Phillies reportedly make Game 3 starter decision between Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Philadelphia Phillies sent Jesus Luzardo out to the mound for Game 1 of the NL Wild Card round against the Atlanta Braves. They wound up losing and hoped that Cristopher Sanchez could get them a Game 2 win to keep the season alive.
Thanks to Sanchez, Andrew Painter, Alec Bohm, Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, the Phillies won Game 2 and will play a Game 3 in a winner-takes-all matchup. But who is going to start for the Phillies?
According to Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia, the Phillies have made their decision between Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola. The resurgent Nola will get the Game 3 start, as the Phillies hope to clinch Thursday night in Atlanta.
Phillies turn to Aaron Nola for Game 3 vs. Braves
“Hearing Phillies will start Aaron Nola tonight vs. Braves opener Ray Kerr, a lefty,” Salisbury reports. “Always subject to change but that’s the plan as of this AM.”
The Phillies’ plan for the winner-takes-all Game 3 of the NL Wild Card series against the Braves will be to start Nola instead of Wheeler on short rest.
While having Wheeler go would’ve been preferred, if there was ever a time to trust in Nola, it’s this season after his second-half resurgence.
As June came to a close, his 6.04 ERA had Phillies fans, rightfully, very concerned about his massive contract going forward.
But his final 11 starts of the 2026 season resulted in an incredible 2.93 ERA. While some luck has gone his way during that stretch, his massive improvement is giving the Phillies enough confidence to turn to him for Game 3.
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On the other side, the Braves are reportedly going to start Ray Kerr, a left-handed pitcher, as potentially an opener until they turn the reins over to Grant Holmes.
The Phillies have Wheeler as an option out of the bullpen for multiple innings in Game 3, but ideally they’ll ride Nola for as long as possible.
If they could somehow win without pitching Wheeler, that would be the best-case scenario. The same goes for both Jesus Luzardo and Andrew Painter, both of whom would be willing to pitch in Game 3 if needed.
With how shaky the bullpen is, the Phillies are really going to need Nola to go deep into this game, unless the Phillies’ offense comes alive and blows this game out of proportion, and some normal relievers can come into the game without worry of blowing it.
But the most important thing is how Nola performs, as he’s expected to get the ball to start the game. It’s the right call, especially considering how he’s on normal rest and is more ready to go than any other pitcher on the roster.
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