Phillies' Nola skipping throwing session with soreness in right side

TORONTO (AP) — Injured Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola will not throw a scheduled live batting session Thursday because of mild soreness on his right side, manager Rob Thomson said Wednesday.

Last week, Nola said his return from the injured list with a sprained right ankle was progressing more slowly than expected and that he probably needed to make a minor league rehabilitation start.

Nola is 1-7 with a 6.16 ERA in nine starts. No date has been set for him to throw next.

The Phillies put Nola on the 15-day injured list on May 16 to avoid another injury cropping up while he was favoring the ankle. The 31-year-old veteran allowed 12 hits, nine runs and three homers - all career highs - in a 14-7 loss on May 14 against St. Louis.

Nola, who signed a $172 million, seven-year contract ahead of the 2024 season, was injured on May 8 during pregame agility drills when the Phillies played the Rays at Steinbrenner Field.

In 11 seasons with Philadelphia, Nola is 105-86 with a 3.78 ERA.

Nola has been one of the most durable pitchers since his 2015 debut. Aside from a 10-day stint on the COVID injury list in 2021, Nola hadn’t missed a start since 2017 before this current absence.

Before Wednesday’s game at Toronto, the Phillies recalled right-hander Mick Abel from Triple-A Lehigh Valley and put righty Zack Wheeler on the paternity list. Abel was scheduled to start Wednesday against the Blue Jays.

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