Injury Update: Aaron Nola throwing again, Phillies await return post All-Star break

The Phillies are still holding it down atop the NL East, but with inconsistencies starting to creep into the starting rotation, getting Aaron Nola back and pitching well again is becoming more important by the day.

Aaron Nola has been out since mid-June, and while the rotation hasn’t exactly fallen apart without him, his return could be the boost this squad needs to tighten things up for the second half.

According to the team, Nola is progressing in his rehab and is expected to throw live batting practice soon. That’s the most significant step yet in what’s been a relatively quiet recovery process for one of the rotation’s cornerstones.

Aaron Nola throwing, scheduled bullpen sesh on Sunday

Aaron Nola (rib) threw off the slope of the mound today (a shorter distance than a full bullpen). He will throw a bullpen on Sunday, and then will go to Clearwater to continue his rehab.

Rob Thomson said he will likely need two more bullpens before starting live BP sessions.
— Lochlahn March (@lochlahn) July 4, 2025

Before landing on the injured list, Nola wasn’t exactly lights out. His command was shaky, the fastball lacked its usual bite, and the results reflected it.

Of course, there’s a belief that some of those struggles may have been tied to the injury that eventually sidelined him. If that’s the case, Phillies fans should be cautiously optimistic that a healthier version of Nola could be back sometime after the All-Star break.

When Nola’s locked in, he’s still one of the most important arms on the staff. His ability to eat innings and pitch deep into games is something no one else in this rotation really replicates.

That said, the rest of the staff has more than held it down in his absence. Zack Wheeler just won NL Pitcher of the Month. Ranger Suárez and Cristopher Sanchez continue to be quietly dominant him.

From there, things all of the sudden start to get shaky. Jesus Luzardo has been wildly inconsistent as of late and after an electric MLB debut, Mick Abel was optioned back to Lehigh Valley today to get control of his command.

Mick Abel optioned to Lehigh Valley after rough stretch, Phillies call up Seth Johnson

A few weeks ago, this rotation had all the depth it could ask for and the performances were dominant but clearly, there are now some issues arising that makes Nola’s return-to-form even more important for the Phillies in the second half.

Getting Aaron Nola back and at full strength could be the key to making a serious second-half run and more importantly, setting up the postseason rotation with 3-4 legitimate top-end arms.