Aaron Nola Tabbed as Opening Day Starter

For the fifth straight year, Aaron Nola will take the mound for the Phillies season opener.

© Jerry Habraken, The News Journal

Following the rain-shortened Spring Training draw against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Joe Girardi announced that Aaron Nola will be the Philadelphia Phillies Opening Day starter. 

Following a year in which Aaron Nola posted the second worst ERA of his career, this may seem to be a surprise. However, Zach Wheeler is behind schedule, he's yet to see any Spring Training action, thus Nola was the next man up.

Last year, Nola posted a 4.63 ERA in 180.2 innings across 32 starts. While, these numbers are indicative of the struggles Nola experienced last season, it wasn't all bad. Nola still struck 223 batters while only walking 39 for a 5.72 K/BB. This ratio is better than even his third-place Cy Young year in 2018, when he struck out 224 and walked 58 in 212.1 innings for 3.86 K/BB.

Despite his high strikeout numbers, Nola got into trouble in two-strike counts. He also got bit by the long ball 26 times last season. So far in his five spring innings, Nola has displayed similar trends, striking out eight but allowing four home runs.

When Nola takes the ball on April 8th against the Oakland Athletics, it will be his his fifth Opening Day start in a row. This streak sees him trail only Robin Roberts (12) and Steve Carlton (10) for consecutive Opening Day starts in a Phillies uniform. He will move out of a tie for third with Pete Alexander (4) and Steve Carlton's first streak (4).

The expectations upon Nola's shoulders this year are high. He needs a bounce back season and his strike out numbers are indicative that he is capable of being frontline starter. 

With big bats throughout the lineup and moves made to address the bullpen, eyes will now shift to the rotation, the only unit of the club that returns all the same members as last year. Opening Day is a chance for the Phillies to put their best foot forward, and for the fifth straight year, it'll be Aaron Nola to do so.

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6. How the Phillie Phanatic Came to be America's Favorite Sports Mascot
7. How Mike Trout Will Join the Phillies
8. Predicting the Phillies 2022 Opening Day Roster
9. Picking the Phillies' All-Time Single Season Lineup
10. The Sad Story of the Phillies' First Black Ballplayer

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