Phillies Call Up Top Prospect After Nola’s Nightmare Start To Season Lead To IL

The 2025 Philadelphia Phillies have one of the best starting rotations in Major League Baseball. The 3.47 ERA is fifth best in MLB, and 268 Strikeouts are most in all of Baseball.

But the biggest issue holding the Phillies back from being the best Starting Pitching Staff is veteran Right-Handed Pitcher Aaron Nola. The soon-to-be 32 year old has the fourth-worst ERA in MLB (6.16), and only three pitchers have allowed more Home Runs than Nola (11).

The 7th overall pick in the 2014 MLB Draft is having his worst statistical season since 2016. Nola signed a seven-year, $172 Million contract before the 2024 season, and before this year he was one of Philadelphia's most reliable pitchers.

Phillies Make Roster Moves With Nola

Before Friday's game versus the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Phillies have placed Aaron Nola on the Injured List retroactive to May 15th. The veteran pitcher will be eligible to come off the IL and return to the big league club on Sunday, May 25th but it is likely the team will not activate him until they return home from their road trip on May 27th.

The injury designation is a Right Ankle Sprain for Aaron Nola. There were no previous reports about Nola having any lower body issues. Back on April 27th, there were reports that Nola was dealing with a Neck Strain that almost prevented him from his start against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday Night Baseball.

The Phillies allowed Aaron Nola to be available to speak to the media on Friday and expressed his frustrations being placed on the Injury List:

"(This) is frustrating, I haven't been on the (Injured List) in a long time....I try to be as healthy as possible so I can be prepared and make my starts every single time I am given the baseball. This is just something that just happened, non-baseball related, just trying to do the same stuff I do before starts during the week and it was a freak thing the way I came down on (my ankle)."

To fill Aaron Nola's spot on the roster, the Phillies have recalled Daniel Robert from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Philadelphia acquired Robert from the Texas Rangers on April 30th as a depth option. The Right-Handed Relief Pitcher has appeared in 5 MLB games in which he has compiled Seven Strikeouts in six innings pitched with a 3.00 ERA.

The Phillies are recalibrating their starting rotation and are giving one of their top prospects a unique opportunity this weekend.

Former First Round Pick To Make First Phillies Start

The Phillies originally had Cristopher Sanchez scheduled to start this Sunday but now the All-Star Left-hander has been pushed back a day.

The Phillies plan to call up 2020 First Round MLB Draft Pick Mick Abel, and he will start on Sunday versus the Pirates. Abel is currently rated the 8th best player in Philadelphia's Minor League System and is a former two-time Top 100 MLB Prospect.

The 6'5" Right-Handed Pitcher had struggled to find consistency in the Minor Leagues from 2021-2024. Abel was originally rated a top prospect because of his talent and projected potential but 2025 is the first year he has looked like the Elite Prospect the Phillies expected him to be when they drafted in five years ago.

This season, Abel has a 2.53 ERA in eight starts in which he has 51 Strikeouts, which is the third-most among pitchers in the International League (Triple-A). His 46.1 Innings pitched is the second-most among all Triple-A Starters.

Mick Abel will only make the start this Sunday.  When the Phillies start their road trip next week, Tijuan Walker will take Aaron Nola's spot in the starting rotation and Mick Abel will go back to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

If you are looking for a local establishment to watch Mick Abel pitch this Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, he are some recommendations for places to watch the Phillies play in South Jersey: