PHILADELPHIA -- The Phillies’ clubhouse staff on Wednesday hung rolled-up plastic sheeting above the lockers inside the home clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park.
The Phils could have clinched an NL Wild Card berth a few hours later, if they beat the Brewers and if the Diamondbacks or Padres lost. But the champagne-soaked celebration will wait at least one more night. Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola allowed four runs in six innings and the offense went 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position in a 4-1 loss to Milwaukee.
“We’ve gotta win tomorrow and focus on what’s ahead of us,” Nola said.
Wednesday was the first time Nola had allowed four or more runs in a start since July 22, snapping a streak of 10 starts of allowing three or fewer runs. It was Nola’s longest such streak since a 12-start run in 2018, when he finished third for NL Cy Young. He had a 2.10 ERA in his recent 10-start stretch, providing much needed stability and production to the back end of the rotation, especially with Jesús Luzardo sidelined since Sept. 7 due to inflammation in his left shoulder.
In fact, Luzardo’s injury could have Nola starting in next week’s best-of-three NL Wild Card Series.
“It hasn’t been discussed,” Nola said about his postseason role. “It doesn’t really matter.”
Luzardo played catch for a fourth consecutive day on Wednesday, so he is recovering well. The Phillies have not announced his next steps, but Luzardo could throw off a mound as early as Thursday. A simulated game could happen before the end of the weekend.
Still, even then it’s unclear if Luzardo would rejoin the rotation next week or have to pitch out of the bullpen because of the lengthy layoff or any lingering health concerns.
“We’re still working through it,” Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly said. “Everything’s going good.”
Either way, it’s nice to have Nola throwing the ball well again. He was 3-5 with a 6.04 ERA in 17 starts through June 29.
He went 4-6 with a 3.12 ERA in his final 15.
“Aaron's been huge for us,” Mattingly said. “A lot of talk early, coming off last year into this year. He struggled early. But you know what he's been able to do for us? It’s kind of turned that spot in the rotation to … you feel like he's going to give you a good game every time out. So he's really, just like Sanchie [Cristopher Sánchez] and Zeus and Wheels [Zack Wheeler], you just feel like you're getting a good outing every time out. It has been huge for us in the second half.”
Of course, the Phillies will need to hit in the postseason, too. They have scored three or fewer runs in six of their last eight games.
They had the bases loaded with no outs in the second inning, but scored only a run. They had runners on first and second with no outs in the fifth, but they didn’t score.
Nola kept the offense in the game. He’s been doing that a lot lately.
“I feel like I found a groove,” Nola said about his turnaround. “I mean, I know what I’m capable of.”