ERA below 3.85 and will restore the faith that many of us had in him during the playoff run last season. If the Phillies hope to make the playoffs and have any success there, Nola will have to be that. 

It's not wishful thinking on my part. Sometimes in sports you just get that feeling about something. This is mine now and I'm sticking to it. We'll see how it plays out. 

The Philadelphia Phillies kicked off the second half with a thrilling weekend, highlighted by a Bryce Harper home run that allowed fans to breathe a big sigh of relief.

They still sit half a game back of the Arizona Diamondbacks for the final National League Wild Card. However, winning three of four games against the San Diego Padres should inspire optimism in Philadelphia.

The Phillies-Padres NLCS rematch opened on Friday night with a painful game to watch. The questionably conservative strategy used by manager Rob Thomson angered some fans.

Things looked grim when the Phillies went down 3-0 in the first game of a day-night doubleheader on Saturday. However, the packed house at Citizens Bank Park was about to see some drama. Bryce Harper also didn't plan on going down easily.

The Phillies rallied with six runs in their final three at-bats. The surge led to the first of three straight come-from-behind victories.

There was an offensive outburst in the night game on Saturday and a wild win in 12 innings on Sunday, sparking memories of the exhilerating Phillies-Padres NLCS matchup.

The MLB All-Star Break is behind us. The trade deadline is approaching, and the pennant race is heating up in the heart of the regular season.

What did we learn about the Philadelphia Phillies this weekend?

The home run drought is finally over.

Bryce Harper launched a dinger over the center field wall into the Phillies bullpen in the 4th inning of Saturday night's 9-4 win. Craig Kimbrel jumped to catch a home run ball that sparked some much-needed energy. 

The 2021 National League MVP is the type of player that feeds on the adrenaline rush of the big moment. There's a reason he led the Phillies in batting average, hits, home runs, RBIs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and total bases during the 2022 MLB postseason.

Lifting the weight off Harper's back could help spur a hot streak. He's struggled to find his power since returning from surgery over two months earlier than expected. The sigh of relief could become the start of something big.

It certainly looked like it on Sunday. He doubled and scored in the bottom of the 6th inning, and he delivered big in the 10th.

When the Phillies got down to their final out, he tied the game with an RBI single off San Diego closer Josh Hader.

Despite a lucrative payroll and a star-studded roster, the Padres have struggled in 2022.

The rumors about Juan Soto raged heading into the weekend set. One storyline was the need to bury the Padres and turn them into sellers just a few weeks ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline on August 1.

Although the 24-year-old superstar is an extreme longshot as a trade candidate, the Phillies took care of business. They created distance between themselves and a talented team looking to make a second-half push.

The Phillies took care of San Diego in October, and they buried them once again in Philadelphia this weekend.

It's no secret that the Phillies aren't the most talented fielding team in the majors. They rank 25th in defensive runs saved, according to Fan Graphs, with Kyle Schwarber among the worst fielders in baseball.

However, call-up Johan Rojas added some much-needed defense in center field in his major league debut. He proved himself capable on the first ball ever hit to him.

The athletic chase and the throw to first gave hope for a team in need of some outfield defense. 

The ability to shift Brandon Marsh to left field and the upcoming debut of Bryce Harper at first base drastically improve Rob Thomson's flexibility in lineup decisions.

Rojas also had three hits in the second half of the doubleheader on Saturday night.

The crowds showed up to Citizens Bank Park in masses.

The Friday night fireworks definitely beefed up the attendance numbers.

The die-hards, however, stuck out a long rain delay on Sunday and witnessed a classic scheduled for 1:35pm that ended around 8 pm.

The Bank is back to its rightful position as the place to be during a summer in Philadelphia when a Phillies team puts on a show as serious World Series contenders.

Watch The John Kincade Show streaming live on the 97.5 The Fanatic YouTube page on weekday mornings from 6am-10am.