Nola averaged just 88.3 mph with his sinker during his start Thursday, Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
The sinker is Nola's primary pitch and is critical to his success. He began the year throwing the pitch at 91 mph and has seen his velocity decline each month, reaching its lowest point in his last start. There has been no talk of an injury, but there has been some indication that Nola was dealing with a "dead arm" earlier this month. He has also been tinkering with his mechanics, which could also be impacting his velocity.