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Aaron Nola to start for Italy with the WBC fate of Team USA on the line

Nola said he was expecting the WBC to be “like a playoff game.” And sure enough, his first start in the tournament has playoff-like stakes.

Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola will start for Italy against Mexico on Wednesday in the World Baseball Classic.
Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola will start for Italy against Mexico on Wednesday in the World Baseball Classic.Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Aaron Nola has never been to Italy.

But on Wednesday night, the Phillies pitcher is scheduled to start against Mexico representing the nation where his great-grandparents are from, in a game with major consequences for both Team Italy and Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.

“I wanted to experience it before I was done with baseball,” Nola said of the WBC last month. “And every guy in here that has played in the past has loved it, said it’s a great experience. It’s going to be fun to represent for Italy.”

» READ MORE: A stunning U.S. loss to Italy leaves World Baseball Classic fate hanging

Nola initially hoped to play alongside his brother, Austin, a former catcher who played for the Mariners, Padres, and Rockies. But although Austin withdrew from the WBC after he was hired as the Mariners’ bullpen coach, Aaron still wanted to participate.

Before he left Phillies camp, Nola said he was expecting the WBC to be “like a playoff game.” And sure enough, his first start in the tournament has playoff-like stakes.

Following Italy’s stunning 8-6 upset of Team USA on Tuesday in Houston, the U.S. does not control its own destiny to advance to the quarterfinals. Former Phillies pitcher Michael Lorenzen held off the U.S. lineup for 4⅔ scoreless innings, while Italy bashed three home runs and capitalized on defensive miscues to put up eight runs.

Now, Team USA has a 3-1 record in Pool B, while Mexico is 2-1 and Italy has a 3-0 record.

Here are the scenarios for Wednesday’s Italy-Mexico game and which teams advance out of Pool B:

  1. If Italy wins against Mexico, Italy and Team USA will advance out of the group stage.

  2. If Mexico wins against Italy, all three teams will have a 3-1 record and a 1-1 record head-to-head. The second tiebreaker is the fewest runs allowed per out in head-to-head games between tied teams.

    1. If Mexico wins against Italy and scores five or more runs in a nine-inning game, Mexico and Team USA will advance.

    2. If Mexico wins and scores four runs or fewer in a nine-inning game, Mexico and Italy will advance.

» READ MORE: From scalding espresso shots to kudos from Kyle Schwarber, Dante Nori’s WBC run with Italy is a whirlwind

In Team USA’s loss to Italy on Tuesday, manager Mark DeRosa opted to start Paul Goldschmidt at first base instead of Bryce Harper, as well as Ernie Clement instead of Brice Turang or Alex Bregman. Harper and Turang later entered the game as pinch-hitters.

During an appearance on MLB Network on Tuesday morning before the game against Italy, DeRosa erroneously said that USA had already advanced out of the group stage.

“We want to win this game even though our ticket’s punched to the quarterfinals,” DeRosa said.

After the loss, DeRosa told reporters that he “misspoke.”