Italy national baseball team has announced that Aaron Nola, the Philadelphia Phillies All-Star pitcher with a $172 million contract, will start in the semifinal of the World Baseball Classic against Venezuela national baseball team. The decision replaces Michael Lorenzen as the original starter for the crucial matchup.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that both pitchers could still appear in the game depending on how the contest unfolds. If Italy advances to the championship game, manager Francisco Cervelli may rely on a bullpen-heavy strategy against United States national baseball team.
Nola already delivered a strong performance earlier in the tournament, throwing five scoreless innings against Mexico national baseball team, allowing only four hits while striking out five.
Despite coming off a difficult 2025 season with Philadelphia posting a 6.01 ERA across 17 starts the veteran right-hander brings significant playoff experience, with more than 55 innings of postseason work compared with Lorenzen’s limited appearances.
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