Aaron Nola delivered a strong performance for the Philadelphia Phillies in his final start of the 2025 regular season, helping the team to a 3-1 win over the Minnesota Twins at Citizens Bank Park on Friday. Nola pitched eight innings, allowing just two hits and one run, marking his longest outing since May 14, 2024.
Nola retired the first 17 batters before surrendering a home run to Christian Vázquez in the sixth inning. He faced trouble in the seventh after a leadoff triple by Kody Clemens but struck out two and ended the inning with a flyout.
“It feels good to get back out there in the eighth again,” Nola said. He received a standing ovation as he left the field.
Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto commented on Nola’s impact: “Nola is who he is for a reason. He’s been really good for us for a long time. So especially coming off a start like that, the confidence is definitely high with him.”
During the game, Nola recorded his 1,872nd career strikeout, moving past Robin Roberts for second place on the franchise’s all-time list behind Steve Carlton.
“That’s humbling, for sure, to be on a list with those guys,” Nola said.
Despite his status as one of Philadelphia’s top pitchers, it remains uncertain if Nola will start during the National League Division Series (NLDS). The Phillies have confirmed Cristopher Sánchez will start Game 1 of the NLDS on October 4 at Citizens Bank Park. Ranger Suárez and Jesús Luzardo are likely candidates for Games 2 and 3 due to their performances this season.
Nola concluded his eleventh season with Philadelphia holding a record of five wins and ten losses with an ERA of 6.01 over at least ninety innings pitched this year. However, he has posted a 3.91 ERA over his last four starts.
“He’s going to be on the postseason roster,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said before Friday’s game. “What he’s going to be, I’m not sure. So, we’ll figure that out once we know who we’re playing.”
Afterward, Thomson added: “We didn’t set any roles yet. Nothing’s changed.… I think he could [pitch out of the bullpen]. That doesn’t mean he’s not going to start, either.”
Other options for pitching include Walker Buehler—who has performed well in limited appearances—and Taijuan Walker.
Realmuto reflected on Nola’s recent form: “It’s great to see. You know Nola. He’s a competitor. So, this season obviously wasn’t the one he wanted, but to see him go out on top and take some momentum into the postseason, it’s really good to see.”
