WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Aaron Nola ran on Friday for the first time since being placed on the 15-day injured list a week prior with a right ankle sprain, and on Sunday he threw off flat ground at Sutter Health Park.
The Phillies had hoped to have Nola throw a bullpen session in Sacramento but soreness lingered in the ankle. They might have opted against it anyway after Zack Wheeler complained Friday about the mound feeling like cement on the field and in the bullpen at the minor-league park the A's are temporarily calling home.
Nola hopes to throw his bullpen session Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park but it will depend on how he responds to Sunday.
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SIGN UP HERE "I hope so when we get back to Philly. Hopefully today goes well, tomorrow off, then hopefully Tuesday," he said from the tiny visiting clubhouse two hours prior to first pitch of the Phillies' series finale against the Athletics.
"Today, hopefully throwing goes well, do some stuff on the field, shuffles, light jog and see how it feels. It's gradually getting better. I was a little bit sore yesterday just from doing more the day before, being on it a little bit more, putting more pressure on it. I do want to test it, for sure. Today will be a good test to see how it feels after today and after the flight, then hopefully get off the mound back in Philly."
Manager Rob Thomson said earlier in the week that Nola would not require a rehab assignment if he missed only a couple of starts. But if he does miss more than two weeks, they would want to see him face hitters, even if it's in live batting practice.
"I hope so," Nola said of avoiding a rehab assignment. "That's the best-case scenario. But I just honestly need to see how it feels off the mound first. Since I'm on the IL, I want to get it right and strong again. I want to be able to run, sprint without even having it be an issue."
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Nola did admit that he thought he'd be closer to returning by now.
"Yeah, for sure," he said. "I've sprained my ankle before and I thought maybe a couple of starts and it would get better and it didn't. It has taken a little bit longer than I thought."
Taijuan Walker will start again in Nola's rotation spot this week at home. The Phillies will start Ranger Suarez, Zack Wheeler and Cristopher Sanchez against the Braves, then Walker, Jesus Luzardo and Suarez against the Brewers.
The Phillies would love to get a healthy and effective Nola back soon but they're in good shape rotation-wise even without him. The starting staff had a 1.82 ERA during the first eight games of the current nine-game winning streak and both Walker and Mick Abel have pitched well in spot starts.
Abel struck out nine over six scoreless innings in his MLB debut last Sunday against the Pirates, was sent down the following day and made his first start back at Triple A on Saturday. It was a good one. Abel allowed one earned run over six innings with four walks and nine strikeouts. He has a 1.45 ERA in his last five starts with the IronPigs.
This has been a huge development for the Phillies and their 2020 first-round pick.
"It really helps because you know you've got (Andrew) Painter coming and now you've got this other guy who showed it on a pretty big stage the other day," Thomson said Sunday.
"He goes right back to Triple A and a lot of times you'll see that guys who go back, they have an adrenaline dump and they don't pitch well or stay focused, but he did. That's a good sign."