Phillies' Aaron Nola earns first win since May in 6-4 Nationals victory

The Philadelphia Phillies secured a 6-4 win over the Washington Nationals on August 23, 2025, highlighted by a strong pitching performance from Aaron Nola, who struck out six and allowed two earned runs in six innings. This victory was particularly significant as the team announced that Zack Wheeler will miss the rest of the season due to venous thoracic outlet syndrome, making Nola the top right-handed starter moving forward. Nola showed encouraging signs with his highest average fastball velocity of the season and managed to contain the Nationals despite allowing two solo home runs. Offensively, the Phillies broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning with key hits from Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto, Alec Bohm, and a three-run homer by Edmundo Sosa. Manager Rob Thomson expressed confidence in Nola’s ability to lead the rotation in Wheeler's absence, emphasizing his experience and resilience. The Phillies now face the challenge of filling the gap in their rotation, potentially relying on a mix of right- and left-handed pitchers for the postseason.