Nola tosses a scoreless inning for NL All-Stars

Just four years ago, the Philadelphia Phillies selected Aaron Nola seventh overall out of LSU in the MLB Draft.

Now, at 25, he’s an All-Star and one of the best pitchers in the world.

Nola took the mound in the fifth inning for the National League, still facing the American League starting lineup. The first batter he faced, Salvador Perez, was struck out on four pitches, the fourth a curve that took a nosedive out of Perez’s reach.

Mookie Betts took a few more pitches, but in a 3-2 count had a 96 mph fastball blown by him up in the zone. We haven’t seen 96 very often from Nola – in fact, only a handful of times in his career.

Jose Altuve did what he does with a first pitch single, and Mike Trout popped up in foul territory to complete the inning.

Overall, a 15-pitch outing against the top of the AL lineup. It’s about time the world gave Nola some recognition. We’ll see him back again for many years to come.