The Philadelphia Phillies lost starting pitcher Aaron Nola to the injured list on May 16. After Nola sat out for more than two weeks with a right ankle injury, he will be out for even longer. Phillies manager Rob Thomson has his team in contention in the National League East, even without one of his Opening Day starters. However, Zack Wheeler, Christopher Sanchez, and the rest of the rotation will have to step up over the next few weeks.

An MRI on Tuesday revealed a stress reaction in Nola's rib cage, according to The Athletic's Matt Gelb. The injury is another obstacle in the former All-Star's path back to the mound. According to Gelb, Nola could be out until after the All-Star break. If that ends up being the case, it will be more than a month until the 32-year-old returns.

His absence does not spell doom for the Phillies, but it is a significant blow. His 1-7 record and 6.17 ERA are the worst of any of Thomson's starters, though. He and Philadelphia hope that some time away will help him recapture his former glory and help them claim the NL East.

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Without him, Wheeler will continue to lead the way on the mound for Philadelphia. Fans await official word from the team on who Nola's replacement will be. In what would be the veteran's next two starts, Thomson will start Mick Abel, a 23-year-old righty. Luckily for Abel, he gets to follow Sanchez and Wheeler in the Phillies' rotation.

Nola's playoff experience and his past dominance makes his extended absence bad news. Philadelphia will likely be in a race with the New York Mets atop the NL East. Without one of their best pitchers, the Phillies could have significant ground to make up in the second half.

With a plethora of regular season success under their belt, Philadelphia's goals are higher than winning the division. After losing to New York in the NLDS last season, playoff success is their top priority. Nola might not be off to the best start, but he is a crucial part to any major success the Phillies could have in 2025.