WASHINGTON, D.C. — He left the mound after five innings, looking straight to the dugout as the Phillies faithful in D.C. cheered him. Zack Wheeler was mad, manager Rob Thomson said postgame Friday, that he exited at 97 pitches.
It was typical Wheeler, and the pitching was typical of what Wheeler had shown of late. His command, at times, was spotty. His velocity ticked up for the first time in a few starts. He struck out six.
Wheeler, who reported right shoulder stiffness last week, felt normal as he prepared for the start. But he noticed new symptoms after pitching five innings, head athletic trainer Paul Buchheit said, including some heaviness.
He was evaluated Saturday morning, and a blood clot was found near his right shoulder. The Phillies placed Wheeler on the 15-day injured list after Saturday’s game.
Further testing and evaluation will be conducted in Philadelphia early next week, revealing a more specific prognosis and timeline. Buchheit said he does not believe last week’s shoulder stiffness is related to the blood clot.
Kyle Schwarber said the team had a feeling something was wrong when Wheeler did not report on Saturday.
“Baseball is baseball,” Schwarber said. “When it comes to someone’s health like that, we need him healthy first. He’s got a family, so we want to get him feeling good for them, and get him back to speed whenever we can.”
Thomson said he was thinking about Wheeler and his family because of the injury’s more serious nature.
It is a serious enough injury to cast doubt on his availability for the remainder of the regular season and postseason, even without a detailed prognosis. Every week Wheeler misses would require another week of recovery time.
The Phillies’ strong rotation, among the best in MLB, has been its calling card. Wheeler, 35, is its ace. He is 10-5 with a 2.71 ERA and 195 strikeouts over 149 2/3 innings. He made the All-Star team for the third time this season and finished second in the National League Cy Young Award voting in 2024.
Beyond Wheeler and Cristopher Sánchez, there have been recent concerns. Jesús Luzardo has pitched through a rollercoaster season. Ranger Suárez has a 6.59 ERA in five outings since the All-Star Break. Aaron Nola, who struggled at the start of 2025, is a question mark as he returns from injury. Taijuan Walker, though steady in recent outings, would likely not be a postseason starter.
The Phillies were planning to move to a six-man rotation upon reinstating Aaron Nola on Sunday. Now, they are back to five.
Thomson said he feels good about the club’s depth, adding that top prospect Andrew Painter or someone else could be an option should the Phillies need a sixth starter.
Painter, who is pitching for Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Saturday, gave up three runs (two earned) in the first and has dealt with command issues while returning from Tommy John.
“We’ve just got to carry on,” Thomson said. “People have got to step up.”
The Phillies have no choice but to do so as the stretch run commences. And they will do so with Wheeler on their minds.
“We’re praying for him, and trying to keep in contact with him,” Taijuan Walker said. “But I know he knows that we’re all here for him and we love him. It’s definitely scary.”
(Photo: Mitchell Layton / Getty Images)