Phillies’ Aaron Nola to start Game 3 of the NLDS: ‘I trust him’
Manager Rob Thomson said starter Ranger Suárez will pitch behind Nola out of the bullpen.
Aaron Nola was strong in his final start of the season, allowing one earned run and two hits in eight innings against the Twins on Sept. 26.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Aaron Nola will start Game 3 of the National League Division Series for the Phillies in Los Angeles on Wednesday, manager Rob Thomson announced Monday night. Thomson said starter Ranger Suárez will pitch behind Nola out of the bullpen.
It is an unconventional choice. Suárez has put together a stronger season overall, and Wednesday is an elimination game after the Dodgers beat the Phillies, 4-3, Monday to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series. But Thomson said he opted for Nola because he has never pitched out of the bullpen before, and Suárez has.
Nola spent the bulk of the regular season on the injured list with a right ankle sprain. He combined for a 6.01 ERA across 94⅓ innings in 2025, with a 24% strikeout rate and a 6.9% walk rate.
The Phillies hope he can build off the momentum of his last start of the regular season. Nola tossed eight innings of two-hit ball against the Twins on Sept. 26, allowing one earned run (a home run) with nine strikeouts.
Of course, the Twins are not the Dodgers, who had a team regular-season slugging percentage of .441 and an OPS of .768 (both good for second-best in baseball). But Thomson is confident in Nola.
“How long he goes, I don’t know,” Thomson said Monday. “But I trust him.”
“My body’s all healthy,” he said. “Ball is coming out pretty well. Want to keep that going and hope to have a good start.”
He added: “I obviously wasn’t able to do much since getting hurt for three months, so the more I was able to throw and pitch, the better I’ve felt, the better my body’s felt. So, just kind of get in that groove [and] try to keep that going.”
Suárez has been available out of the bullpen in Games 1 and 2 but has yet to be used. Thomson said there is “nothing” wrong with Suárez healthwise, but the fact that he hasn’t pitched is curious.
Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner reacts after the final out of the game.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts tumbles over Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos as he was tagged out in the ninth inning.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts tumbles over Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos as he was tagged out in the ninth inning.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos reacts after knocking in two runs in the ninth inning.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jhoan Duran pitches in the ninth inning.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jhoan Duran pitches in the ninth inning.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Fans watch during the ninth inning.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
A Phillies fan boos after the eighth inning.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Phillies fans stand as they watch in the eighth inning.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Max Kepler reacts after hitting a triple in the eighth inning.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Orion Kerkering wipes his face as he heads to the dugout.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Orion Kerkering wipes his face as the Los Angeles Dodgers score in the seventh inning.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesús Luzardo (right) hands the ball to manager Rob Thomson as he exits the games against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the seventh inning.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Teoscar Hernández (right) slides safely by Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto (left) to score in the seventh inning.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Teoscar Hernández (left) slides safely by Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto (right) to score in the seventh inning.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (right) collides with Los Angeles Dodgers Miguel Rojas (left) after he was forced out to end the sixth inning.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (right) is forced out by Los Angeles Dodgers Miguel Rojas (left) to end the sixth inning.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
The ball bounces away from Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (left) as Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (right) steals second base in the sixth inning.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Brandon Marsh grounds out against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fifth inning.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto reacts to flying out in the fifth inning.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm drops his bat after striking out against the Los Angeles Dodgers to end the fourth inning.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesús Luzardo bobbles ground ball by Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Teoscar Hernández in the fourth inning.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesús Luzardo delivers a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fourth inning.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (left) tags out Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Brandon Marsh as he tries to steal second base to end the third inning.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (left) tags out Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Brandon Marsh as he tries to steal second base to end the third inning.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesús Luzardo against the Los Angeles Dodgers.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (right) throws out Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts at first base during the third inning.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell pitches against the Phillies during the second inning.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos strikes out against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the second inning.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm breaks his bat as he grounds out against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesús Luzardo pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning.
Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
The left-handed starter began his season on the injured list with lower back stiffness but put together a strong campaign, posting a 3.20 ERA across 26 starts (157⅓ innings) with 151 strikeouts and 38 walks.
Now, with their team down 0-2, Nola and Suárez will be asked to limit the damage against one of the most formidable offenses in the sport.
“I’m going to go out and compete as best as I can and throw the ball as best as I can and put them in a good position to win a baseball game,” Nola said. “Obviously we’re 0-2 right now, so going into L.A., we’ve got to obviously get a win and take it inning by inning and pitch by pitch.”
