When Mick Abel called his dad back home in Oregon a few days ago, the conversation began differently than usual. “Is mom in the room?” Abel asked. Abel’s dad put Mick’s mom on speaker phone, then added his brother to the call.

Before he stood in front of a packed Citizens Bank Park and delivered one of the best Phillies starting pitching debuts ever, Mick Abel took a moment to himself. He descended the steps of the bullpen,

The finale of the Pennsylvania duel was a good one, with Pirates superstar Paul Skenes toeing the slab against Phillies top prospect Mick Abel, who was making his debut. Abel was called up after the news that Aaron Nola would hit the injured list for the first time since 2017.