The Philadelphia Phillies still maintain a two and a half game lead over the New York Mets in the NL East. Maintaining that advantage is paramount, as it offers quite a few advantages once October rolls around. With just under two months left in the regular season, the Phillies are waiting for two key contributors to return from the IL: starting pitcher Aaron Nola and third baseman Alec Bohm. ESPN's Alden Gonzalez had updates on both players Thursday morning.
“Bohm took a sinker to his left side on July 12 and later learned he had suffered a fractured rib, but the 29-year-old third baseman has been hitting ground balls and taking batting practice and will now venture out on a rehab assignment,” reported Gonzalez on Thursday. “He could return to the Phillies' lineup this month. Nola went on the injured list for the first time in eight years because of a sprained right ankle in mid-May, then was diagnosed with a stress reaction in one of his ribs a month later. Now, Nola is finally on his way back. He went 3 ⅔ innings in his second rehab start on Wednesday and will make one or two more before rejoining the rotation.”
Adding Nola back to the rotation would be a boon for Philadelphia. Despite his poor form earlier this season, the righty is still one of the best pitchers in the game. Over the last few seasons, Nola and Zack Wheeler have formed one of the most potent one-two combinations in baseball. Meanwhile, Bohm's bat and defense are also missed. If he can get back to the levels of production he showed in 2023 and 2024, then the Phillies lineup will be even more lethal.
Getting Aaron Nola, Alec Bohm back will only help Phillies
At the moment, Philadelphia is holding their own without both injured stars. Edmundo Sosa has third base handled, while Jesus Luzardo is eating innings in the rotation's final slot. Nevertheless, getting Bohm and Nola would back would only strengthen the major league roster. The stronger their roster is, the better of a chance the Phillies will have in two months' time.
Most of this team has been in a playoff hunt before. They are seasoned and battle hardened. However, most of them have not won a World Series title yet. Even with Bohm and Nola out, Philadelphia has very much looked the part of a serious contender. Once the team gets the third baseman and co-ace back, can they transform that look into reality?
