{
  "id": 10069920,
  "title": "Phillies' Aaron Nola Will Do Something He's Never Tried to Save Season",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/phillies-aaron-nola-will-do-something-hes-never-tried-to-save-season",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-26T21:28:55.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Newsweek",
    "slug": "newsweek",
    "url": "https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mlb/phillies-aaron-nola-will-do-something-hes-never-tried-to-save-season-12493295"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a surprising move, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola will start the upcoming game against the Tampa Bay Rays on just two days' rest, defying his usual routine of at least four days of recovery. Nola, who has made 317 regular season starts in a 12-year Major League Baseball career with the Phillies, typically requires more rest between starts. This decision came after the Phillies suffered their third consecutive loss, leaving them one game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks, who have won six games in a row. With only two games remaining in the regular-season schedule, the teams are now just one game apart.\n\nThe Phillies had planned to play a bullpen game against the Rays after their previous loss, but the sudden request for Nola to start on short rest forced them to reconsider their strategy. Nola's bullpen has struggled this month, posting a 5.23 ERA, which ranks 27th among all teams. Moreover, Nola himself has thrown 174.1 innings this season, with 32 starts and 88 pitches across six innings during his last outing against the Milwaukee Brewers.\n\nAs the Phillies' primary pitcher, Nola is expected to play a significant role in the team's postseason pitching staff. However, for that to materialize, the Phillies must first secure a playoff berth. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays have already clinched the American League East title and will play in the World Series. With little to play for, the Rays limited the Phillies to four hits in their recent 2-0 victory, further complicating the Phillies' playoff hopes. The Diamondbacks, who have already secured a wild-card berth, will face the San Diego Padres in the next round if the Phillies and Diamondbacks finish with the same record. The Phillies, with the better record, hold the tiebreaker advantage over the Diamondbacks. Despite the challenging circumstances, the Phillies are optimistic about Nola's potential impact on their postseason pitching rotation.",
  "summary": "The Phillies took a drastic measure to save their season after seeing their lead in the NL wild-card standings fall to one game.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}