Team Italy and Team USA will face each other in a high-stakes match on March 11. This match has put Aaron Nola, who is starting for the first time in the WBC 2026, in an interesting position. His contribution while playing for Italy will be important for his team and for the USA. After losing to the Italians, they now depend on Mexico losing to Nola and Italy to try and make it to the quarterfinals.

Before the high-stakes match that decides whether Team USA will advance into the quarterfinals or not, here’s everything to know about Aaron Nola.

Who is Aaron Nola?

Aaron Michael Nola is a right-handed starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. He was born on June 4, 1993, in Baton Rouge, LA. The Toronto Blue Jays first drafted him in the 22 round of the 2011 MLB June Amateur Draft from Catholic HS. Then the Philadelphia Phillies drafted him in the 1 round of the 2014 MLB June Amateur Draft from Louisiana State University.

Nola made a historic MLB debut in 2015. He became the first Phillies pitcher since Pat Combs in 1989 to make a major league debut the very next season after being drafted. Since then, he has remained with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Who Is Aaron Nola’s Wife?

Aaron Nola married his high-school sweetheart, Hunter Jayde Harrington, on Dec. 31, 2022, at Barnsley Gardens Resort and Spa in Georgia. They got engaged in December 2021 during their trip to Yonah Mountain, Georgia.

Though little is known about Hunter’s current professional status, she was on the track and field team at the Pickеns County High School.

The couple welcomed their daughter, Scottie Brooks, on March 16, 2024. On November 30, 2025, they also announced that they are expecting another child in 2026.

Who are Aaron Nola’s Parents & Siblings?

Aaron Nola was born to A.J and Stacie Nola. His father was the Little League Coach until high school for Aaron and his older brother, Austin Nola.

The brothers also made history in 2022. They became the first sibling duo to face off as pitcher and batter in MLB postseason history during Game 2 of the 2022 NLCS.

Austin Nola, after playing for the Colorado Rockies in 2025, transitioned to coaching and currently serves as the bullpen coach for the Seattle Mariners.

What is Aaron Nola’s Ethnicity & Nationality?

Aaron Nola is an American national, being a native of Baton Rouge. He is of Italian descent from his paternal side and follows Christianity.

Nola’s great-grandparents originally belonged to Sicily, Italy, before they emigrated to the United States. His Italian heritage makes him eligible to play for the country in the WBC.

What is Aaron Nola’s Net Worth?

As of 2025, Aaron Nola’s wealth is estimated at somewhere between $20 million and $56 million. Some of his earnings, outside of his MLB contract, come from endorsements. Yuengling Brewery and Skechers are some of the brands that add to his net worth. However, his earnings from the endorsements are not publicly disclosed.

What is Aaron Nola’s MLB Contract & Salary?

Nola is signed through the 2030 season under a 7-year, $172 million, no-trade contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, agreed on November 2023.

As per Spotrac, he earned a base salary of $24,571,428 with a luxury tax of $24,571,429 in 2025. The cumulative cash he earned totaled to $73,714,284.

He had earned a career total of $105,999,209 as per Spotrac.

A breakdown of his year-by-year salary can be seen below:

What Are Aaron Nola’s MLB Career Highlights?

Aaron Nola has been with the Phillies since he made his MLB debut in 2015. At 32-years-old, he is the longest-tenured Phillie and has pitched in 285 games with a 109-89 record. He has posted a career ERA of 3.83 across 1715.2 innings pitched with 1876 strikeouts.

Nola had his career-best season in 2018, when he went 17-6 with a 2.37 ERA, 224 strikeouts in 212 1/3 innings. He also became an NL All-Star that year and finished third in the Cy Young voting. He is also a two-time NL Shutouts Leader in 2022 and 2024.

During the Phillies’ 2023 postseason run, Nola anchored the rotation across his four starts. He posted a 3–1 record with a 2.35 ERA, 23 strikeouts in 23 innings, and allowed only six earned runs.

Nola has thrown seven scoreless innings against the Miami Marlins in the Wild Card series. Against the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS, he struck out nine, helping the Phillies progress. Nola pitched six scoreless innings and seven strikeouts against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLCS Game 2.

Nola has logged 200 strikeouts in five seasons, which include 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023. His start against Mexico, after an injury-filled 2025 season, might be a career-defining moment. And this moment holds the future of two countries in the balance.