ATLANTA -- Perhaps the biggest reason the Phillies believe they took a step forward this season is their starting pitching.
The rotation jumped from among the worst in baseball last year to the middle of the pack this year, and the Phillies believe they have the quality and quantity of young talent to continue to improve in 2017. Of course, those chances take a sizable hit if Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola cannot pitch. He is arguably the best pitcher of the bunch, but he suffered season-ending sprains and strains of ligaments in his right elbow in August.