The Philadelphia Phillies will be without Zack Wheeler on Opening Day, as he is still working his way back from thoracic outlet decompression surgery, but he is making good strides as the season approaches. The latest update on Wheeler was another positive after throwing some pitches in a short, simulated game, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com.
“Zack Wheeler threw 29 pitches in a two-inning simulated game at Carpenter Complex. First start of the spring. He remains on track for an April return,” Zolecki wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
It's uncertain at which point in April Wheeler will return, but it's still good to know that it's somewhere near the beginning of the season. He recently spoke about his injury status, and it looks as if he's taking things slow and not getting too amped up about a return.
“I think I'm probably just on track,” Wheeler said via OnPattison's Anthony SanFilippo. “You guys know me by now. I really don't try to get too excited about certain things. Like I said before, just kind of take it day by day. We'll look forward to the next one and try to crisp it up a little bit more, try to get the {velocity} up just a tick more… That's usually how it goes during spring.”
If the Phillies want to have another solid season, having Wheeler will be key. He's gone 69-37 with a 2.91 ERA, 1,094 strikeouts, and 1.016 WHIP in 979 innings pitched, and there's no doubt that he's a game-changer when he steps on the mound.
At the same time, his health is what comes first, and they want to make sure he's ready to go without any limitations.
The Phillies still have some strong depth in their pitching rotation, so they should be fine without Wheeler for the time being as he works his way back.
