Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola made franchise history on Friday night during a 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins at Citizens Bank Park, moving into second place on the team’s all-time strikeout list. Nola commanded eight strong innings, allowing just two hits and striking out nine batters without issuing a walk.Nola has spent his entire 11-year MLB career in Philadelphia. He entered the game with 1,871 career strikeouts, tied with Hall of Famer Robin Roberts. By striking out Twins first baseman Edouard Julien in the fifth inning, Nola collected his 1,872nd strikeout, surpassing Roberts and claiming second place behind Phillies legend Steve Carlton, who holds the franchise record with 3,031 strikeouts. He finished the night with 1,876 career strikeouts.
In the throes of a blighted season, Nola paraded his enduring talent. He missed roughly three months due to back and ankle injuries and has wrestled through what many consider the most difficult season of his career. In 17 starts, Nola posted a 6.01 ERA and recorded 97 strikeouts. Earlier in the season, he had already moved past Cole Hamels with his 1,845th strikeout, climbing from third to second on the all-time list.
On Friday, Nola’s performance was nearly flawless. He retired the first 17 batters he faced and carried a perfect game into the sixth inning. The only smudges were a solo home run by Christian Vazquez in the sixth and a triple by former Phillie Kody Clemens in the seventh. Nola struck out four batters in the final three innings and did not allow a single walk, completing his longest outing of the season since an eight-inning start against the Mets on May 14, 2024.
Philadelphia’s offense supported Nola early. Kyle Schwarber singled, advanced on a Bryce Harper single, and scored on an Alec Bohm sacrifice fly in the first inning. Edmundo Sosa homered in the fifth inning, continuing a hot streak that saw him hit three of Philadelphia’s record eight home runs in recent games. Brandon Marsh added an RBI double in the sixth inning, cementing the 3-1 win. Phillies reliever Jhoan Duran closed out the game for his 32nd save of the season, including 16 with Philadelphia.
In the wake of Nola’s erratic regular season, Friday’s performance has provoked speculation regarding his prospective role in the postseason. Phillies manager Rob Thomson hinted that Nola might operate from the bullpen in the upcoming National League Division Series, even though he was absent from the trio of slated starters, likely to be southpaws Cristopher Sanchez, Ranger Suarez, and Jesus Luzardo.
If the Phillies advance to the NL Championship Series, Nola is expected to return to a starting role, joining a rotation that includes Walker Buehler (0.66 ERA in three appearances) and Taijuan Walker (4.11 ERA in 33 appearances).
