Diligence and Work Ethic Contribute to Immaculate Health for Phillies Star Pitcher

The Philadelphia Phillies have put together arguably the best starting pitching rotation in baseball.

Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sanchez, Ranger Suarez and Jesus Luzardo will be the main group when everyone is healthy. Taijuan Walker, who is stepping into the mix for the injured Suarez, provides solid depth.

Down the line, the team will unleash top pitching prospect Andrew Painter on the rest of the league, as well.

While they are a supremely talented group of pitchers, what sets them apart isn’t just their stuff. It is that some of them remain incredibly durable in a time when pitchers are as coddled as they have ever been.

Gone are the days of starting pitchers being the main attractions at games. Teams are so worried about pitch counts and inning limits that even the best will be lifted early to try and preserve them from injury.

That isn’t an issue manager Rob Thomson has often, as his stars are some of the most durable pitchers in the sport.

Nola has put himself in a league of his own when it comes to durability after battling some ailments early in his career.

A first-round pick in the 2014 MLB draft, the early portion of his Major League career was marred by an inability to stay healthy.

The final two months of the 2016 campaign were spent sidelined because of a strained right elbow. In 2017, he was on the shelf to begin the year because of a lower back strain.

Nola hasn't been on the injured list since that point, turning into the most durable player, regardless of position, in the league.

Each time it is his turn in the rotation, he takes the ball.

He leads the Major Leagues in starts and innings pitched since 2018. He has made at least 32 starts every campaign except 2020, which was shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

What has led to such an incredible run?

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required) revealed there are a few contributing factors.

“Nola has said he was 'blessed' to get hurt early in his career; his injuries forced him to become more attuned to his body. Phillies players rave about his work ethic. He is diligent in the weight room, with his throwing, his hydration and diet,” the MLB insider wrote.

He trusts the process, not skipping a single step regardless of how long it may take.

There are times that he will spend hours in a day rolling on a lacrosse ball, ensuring to loosen up all his muscles accordingly.

The same personal trainer and massage therapist that Nola had while playing collegiately with the LSU Tigers, who he met as a freshman, gets flown out to help him now as a Major Leauger.

That kind of continuity, mixed with his own diligence and work ethic, has created the most durable pitcher the game has seen in the last decade.

Recommended Articles