It’s still technically spring training, but Aaron Nola was fantastic in his two starts for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic. It should have Phillies fans dreaming about what a comeback season could look like.
Pitching on normal rest, Nola allowed only one run in four innings. He threw 59 pitches and topped out at 94 mph on his fastball. The curveball, his most frequently used pitch of the night, had some extra side-to-side zip. Facing the stacked Venezuela lineup that features All-Stars Ronald Acuña Jr., Luis Arráez and Eugenio Suárez, Nola was at his best.
The Team Italy Cinderella story, however, is over.