Phillies’ Aaron Nola surprised to learn of right rib stress fracture: ‘Definitely wasn’t news I was expecting’

Aaron Nola is in unfamiliar territory.

Nola has been one of the most durable starting pitchers in baseball during his career with the Phillies. He was already frustrated when he sprained his ankle back in May, which landed him on the injured list for the first time since 2017. But now a setback caused by a new rib injury has completely shut down Nola from throwing.

Nola said his injury, which Phillies manager Rob Thomson initially described as a “stress reaction” in his right ribcage, is actually a stress fracture.

“Definitely wasn’t the news I was expecting,” Nola said. “Thought it was maybe a light strain or something like that.”

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He said that he feels pain with certain movements, including throwing, and when he breathes heavily. Nola hasn’t identified a specific moment that caused the injury, but started noticing it when he started to ramp up activity after his ankle injury. It was diagnosed after an MRI.

“I guess it’s from throwing, and I get work in that area a lot. I’m not really sure,” he said. “I’ve never had a stress fracture in my rib before, so this is really new to me. Just trying to take time off to help it heal.”

Nola isn’t throwing at all for at least two weeks, and he has no timetable for when he might be ready for a return. Once he is able to throw off a mound, he will have to be built back up after such an extended period off.

He is able to run and participate in certain workouts to stay in shape, he said.

But for a pitcher who has prided himself on his durability, this latest chapter in his injury saga has been especially frustrating.

“I try really hard to keep my body in shape, in pitching shape, and be reliable to make every single start every year,” Nola said. “That’s what I’m here to do, and as starting pitchers, that’s what we’re here to do. And it’s obviously tough going through it, but sometimes things come up and it happens, and got to get through it, and I’m going to keep working as hard as I can to get back as quick as possible.”

Bryce Harper (right wrist irritation) took ground balls before the game Friday with a brace on his right wrist. He did not throw, and still does not know when he will swing a bat.

“Whenever he’s ready,” Thomson said.

Brandon Marsh (left elbow soreness) was back in the lineup on Friday after missing Wednesday’s game.

Down in triple-A Lehigh Valley, Phillies prospect Justin Crawford (quad soreness) did full pregame activities on Friday, but was out of the IronPigs lineup. He has not played since exiting a game early on June 5.

“He’ll run the bases today, and then we’ll see about [Saturday],” Thomson said.

Phillies third base coach Dusty Wathan was inducted into the Reading Baseball Hall of Fame on Thursday ahead of the double-A Fightin Phils game. Wathan managed the team for five seasons and is the winningest manager in Reading history. Thomson was on hand to see the ceremony. “I’ve said since I’ve been here, even before I became the manager, that Dusty should be managing the big league someplace,” Thomson said. “That’s how good of a baseball man he is, and as good a person as you can get.” ... Former Phillies Jeff Hoffman and Spencer Turnbull returned to Citizens Bank Park on Friday with the Blue Jays. “This place does something special to each guy that puts on the Phillies uniform. And I’m excited to just be back and to be in the atmosphere again,” Hoffman said. ...Cristopher Sánchez (5-2, 3.10 ERA) is scheduled to start Saturday against Toronto right-hander Bowden Francis.