Rob Thomson has announced the Phillies’ pitching plans to open the World Series, and for the first time in his career, Aaron Nola will get the ball in a postseason Game 1.
Nola will become the first Phillie to start a World Series game since Pedro Martínez in 2009. He’ll be the first Phillie to start Game 1 of the Fall Classic since Cliff Lee allowed one unearned run in a complete game win that same year.
Zack Wheeler had been the Phillies’ Game 1 starter in the Wild Card Series and NLCS, and he got the ball before Nola in the NLDS.