Aaron Nola is in unfamiliar territory, and it's affecting his ability to do his job on the mound.
Currently on the injured list with a sprained ankle, Nola and the Phillies have admitted the injury is taking longer to recover than initially thought. Nola has been on the injured list retroactive to May 14, but won't be getting off it in the minimum of 15 days.
Before Tuesday's showdown against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park, Nola was doing a "touch and feel" on the mound, which is a bullpen session but not as intense. If all goes well, Nola will progress to a regular bullpen session in his next step to recovery.
Nola admitted he might need a rehab start before returning to the Phillies. He didn't think the ankle sprain would take this long to heal.
"Definitely can tell there's been improvement. Just slower than I expected," Nola said. "I thought ... I had a sprained ankle before, but it's been a while. It took a little bit longer than I thought it would. I want to get it right and not be able to feel any pain."
The 2025 season has been one to forget for Nola. He started 1-7 with a 6.16 ERA. He has 52 strikeouts and 16 walks in his nine starts, giving up 11 home runs in 49.2 innings pitched. In his last start before going on the IL, Nola allowed a career-high nine runs and 12 hits with three home runs as his ERA ballooned up to 6.16 before the Phillies shelved him.
When Nola returns to the Phillies is unknown, which puts a twist in the starting rotation. Taijuan Walker is taking Nola's spot before he goes back to the bullpen, either when Nola returns from the injured list or when Andrew Painter arrives. The Phillies are still targeting a July MLB debut for Painter, who will throw six innings and 80-85 pitches in his start for Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Wednesday. Painter should have about four more starts in Lehigh Valley.
Nola tried to pitch through the pain, yet that did more harm than good. For Nola and the Phillies, this is an opportunity for a reset.
"I thought I'd try to pitch through it and after a couple starts it would ease off on its own, but it didn't," Nola said. "Obviously I didn't wanna miss a start, but I thought I'd let it rest a little bit and allow it to recover as best as possible. It's taken a little bit longer than I thought it would, but that's how ankle sprains go.
"I'm just trying to do everything I can in the training room and rest as much as possible with it. Just need to be back on the mound and getting those movements again."
Nola wants to get back to doing his job and pitching well every fifth day. That may take a few more weeks.