Aaron Nola Nears Return After Successful Bullpen Session, Eyeing Rehab Start

Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola is making significant progress in his recovery from a sprained right ankle and a stress fracture in his right rib, injuries that have sidelined him since May. On Friday, the 32-year-old threw a successful 56-pitch bullpen session across three ups at Yankee Stadium, reporting no pain in either the ankle or the rib, and demonstrating excellent command. Phillies manager Rob Thomson expressed excitement, noting Nola looks 'ready for an assignment' and highlighting his potential impact down the stretch. Nola confirmed he feels 'normal' and is eager to begin a minor league rehab assignment, with plans to gradually increase his pitch count from an initial 55-60 pitches to reach 90 pitches over subsequent outings. He suffered the ankle injury during agility drills on May 8, which he believes led to the rib stress fracture due to altered rotation.