As the Philadelphia Phillies get their first glimpse of a potential franchise cornerstone, the Tampa Bay Rays could welcome one back.
Phillies fans have eagerly anticipated the major league debut of Aaron Nola during a season lacking excitement, and that happens Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park with the right-hander potentially having to face Steven Souza Jr. if the Rays' home run leader returns.
Selected seventh overall in 2014, Nola will become the first Phillies player since Pat Combs in 1989 to debut in the majors the year after he was drafted. An LSU product who turned 22 last month, Nola was the No. 2 prospect in the organization.
"It always is fun to see somebody be inserted into the team, especially this year, and give everybody a little boost," interim manager Pete Mackanin told MLB's official website. "That's why everybody's kind of anxious to see him perform. I know he's got good enough stuff to be competitive here."
Despite going 10-4 with a 2.39 ERA and a 5.11 strikeout-to-walk ratio this year, Nola was surprised to be called up because his latest start was subpar. Pitching for Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Thursday, he was ripped for six runs and seven hits in three innings.
"We want to find out if he's nervous, how he handles himself on the mound, if he gets into trouble, how he handles it," Mackanin said. "But you have to keep in mind it's his first appearance."
Souza, meanwhile, rejoined the Rays (47-48) on Monday and took batting practice after being on the disabled list since July 6 due to a lacerated pinky. He's eligible to return Tuesday and hopes to be in the lineup.
"No pain when I swing," said Souza, who played in Class A over the weekend. "It doesn't affect my swing. Feeling good."
The rookie right fielder has 15 homers while no teammate is in double digits. However, Souza's 108 strikeouts are fourth-most in baseball and he had two hits in his last 31 at-bats, dropping his average to .210.
The lineup hasn't been doing well without him, batting .189 in the last eight games while averaging 2.6 runs. Evan Longoria's slump is at 1 for 19 and James Loney's is 3 for 26 after both went hitless in Monday's 5-3 defeat to open this series.
"We didn't do much to win the game," manager Kevin Cash said. "We had some opportunities. It's kind of becoming a broken record."
Philadelphia's offense ranks among the NL's worst in most major categories but has been clutch since the All-Star break. The Phillies (33-62) have won all four games - they lost 15 of 18 before the break - while batting .364 (12 for 33) with runners in scoring position.
Cesar Hernandez had two hits and two RBIs for the second straight game Monday. Jeff Francoeur had two more hits and has reached base in all but one of his seven plate appearances since the break, driving in five runs and scoring four.
Tampa Bay's Nathan Karns (4-5, 3.63 ERA) starts for the first time since a dreadful outing July 9 in Kansas City, where he allowed career highs of seven runs and nine hits in six innings of an 8-3 defeat. He didn't walk a batter for the first time this year but served up two homers after allowing none in his previous five games, during which he had a 1.78 ERA.
The Rays were a major league-best 21-11 in road games through June 20 but have since lost 10 of 12.
