Pitcher Aaron Nola Leads Phillies to First MLB Playoff in 11 Years: ‘The Outcome Is in [God’s] Hands’
By Movieguide® Staff
Aaron Nola, a pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, made his playoff debut in Game 2 of the wild-card round versus the St. Louis Cardinals on Oct. 8.
Nola pitched six innings, leading his team to a 2-0 victory and a spot in the MLB playoffs as they take on the Atlanta Braves in the next round.
The last time the Phillies made the playoffs, Nola had just graduated from high school. The St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Phillies in the 2011 NLDS.
However, the Phillies now have the All-Star pitcher to lead the team’s playoff run, the first playoff appearance for many of the players.
“It’s sweet, man. It’s sweet,” Nola said. “I came up with these guys and have been through some hard years. A lot of lost years, and every year we’re getting better. Just to make it to the wild card, it’s huge.”
Despite the pressure of an 11-year playoff drought and the hopes and dreams of the loyal Philadelphia fanbase, Nola said that his focus comes from above.
“Through Bible studies and chapels, I learned who Jesus is and what He could do and to put all my trust and all my faith in Him,” Nola told Christ Church South Philly in April 2020. “… He has a reason for everything, and we should always put our trust in Him with that, because He knows where our path is going — He makes it — and the outcome is in His hands.”
“There are things that are going to happen to us that we don’t like, that we don’t expect and that are unexpected, and we shouldn’t ask too many questions why. Because He knows why, and He knows where we’re gonna go, and He knows what His plan is for us,” he added.
Nola also relies on the word of God.
In a 2017 book by Rob Maaddi, 52 MLB players shared devotionals, Nola being one of them.
“The Bible has all the answers,” he wrote. “It tells you how to live. … It’s all about faith in the Lord and putting Him first. He’s always with you. You’re in this together. You’re never alone. He’s everything you need.”
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