Phils rained out; Nola hopes to be back soon »
PHILADELPHIA >> The last time Aaron Nola hit a disabled list, it cost him two months and a full offseason. This time, he insists, it’s different.
“I don’t think it’s any longterm effect,” he said Tuesday, before the Phillies’ postponed game with the Miami Marlins. “I don’t think it’s anything big.”
Reporting recent back soreness, Nola was placed on the 10day disabled list Monday, retroactive to April 21. That means he will miss at least his scheduled Wednesday start against visiting Miami. It doesn’t, though, necessarily mean he couldn’t have pitched if necessary.
“I feel like I definitely could have started, but I guess I don’t want it to lead to an arm thing again,” Nola said. “I definitely don’t want that to happen. So I definitely feel better today.”
An elbow issue caused the right-hander to be shut down after his July 28 appearance last year. He did not require surgery and returned to have a 2-0 start for the Phillies.
While no initial arm issue was reported, there is evidently a link between all of Nola’s miseries, including, it seems, a hamstring situation.
“I guess it has been bothering him, his back or his hamstring, somewhere in that area,” manager Pete Mackanin said. “It just has been tight for him. I don’t think there’s been pain. It’s just been tight.”
Though Nola, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2014 draft, is critical to the Phillies’ rebuilding project, Mackanin, for one, is not troubled about the latest setback.
“Well, I wouldn’t say ‘worried,’” he said. “It’s a concern. I’m worried about his elbow. It’s
not his arm, so that’s the good news. Hopefully, he’ll miss just one start. It’s just to be cautious.”
*** To replace Nola in the rotation, the Phillies had Nick Pivetta in the clubhouse Tuesday and were planning to start him Wednesday. The rainout changed their plans.
Instead, Vince Velasquez, who was scheduled to pitch Tuesday, will start Wednesday. Jeremy Hellickson will make his scheduled Thursday start.
Because he technically was not activated, Pivetta is ineligible to physically remain with the Phillies. He is expected, however, to join them in Los Angeles over the weekend and likely will start against the Dodgers Sunday. At that time, a corresponding roster move would be necessary.
Pivetta, who was acquired from the Washington organization in the deal for Jonathan Papelbon, would be making his major-league debut.
“It feels good to be here,” Pivetta said. “I achieved my goal of getting here eventually. I am happy to be here, happy to be part of this team and help them win. I want to get my feet on solid ground right now and just take it one step at a time.”
Pivetta, 24, was 3-0 with a 0.95 ERA and 24 strikeouts at Class AAA Lehigh Valley. His secret? “I just think it’s my fastball,” he said. “I’ve been getting ahead of guys, not walking guys, just giving my team the best chance I can to win down there. And I’m just going to continue doing the same thing when I am up here.”
Pivetta pitched for Canada in the World Baseball Classic, impressing in a four-inning outing against Colombia.
“It was awesome,” he said. “It was like having playoff baseball
in March. I mean, it was a lot of fun, playing against Colombia, seeing those other teams. It was a great time.”
*** The Phillies officially activated Ty Kelly Tuesday. He took Nola’s roster spot.
Not that the 28-year-old Kelly is versatile, but he is a switchhitter who has played every position but catcher at the professional level, including one inning as a Triple-A pitcher. And earlier this season, he was being groomed by the Mets as an emergency catcher.
Kelly, who has played 40 major-league games with the Mets since 2016, was acquired in a cash deal from Toronto, which picked him up on waivers April 10. With Howie Kendrick on the disabled list, the Phillies needed another bat.
“He plays everywhere,” Mackanin said. “We’ll get a look at him. I haven’t seen him too much, if at all. But I know that he’s versatile, and that’s something we could use, especially without Kendrick.”
Kelly has been with the Orioles, Mariners, Cardinals, Blue Jays and Mets organizations.
He does not have a preferred position.
“Not really,” Kelly said. “For most of my career I’ve moved around a lot. It’s just expanded the more I’ve played. I started in the infield and slowly started playing outfield. And then it just turned into everywhere.”
*** Vince Papale, the Interboro High grad who once walked onto the Eagles and inspired the film “Invincible,” visited with Brock Stassi before Tuesday’s scheduled game against the Marlins. Like Papale, Stassi, a 33rd-round draft choice, once seemed unlikely to make a major-league roster.
Aware that Papale was in the building, Cameron Rupp erupted: “I’m jealous. I want to meet him.” The Phils’ catcher made sure he did, too.
Papale asked Stassi about his dedication despite difficult odds.
“Ever since I was drafted,” he said, “I believed in myself that I would be here one day.” Stassi signed a bat for Papale.
*** NOTES >> No makeup date has been scheduled for the postponed Tuesday game … At 7:05 Wednesday, Velasquez (0-2, 7.20 ERA) will face Miami’s scheduled Tuesday starter, lefty Wei-Yin Chen (2-0, 3.94). Thursday at 1:05, it will be Jeremy Hellickson (3-0, 1.88) and right-hander Edinson Volquez (0-2, 4.82 ERA) … Friday, the Phillies will begin a seven-game road trip to play the Dodgers and Cubs. Nola, who would be eligible Monday in Chicago, will make the trip.