The Phillies hold a 92-63 record and have had the National League East clinched for almost a week, but there are still a few things that need to be ironed out before Red October rolls around. One of those questions is whether or not Aaron Nola should be the third starter in the playoff rotation.

The first two spots are likely secure, with Christopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez set to begin a likely divisional series on the mound for Philadelphia. However, the third spot in the rotation is still up in the air.

It was assumed that Nola would slide into that third spot after returning from the injured list, but his performance has continued to show that he might not be up for the challenge. After securing double-digit wins from 2022-24, Nola's recorded loss against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sept. 20 marked his 10th of the season, a large dark spot on his resume as he now holds a 4-10 record on the season.

After making his return from the IL, it seemed like Nola was on the upswing, pitching in three straight victories while securing two wins and a no decision for himself. After holding a 1-7 record before getting hurt, back-to-back wins for the Phillies veteran was exactly what the doctor ordered.

Additionally, despite coming off a loss against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sept. 3, Nola pitched a gem against the New York Mets, a team he normally struggles against, striking out seven batters in a three-hit shutout effort.

However, despite his 3-3 record since mid-August, the win-loss tally doesn't accurately reflect Nola's performance on the mound. In that seven-game stretch, the right-hander allowed 28 earned runs on 42 hits. 

In contrast, Jesus Luzardo has shown that he can still throw heat late into the season. Since Nola's first start off the IL on Aug. 17, Luzardo has a 3-1 record in six starts, allowing 15 earned runs on 26 hits, nearly cutting Nola's totals in half. 

Additionally, Luzardo holds a 7-3 record in his last 10 starts. In that same time period, left-hander has allowed 32 earned runs on 56 pitches. Compare that to Nola's numbers in three fewer starts, and it's hard to justify why he deserves the third starter spot over Luzardo.

Taking Taijuan Walker and Walker Buehler out of the equation, as they're likely to see playoff innings out of the bullpen, Nola's recent performance leaves a lot to question as to whether or not he'll join them in the outfield come Red October.