Aaron Nola Faces Another Setback as Rib Injury Delays Return Until After All-Star Break

Phillies’ $172M ace remains sidelined as stress reaction in ribcage stalls rehab from ankle injury

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Phillies received troubling news this week as right-hander Aaron Nola, already sidelined with a right ankle sprain, will now miss at least two more weeks after an MRI revealed a stress reaction in his right ribcage.

Nola, 31, experienced discomfort in his right side during a workout in Toronto last week, which forced the team to cancel a scheduled live batting session. Subsequent testing confirmed the rib issue, prompting the Phillies to shut him down from throwing activities until at least mid-June — meaning his return may not come until after the All-Star break.

“We’re not exactly sure how it happened,” manager Rob Thomson said Tuesday ahead of the team’s game against the Cubs. “He was ramping up to throw live again, then this came up. It’s frustrating — for him and for all of us.”

Nola has been on the injured list since May 8 after injuring his ankle during pregame agility drills at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. That setback came just nine starts into what has been a difficult season for the veteran righty. He’s posted a 1–7 record with a 6.16 ERA, a stark contrast to the consistent form that earned him a seven-year, $172 million extension this past offseason.

High Hopes, Delayed Results

The Phillies had hoped Nola would return by late June to solidify the rotation. Now, those plans have been shelved. His absence has forced the club to rely more heavily on unproven arms and bullpen depth, further straining a pitching staff that’s shown signs of fatigue during a recent stretch of tough losses.

Still, Thomson stressed the team is prioritizing long-term health over short-term urgency.

“It’s not ideal, but it’s the right move. We need him healthy for the stretch run,” he said.

Nola, who owns a career 105–86 record with a 3.78 ERA over 11 seasons, was coming off a second-place finish in 2023 National League Cy Young voting when he signed the largest contract of his career last November.

Other Injury Updates

In more encouraging news, Phillies slugger Bryce Harper is progressing in his recovery from right wrist inflammation that sent him to the 10-day IL last week. Harper, who’s batting .258 with nine home runs and 34 RBIs in 57 games, could resume baseball activities soon, according to the team.

Harper had just returned from a five-game absence due to a bruised elbow after being hit by a pitch from Braves right-hander Spencer Strider in late May. Now, the team is hopeful his latest setback won’t linger.

Outlook

With the National League East race heating up, the Phillies will need to weather the storm without two of their cornerstones. While the offense continues to scrape together timely hits — as evidenced by rookie Otto Kemp’s heroics in his first home game — the long-term success of this club may ultimately hinge on when, and how effectively, Aaron Nola returns to the mound.

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