Team Italy manager Francisco Cervelli is making a change to his pitching plans for tonight's World Baseball Classic semifinal matchup against Venezuela (8 ET on FS1): Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola will get the start instead of previously announced starter Michael Lorenzen.
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Nola could have his work cut out for him against the Venezuela lineup, starting with Ronald Acuña Jr. at the top. Acuña is a career .308 hitter against Nola, with four homers and a 1.024 OPS. Other hitters in the lineup have had at least some success against Nola, too, albeit in smaller sample sizes.
For example, William Contreras, Eugenio Suárez, Salvador Perez and Andrés Giménez have all homered off Nola, though no one other than Acuña has more than 31 plate appearances against him. Combined, the Venezuela roster has a career .259 average and .759 OPS vs. the righty, with 57 strikeouts.
Nola looked sharp in his one previous start in the tournament, when he struck out five and scattered four hits over five scoreless innings in Italy's 9-1 win over Mexico on Wednesday.
Lorenzen would presumably line up to start a potential rematch against the United States if Italy advances to Tuesday's World Baseball Classic final (8 p.m. ET, FOX). The right-hander, who signed a one-year deal with the Rockies in January, was stellar in Italy's stunning upset against Team USA last Tuesday, allowing just two hits over 4 2/3 scoreless innings in an 8-6 win.
Should Italy win Monday's semifinal, it would be the home club in Tuesday's final by virtue of its 4-0 record in pool play. Team USA went 3-1 in pool play.