The 31-year-old Nola was 4-1 with a 3.20 ERA through six starts in 2024. He finished 14-8 with a 3.57 ERA, helping the Phillies win the NL East. Nola, who agreed to a $172 million, seven-year contract with Philadelphia in February 2024, has stayed with his usual routine throughout his tough start to this year.

But the most notable moment from a grind-it-out 3-1 victory over the Cubs came in the seventh inning when Aaron Nola walked off the mound at Wrigley Field after finally looking like, well, Aaron Nola again. » READ MORE: Aaron Nola is one of the most durable pitchers in baseball, but how will he fix his early-season struggles?

The 29th pitch Aaron Nola threw in the first inning Wednesday night was not competitive, a 91 mph sinker that Wilmer Flores took without hesitation to secure a bases-loaded walk. Nola didn’t show outward disappointment.