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Phillies news and rumors 6/6: Aaron Nola reacts to facing Rhys Hoskins for first time

Rhys Hoskins faced the Phillies for the first time this week. (Grace Del Pizzo/Phillies Nation)

Aaron Nola and Rhys Hoskins debuted more than two years apart from each other but became the collective face of the Phillies’ transition from rebuilders to contenders. When the 2018 Phillies led the NL East by a game on Aug. 12, it was not with Bryce Harper, nor J.T. Realmuto, nor Zack Wheeler. It was with Nola and Hoskins.

Seven seasons after they first appeared in a Major League game together on Aug. 12, 2017, Nola squared off against Hoskins for the first time on Wednesday, the former carrying a shutout into the seventh with the latter representing the tying run.

“It was pretty cool,” Nola said after the game to reporters.

Hoskins fell behind 1-2 before fouling off two pitches and ultimately popping up to short to end the inning and Nola’s outing. The former Phillies first baseman went 0-for-3 against his old teammate — with a strikeout, a groundout and that pop out.

As he tends to do to opposing pitchers, Hoskins made Nola work for it. He saw a total of 16 pitches — six on the strikeout, four on the groundout, six on the pop out. The seventh-inning battle ended with Nola’s 93rd pitch of the day and 21st of the inning.

“He gassed me toward the end right there,” Nola said. “I know he never gives at bats away. I know that about him. He fights to the last pitch. It was fun, especially in a situation like that — big spot in the game. It was pretty cool facing him.”

Hoskins went 2-for-9 with a homer in his return to Citizens Bank Park, which his team left empty-handed. The Phillies took all three games from the first-place Brewers.

Hoskins and co. will have a chance to redeem themselves against the Phillies this season, but it’ll come with a wait. The Phillies visit Milwaukee for three from September 16-18 in a series that should feature two teams either in a postseason hunt or with their ticket already punched.

Especially if the pitching lines up in a way that lets him seek payback on his friend, Hoskins might have those dates circled on the calendar already.

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