Aaron Nola Has Philadelphia Phillies Legacy At Stake In Playoffs
When Aaron Nola takes the mound for the Philadelphia Phillies in the playoffs, any start could be his last time in red pinstripes.
The heightened focus on Nola, an impending free agent, will impact the legacy of a pitcher who ranks near the top in many statistical pitching categories in the history of a franchise that’s been around since 1883.
Is the idea of legacy overrated? Do professional athletes really feel the intensity of high-pressure situations that will affect fan perception after they retire? During postseason games at Citizens Bank Park, the weight of the crowd is as real as in any other situation in professional sports.
Aaron Nola: Philadelphia Phillies Legacy
Red October at Citizens Bank Park creates an incredible and unique atmosphere in a sport that doesn’t heavily prioritize home field advantage.
However, the Philadelphia crowd hasn’t always embraced Nola as one of the most beloved Phillies.
The former seventh-overall draft pick has been the target of heated venom at times during his career in the majors, especially in 2023.
Nola carries himself with the mild-mannered personality of a soft-spoken Southerner. For better or for worse, it doesn’t bring the same type of allure to Philadelphia that a fierce competitor like Roy Halladay did.
His personality aligns with Cole Hamels more than Halladay, but Nola didn’t win the World Series MVP at age 24 to silence any critics of a persona that didn’t match the cliche Philly style.
Despite his track record as a workhorse who’s consistently finished toward the top of the league in innings pitched in recent seasons, Phillies fans simply don’t trust him. They’ve seen too many home runs in the 5th inning. They’ve seen many blown leads in games that looked over and done with. It’s impossible for them to feel comfortable and confident when he takes the mound.
Nola experienced major regression in the month of September each season during the early years of his career. He seemed to reverse the trend in September 2022, and his first two career postseason starts suggested that he’d left the late-season struggles behind. However, the problem reared its ugly head.
- NL Wild Card Game 2: 6 2/3 innings pitched, 0 runs (W)
- NLDS Game 3: 6 innings pitched, 1 (unearned) run (W)
- NLCS Game 2: 4 ⅔ innings pitched, 6 earned runs (L)
- World Series Game 1: 4 ⅓ innings pitched, 5 earned runs (ND)
- World Series Game 5: 4 innings pitched, 3 earned runs (L)
Final Season With the Phillies?
Regardless of how you feel about Nola, he’s undeniably one of the most productive statistical pitchers in franchise history. After the 2023 regular season, he had he best opponent batting average (.231) and the fifth-best WHIP (1.13) among all qualified Phillies pitchers throughout the past 140 years. He sits fifth in strikeouts and seventh in starts.
The former LSU star finished third in NL Cy Young voting in 2018 and fourth in 2022.
Some of the dissatisfaction stems from the natural tendency of the Philadelphia fan base to set high expectations for players with a high draft pedigree looked at as a core piece of a team for multiple seasons.
If he enters free agency, his price tag will be high despite posting an ERA well over 4.00 in 2021 and 2023. The organization shut down contract talks with Nola after Spring Training because the sides were too far apart in negotiations.
Would he hold more value in another organization like the St. Louis Cardinals than he does in Philadelphia? He’d leave behind a complicated legacy.
Phillies Fans Behind Aaron Nola in Playoffs
After the stunning story of Trea Turner and the standing ovations at Citizens Bank Park, Phillies fans know the power of their incredible passion. Aaron Nola could use the same positivity during the playoffs.
Just look back at how much the 2022 postseason run meant for his career journey with the Phillies.
“I come up in 2015. We’re kind of in a rebuilding phase. We’re stretching our way to that point up until last year and getting to the playoffs for the first time in my career. I really appreciate it a lot more, and I’m blessed to go through it the way I went through it from a rebuilding point to where we’re at now. I really appreciate it a lot more. I’m glad it happened that way.” -Aaron Nola (May 8, 2023)
Fans celebrated Rhys Hoskins for the emphatic bat spike after a home run off Spencer Strider in the 2022 NLDS. It was a gesture that symbolized the climb from last place to World Series contention for a player who had survived the barren years of the rebuild.
The Phillies don’t have much homegrown talent. Their most popular players signed in free agency while Hoskins and Nola haven’t always gotten the most patience from the fan base.
However, in October 2023, Phillies fans should remember the good times with Aaron Nola. His legacy still isn’t written just yet, and a World Series ring would wash away any and all disappointment built up over the past nine seasons.
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How Aaron Nola has Pitched Against the Braves In His Career
Ronald Acuna
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
.327/.411/.673/1.084
16 for 49, 4 HRs, 5 2Bs, 9 RBIs, 7 BBs, 12 Ks
Ozzie Albies
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
.254/.302/.339/.641
15 for 59, 0 HRs, 5 2Bs, 1 3B, 2 RBIs, 4 BBs, 12 Ks
Austin Riley
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
.389/.421/.759/1.180
21 for 54, 5 HRs, 5 2Bs, 0 3Bs, 9 RBIs, 3 BBs, 16 Ks
Matt Olson
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
.227/.370/.455/.825
5 for 22, 1 HR, 2 2Bs, 0 3Bs, 3 RBIs, 4 BBs, 8 Ks
Marcell Ozuna
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
.255/.283/.510/.793
13 for 51, 4 HRs, 1 2B, 0 3B, 8 RBIs, 2 BBs, 18 Ks
Travis d'Arnaud
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
.167/.189/.417/.606
6 for 36, 2 HRs, 3 2Bs, 3 RBIs, 1 BB, 9 Ks
Orlando Arcia
Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
.105/.150/.105/.255
2 for 19, 0 HRs, 0 2Bs, 0 3Bs, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 7 Ks
Michael Harris II
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
.200/.190/.550/.740
4 for 20, 2 HRs, 1 2B, 0 3Bs, 5 RBIs, 0 BB, 6 Ks
Eddie Rosario
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
.095/.095/.143/.238
2 for 21, 0 HRs, 1 2B, 0 3Bs, 2 RBIs, 0 BBs, 9 Ks
Kevin Pillar
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
.333/.333/.333/.667
3 for 9, 0 HRs, 0 2Bs, 0 3Bs, 0 RBIs, 0 BBs, 3 Ks
Sean Murphy
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
.250/.250/.375/.625
2 for 8, 0 HRs, 1 2B, 0 3Bs, 0 RBIs, 0 BBs. 4 Ks
