Rise and Phight: 7/5/2023

On a scale of 1-5, 1 being very little, 5 being very confident, where do you fall when it comes to Aaron Nola’s ability to replicate yesterday’s success through at least his next start?

We’re probably placing too much importance on just one pitcher, thinking that having the good Aaron Nola is the key to the season, but yesterday’s news about Andrew Painter may have upped the importance about Nola anyway, both this season and beyond. Maybe the team would have been slightly more inclined to let Nola leave after the season if Painter were healthy this year, maybe not. Now, with Painter needing to take a little bit of a pause, the importance of Nola getting and staying on track this season does get ratcheted up a bit.

They really just need him to pitch well from now on.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

• Some rain on today’s parade as Andrew Painter did not pitch to batters as the plan went, feeling some stiffness in his elbow. Yay.
• The new rules have quickened the pace of the game these days, but none will reach the point this one did. Nine innings in 51 minutes.

MLB news:

• Hey, Alek Manoah is coming back to the Blue Jays. He must be fixed already.
• Turns out, in the year of our Lord 2023, money isn’t going to buy you a winning team. Who knew?
• Dustin May is done for the year, another blow to the Dodgers’ rotation. I’m sure they’ll simply trade for a Cy Young winner.
• Speaking of injuries, Mike Trout is done for a while with a broken hamate bone in his hand.