Remember the end of last season when then-Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said Aaron Nola was a “solid No. 3 starter”? Well, he was fired upward two days later for a myriad of reasons, but that comment sure didn’t help his case.
When Mackanin said that, Nola was wrapping up a breakout season. He finished the year with a 3.54 ERA, 1.208 WHIP, and 3.76 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 27 starts. Nola’s 4.3 wins above replacement ranked ninth among National League pitchers. His 9.86 K/9 ranked seventh and 3.27 fielding-independent pitching ranked fifth in the NL.