Aaron Nola Gives Phillies Hope, Top-of-Rotation Arm for Future

If there is such a thing as an encouraging defeat, the Philadelphia Phillies had one Tuesday night, courtesy of Aaron Nola.

In the midst of an absolutely dreadful season in southeastern Pennsylvania, Nola—the Phillies' top pitching prospect, per Baseball America—offered a taste of his tantalizing, top-of-the-rotation potential.

Yes, he took the tough-luck loss in his big league debut, as the hapless Phils managed just four hits—including one by Nola himself—and were shut out 1-0 by Nathan Karns (who provided all the scoring with his first career home run) and the Tampa Bay Rays bullpen.

Nola, though, lived up to the hype, surrendering one earned run and striking out six in six strong frames.

The 22-year-old right-hander served up plenty of highlights. Here's one that felt particularly indicative of his sky-high potential: In the top of the fifth, with runners on first and second and two outs, Nola got Steven Souza Jr. swinging on a nasty off-speed pitch to escape the jam.

It was a fleeting moment, sure, and wound up being merely a footnote. But it showcased the whole package—poise, stuff, execution—that should have the Phillies thinking happy thoughts.

Such thoughts are a rare commodity these days in the City of Brotherly Love. Sure, the Phils are mired in last place in the National League East. More than that, however, they're stuck in the midst of a protracted, painful rebuild that still hasn't really gotten off the ground.

With the trade deadline approaching, that could soon change. Trade rumors continue to swirl around ace left-hander Cole Hamels, who figures to net a nice return despite his recent struggles. 

Chris Szagola/Associated Press/Associated Press/Associated Press

If the Phillies move Hamels, they will need an heir apparent. It's far too early to pass the ace baton to Nola; one start is the very definition of a small sample.

If he'd struggled, or even been shelled, it would be silly to dismiss his ability. So it's equally silly to anoint him a No. 1-caliber arm.

And yet, in a year packed with negatives for baseball's most dysfunctional franchise (you're off the hook, Miami Marlins), this was an unmitigated positive.

Nola, of course, was the Phillies' top pick and the No. 7 overall selection in the June 2014 amateur draft. A little more than a year later, he took the mound in a major league game and proved himself more than up to the challenge.

He didn't pitch like a wide-eyed rookie, but he sounded like one in a Monday interview with CSN Philadelphia's Gregg Murphy.

"It's really surreal just being in the locker room with a lot of those veteran guys who I looked up to and grew up watching," Nola told Murphy.

Indeed, when first baseman Ryan Howard—who went 0-for-4 Tuesday, incidentally—broke into the bigs, Nola was in middle school. 

He's the fresh-faced newbie, no doubt about it.

He's also a polished pitcher with plus control, as interim skipper Pete Mackanin noted after the game, per Jake Kaplan of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

"He was poised. He had a good mound presence. [He] didn't look scared," Mackanin said, per Kaplan. "That's the most important thing as far as I'm concerned. He spotted his fastball extremely well."

Nola's velocity doesn't leap off the radar gun, but the rest of the tools are there, as Kaplan outlined:

"

While not overpowering, Nola has an effectiveness that stems from excellent command, especially of a fastball that registers in the low-to-mid 90s. Nola is most often projected as a No. 2 or No. 3 starter rather than an ace on a contending team, but an advanced feel for pitching and his ability to locate should make him a cornerstone in the Phillies rotation for years to come.

"

Whether those years will include a return to relevance and a parting of dark clouds is up to the Phillies front office. But Tuesday, with one encouraging defeat, Nola offered a much-needed ray of sunshine.

Bask in it, Phils fans. Lord knows you've earned that much.

All scores and statistics current as of July 21 and courtesy of MLB.com unless otherwise noted.