Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola and Washington Nationals left-hander Mitchell Parker will go head-to-head for the second time in a week on Saturday evening in Philadelphia, and this time they hope to at least make it through the third inning.
Nola got knocked out after 2 1/3 innings in the Phillies’ 11-9 road win on Sunday, while Parker lasted just 1 2/3 frames.
Nola (1-7, 6.92 ERA) was coming off a three-month stint on the injured list caused by a sprained right ankle and a fractured rib. He said neither gave him issues on Sunday, when he surrendered six runs and seven hits. He walked one and struck out four.
“My body felt good,” Nola said. “My ankle felt good, rib. Everything felt really good. I think the more I’m out there, the more my velocity will kick, the more I keep feeling better.”
Nola’s first start back wasn’t much different than the other nine this season, as he continues to struggle through the worst season of his 11-year career.
Nola retired seven of the first eight batters he faced on Sunday and was afforded a 6-0 lead after two innings, but fell apart in the third.
“Scattered a couple hits and just kind of unraveled there a little bit,” Nola said. “I just had trouble stopping it and getting them to either swing and miss or hit a ball to one of our guys.”
Getting more out of Nola has become even more vital with the news last weekend that Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler was diagnosed with a blood clot near his throwing shoulder.
Wheeler had the blood clot removed on Monday, and Philadelphia manager Rob Thomson said on Friday that the Phillies will know more on the ace’s condition in the coming days.
Nola is 10-9 with a 3.97 ERA in 35 career starts against Washington.
Parker (7-13, 5.83 ERA) has matched the victory total he produced in 29 starts as a rookie with the Nationals last season, but he has been trying to surpass that mark all month.
So far, he is 0-3 with a 12.38 ERA in four starts during August.
“It hasn’t been the best season,” Parker said. “I’ve got to try to turn it around here the last couple starts.”
Parker gave up six runs (five earned) and four hits in his abbreviated outing against the Phillies on Sunday. He walked three batters and did not record a strikeout.
“Not executing the pitches the way we were intending to,” Parker said. “That’s a good-hitting team. You fall behind, they’re going to do that.”
Parker has faced the Phillies three times overall, going 1-1 with a 11.45 ERA. He beat Philadelphia on March 30 after throwing 6 1/3 shutout innings.
Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper is 4-for-6 with two walks against Parker in his career.
The Nationals won the opener of the three-game series on Friday evening, rallying for a 5-4 victory.
Washington blew a 3-1 lead when Bryson Stott slammed a two-run homer in the sixth, and Philadelphia’s J.T. Realmuto hit a go-ahead solo homer in the seventh. However, the Nationals scored twice in the ninth with help from a throwing error by Realmuto, stretching their winning streak to three games and ending Philadelphia’s at four games.
–Field Level Media
