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Aaron Nola, beloved son of Philadelphia and ace of your co-first-place Phillies, has been selected to his first All-Star Game. Nola finished third among players in NL starting pitcher voting, and will be the Phillies’ lone elected representative.
11-2.
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) July 8, 2018
2.41 ERA.
1.03 WHIP.
5.2 bWAR.
116 K.
All-Star.
Congratulations on what is sure to be your first of many @AllStarGame selections, @AaronNola027! #GeauxPhils pic.twitter.com/1Hzw140cDY
Nola, 25, is enjoying a white-hot first half. He’s in line to make two more starts before the league takes its break after Sunday’s games. One of those will come during Monday’s doubleheader, the second would be either Saturday or Sunday. If it’s Saturday, Nola would remain eligible for the All-Star Game itself, but would be on two days’ rest, making his appearance there not unlike a bullpen day; if it’s Sunday, Nola would be automatically ineligible to play and would be replaced. Nola is currently listed as Sunday’s starter for the first-half finale against the Marlins, and his being ineligible to pitch would certainly be a bummer.
But that’s for another day. Today, Nola is an All-Star not just in our hearts, but in future baseball almanacs everywhere. Congrats, Aaron!