After nine inconsistent seasons with the Phillies, Aaron Nola is finally proving there was a reason why everybody believed he would be a worthy successor to Cole Hamels when he joined the team, writes Lindsey Adler for The Wall Street Journal.

His career has made him a complicated figure in Philadelphia. The fans often got their hopes up from his successes and took his failures personally. But the fluctuations seem to be over.

In three playoff starts this year, Nola has only allowed two runs over 18 2/3 innings. This includes a six-inning shutout against the Diamondbacks on Tuesday in the National League Championship Series that provided the Phillies with a 2-0 series lead.

He has watched as his teammates slug eight home runs in these three starts when he has been the pitcher of record.

And most importantly, as the Phillies make their way toward the World Series propelled by their bruising power lineup, Nola has been providing a quiet pillar of stability in the chaos.

“I’m definitely grateful to have come up in a rebuild,” he said.

Read more about Aaron Nola in The Wall Street Journal.

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