Aaron Nola set to rejoin Phillies rotation Sunday; team moves to six-man staff

The Phillies starting rotation, clearly one of the best in the sport of baseball, has been sputtering a little bit of late. 

Which is why the timing of the return of one of their most durable and reliable pitchers couldn't come at a better time. 

Aaron Nola, who hasn't pitched in three months after a pair of injuries (sprained ankle, stress fracture in ribcage), the first time he has missed starts due to injury since 2016, will return to the Phillies rotation Sunday.

Aaron Nola will start Sundays 11:35 am game, and the #Phillies will move to a six-man rotation next week with Taijuan Walker as No. 6. Ranger Suárez will start Monday.

— Scott Lauber (@ScottLauber) August 14, 2025

Manager Rob Thomson told reporters present in Washington on Thursday that Nola will pitch the finale of the four-game series in Washington and that, for the time being, the team will employ a six-man rotation. 

That means Ranger Suarez's next start will be pushed to Monday and Taijuan Walker gets to stay in the rotation for now. 

The Phillies will have to make a corresponding roster move - likely sending down a relief pitcher - prior to Nola being recalled, but the team will hold off on doing so until Sunday morning when the roster transcation will become official. 

By switching to a six-man rotation, the Phillies will allow for extra rest for starters who have scuffled in the second half of the season, and who might be dealing with either minor injuries or fatigue (or both).

• In his last five starts, Zack Wheeler is 1-2 with a 4.71 ERA yielding 30 hits and six walks in just 28 2/3 innings. He does have 41 strikeouts, but has reported shoulder soreness between recent starts. He could use an extra off day.
• In his last six starts, Suarez is 1-4 with a 6.11 ERA and has allowed a whopping 56 baserunners (46 hits, 10 walks) in just 35 1/3 innings. He is having a similar swoon to the second half of 2024 when he battled throw lower back injuries. He doesn't have any reported injuries this time, and could just need rest.
• Jesus Luzardo, who was starting the opener of the four-game set in Washington on Thursday, has pitched better in his last three starts, but overall has been hit or miss in his last 14 starts. He has allowed three runs or fewer in seven of them, but has allowed for or more runs in the other seven. In those starts he is 6-5 with a 6.11 ERA allowing 110 baserunners (83 hits, 27 walks) in 73 innings. 
• Even Cristopher Sanchez, who leads in the National League in WAR among pitchers (5.9 - Paul Skenes is 5.7), had a rougher outing than usual in Cincinnati on Wednesday, allowing four runs, three earned on seven hits in six innings. 

So, stretching the rotation out by one guy makes sense, especially since the Phillies are in the middle of playing 24 games in 25 nights (and 39-in-41). 

Nola was not his usual self to start the season, going 1-7 with a 6.16 ERA in nine starts before hitting the injured list. However, he had three consecutive starts against the New York Mets, Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks - all three top offenses in baseball at the time - where he was solid to exceptional before injuring his ankle and trying to pitch through it for two starts, in which he got shelled. 

Nola then picked up a stress fracture in his rib during bullpen sessions while rehabbing from the ankle injury.

Wondering if Aaron Nola is ready for his return to the Majors? 👀

The @Phillies righty just struck out 11 batters in his latest rehab start with the @IronPigs: pic.twitter.com/eO2MrihyW4

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) August 13, 2025

He struck out 11 batters in 5 2/3 innings in a rehab assignment in Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Tuesday, which told the Phillies he was ready to go at the Major League level again. 

Nola will continue ramping up against lesser competition. Assuming the six-man rotation holds for a bit, Nola's first four starts back in the Bigs would come against Washington twice, Atlanta and Miami.

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