PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Zack Wheeler will cruise past another milestone in his Tommy John rehab on Saturday when he throws off the slope of a mound for the first time since surgery. The Mets expect Wheeler to toss a dozen or so pitches.
Wheeler, 25, has been throwing off flat ground since late last summer. He is targeting a July 1 return, at which point the Mets will either move to a temporary six-man rotation or shift Bartolo Colon to the bullpen.
"He's a ways away," manager Terry Collins said, "so I'm not going to get too amped up yet."
In his only full big league season in 2014, Wheeler went 11-11 with a 3.54 ERA in 32 starts. He underwent surgery last March after tests revealed a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.