It’s difficult to imagine a successful Phillies postseason without Jesús Luzardo. He’s been their best pitcher for months. Luzardo is on the 15-day injured list with inflammation in his left shoulder, and nobody knows when he will pitch again. It’s a concern with Game 1 of a potential National League Wild Card Series less than two weeks away. It made Aaron Nola's effort in Thursday night’s 3-0 victory over the Mets at Citi Field feel incredibly important. Because if Luzardo isn’t ready in two weeks, Nola’s role on this team is magnified. In a best-of-three NL Wild Card Series, the Phillies line up Luzardo, Cristopher Sánchez and Zack Wheeler to pitch, if everybody is healthy and rested. Now, Nola would start one of those games. “I think it's important no matter what, right?” Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs said about Nola’s late-season success. “Obviously, being down Zeus amplifies every single start a little bit more. So yeah, to be able to go out there and do what he did today …” Nola allowed three hits in seven scoreless innings, helping the Phillies pull even with the Cubs for the No. 1 NL Wild Card spot with nine games to play. Chicago holds the head-to-head tiebreaker. San Diego is a game behind both teams. “Now you just kind of count on him doing that,” Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly said about Nola. “It’s gotten to that point, you know?” Nola carried a no-hitter into the sixth, when Nick Morabito hit a one-out single to left field. The last time Nola went that far without allowing a hit was Sept. 26, 2025, against the Twins (5 2/3 innings).
