The Phillies have placed right-handed pitcher on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to May 15, due to a sprained right ankle. In his place, right-hander Daniel Robert has been recalled. MLB.com‘s Todd Zolecki reported that prospect Mick Abel will be promoted to make his MLB debut, though he will only start on Sunday before being optioned back to Triple-A. After that, Taijuan Walker will step into Nola’s spot in the rotation.
In other news, manager Rob Thomson confirmed that pitching prospect Moisés Chace will undergo Tommy John surgery, as reported by Philadelphia Inquirer‘s Lochlahn March.
Nola’s ankle injury reportedly occurred before his recent start in Cleveland, where he gave up four earned runs in five innings. His next start, on Wednesday against the Cardinals, was even worse, as he allowed nine earned runs in just 3 2/3 innings. While the ankle injury may offer some explanation for those outings, Nola had already been struggling before that, posting a 4.61 ERA over his first seven starts. Still, he was showing signs of improvement, including a seven-inning, one-run performance against the Cubs on April 27 and six scoreless innings against the Diamondbacks on May 3.
Nola’s ERA now sits at 6.16 for the season, with a 23.6% strikeout rate, a 7.3% walk rate, and a 44.6% ground ball rate. However, his 11 home runs allowed have inflated his runs allowed, and while SIERA (which adjusts for home run rate) gives him a 3.66 ERA projection, home runs have always been a part of Nola’s game. The Phillies haven’t given a timeline for Nola’s return, but it seems he will miss at least a few starts.
Walker, who had a strong start to the season with a 2.54 ERA over his first six outings, will now return to the rotation after briefly being moved to the bullpen when Ranger Suárez returned from the injured list. Walker made two relief appearances, including one where he allowed three earned runs in three innings on Wednesday. He’ll take over Nola’s spot in the rotation, but Abel will make his major league debut in the meantime.
Abel, a former first-round pick, has had some issues with control, but he’s shown improvement this season. He has a 2.53 ERA in eight Triple-A starts, with a 26.6% strikeout rate and a 9.9% walk rate—an improvement over his past performances. Although he’s still refining his command, Abel’s early results this year are promising.
As for Chace, the news of his Tommy John surgery is a significant setback. Acquired from the Orioles in last summer’s Gregory Soto trade, Chace was one of the Phillies’ top pitching prospects and had the potential to reach the majors by 2025. His surgery will keep him sidelined until at least the summer of 2026. The Phillies could place him on the 60-day injured list to free up a 40-man roster spot, though this would mean he starts accumulating major league pay and service time.
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