Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola will play for the Italian national team at the 2026 World Baseball Classic, Phillies manager Rob Thomson said during a speech at the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association event on Wednesday night.
This will be Nola’s first time pitching in the WBC.
it wsill be interesting to see if Nola can bounce back pitching in the WBC after a rough year in 2025. The 32-year-old battled injuries, going 5-10, ending the season with a 6.01 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, with 97 strikeouts in 94.1 innings pitched.
Cristopher Sánchez Eyeing Dominican Republic Roster
Fellow Phillies starter Cristopher Sánchez, the 2025 NL Cy Young runner-up, is interested in pitching for the Dominican Republic and has reportedly talked to the manager about playing in the tournament.
Full List: Phillies Players in the 2026 WBCBryce Harper, USA Brad Keller, USAKyle Schwarber, USAAaron Nola, Italy Alan Rangel, MexicoTaijuan Walker, MexicoJohan Rojas, Dominican RepublicEdmundo Sosa, Panama Garrett Stubbs, Israel
The Phillies will face Team Canada during Grapefruit League play as a tune-up game in Clearwater before the tournament starts. The World Baseball Classic runs from March 6-17, with the championship game in Miami.
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