Nola bolsters Opening Day status with sharp spring debut

BRADENTON, Fla. -- If Aaron Nola makes his sixth consecutive Opening Day start, it would reinforce his legacy as one of the greatest pitchers in Phillies history.

Only Steve Carlton and Robin Roberts have started more.

Roberts started 12 consecutive Opening Days from 1950-61. Carlton started 10 from 1977-86.

Nola, 29, has not been officially named the season-opening starter, but Phillies manager Rob Thomson indicated it is looking that way following Nola’s Grapefruit League debut Monday at LECOM Park.

If Nola gets the nod, as expected, will he get another? He is entering the final year of a five-year, $56.75 million contract extension. The Phillies and Nola’s camp have talked about another extension in recent weeks, even exchanging offers, according to sources. Ideally, they would reach an agreement before Opening Day, because Nola said once the season starts he wants to pause negotiations and focus on the season. But the Phillies love the idea of having Nola, Zack Wheeler and Andrew Painter, who has ace in his DNA, atop the rotation through at least next season.

Nola, who pitched two scoreless innings in a 9-7 victory over the Pirates, likes that idea, too.

“We’ve got some good guys, man,” Nola said. “We’ve got some good arms. The young kids have some live stuff. They’re big kids. They’re good kids, too. But young. So young. They have so much to learn, in a good way.”

Nola was young once, too. He still is, turning just 30 on June 4.

But he’s also a veteran.

“It’s wild, man,” Nola said. “I’m glad I came up when I came up. We had some really good veteran guys on the team in 2015. I learned a lot from those guys. And you can’t beat the experience. You have to get out there and do it. You have to struggle, and learn how to get through that. You have to take the struggles in a positive way. That’s when you start to learn more about yourself, and not get down on yourself and think the world’s crashing down on you. Because this game can bring you to your knees. But I’m excited to see those guys come up and develop. It’s going to be fun to see.”

Nola ranks 24th in team history with 29.6 WAR, according to Baseball-Reference. The only pitchers better in their Phillies career are Roberts (71.9), Carlton (69.4), Grover Cleveland Alexander (61.2), Cole Hamels (43), Curt Schilling (36.3), Charlie Ferguson (31.7) and Jim Bunning (30.8).

Nola could move past Ferguson and Bunning this season, but nothing comes easy in the big leagues. While he is not fiddling with grips for new pitches this spring or working on a serious flaw in his delivery, he is looking to get accustomed to baseball’s new pitch timer. Nola rated as one of the Phillies’ slowest workers last year. Statcast’s pitch-timer equivalent had him at 14.2 seconds between pitches without runners on base last season. An infraction is called at 15 seconds. Nola was slower with runners on base, with a pitch-timer equivalent at 20.2 seconds. An infraction is called at 20 seconds.

If Nola is concerned about it, he is not showing it. The most relaxed Phillies pitcher in camp rarely shows his emotions.

“Same stoic Noles,” Alec Bohm said. “It’s a pleasure to watch.”