Labels are laughable. Before Aaron Nola ever got to the big leagues he was pigeonholed as a No. 3 starter — at best. Dusty Wathan, Nola’s minor-league manager back then and a Phillies coach now, always had the best response: “What’s wrong with that?” Nothing was the obvious and correct answer, but that label always sold Nola short. It was born out of the fact that he does not blow people away with searing fastballs or have an imposing nickname like Thor.
Nola barely touched 95 miles per hour with his fastball Tuesday night, but the title of staff ace fit him fine during a 6-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds that pushed the Phillies to .