Philadelphia Phillies ace starter Zack Wheeler is going to be out the rest of the season following surgery to relieve a blood clot in his throwing shoulder. Wheeler was diagnosed with venous thoracic outlet syndrome after feeling a heaviness in his right arm earlier this month.
Dave Dombrowksi said that Zack Wheeler — who is under contract through 2027 — is committed to continuing his career.
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The recovery time is 6 to 8 months after his surgery, and he is planning to return in the 2026 season for the Phillies. That was confirmed by Philadelphia general manager Dave Dombrowski as he met with the media Saturday. Wheeler is under contract with the Phillies through the 2027 season.
The loss of Wheeler is a major blow for the Phillies as they pursue the National League East title. They are in first place in the division and they have a 6.0-game lead over the second place New York Mets. While there appears to be a good chance that they can hang on to the lead in the division, competing in the National League playoffs without their best pitcher would appear to be a major handicap for the Phillies.
Wheeler's season came to an abrupt halt after he had made 24 starts for the the Phillies. He was leading the National League in strikeouts with 195 in 149.2 innings this season. Wheeler had a 10-5 record and a 2.71 earned run average.
Phillies hope they have enough starting pitching to get the job done in the postseason
The Phillies are largely dependent on their power hitting for their success this season and they are led by sluggers Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper. Schwarber has already blasted a league-leading 45 home runs and he has driven in 109 runs with more than a month of the season left on the schedule. Harper is slashing .263/.360/.503 with 21 home runs and 60 RBI.
However, the key to their success during the rest of the regular season and into the playoffs will be their starting pitching.
Christopher Sanchez has been having a brilliant season to this point. He has an 11-4 record with a 2.46 ERA. Sanchez has struck out 169 batters in 157.0 innings and he has made 24 starts for the Phillies.
Jesus Luzardo has also played a key role for Phillies manager Rob Thompson and he has delivered a 12-6 record. He has started a league-high 26 games while fanning 170 batters in 145.0 innings on the mound.
Pitcher Jose Alvarado could give the team a boost in the final weeks of the regular season after returning to the team following an 80-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball's performance-enhancing drugs policy. However, while he can pitch through the end of the regular season, he is ineligible for the playoffs.
