Zack Wheeler will be looking to "figure it all out together" on Monday in Seattle.
Those were his own words following Tuesday's outing against the Marlins -- one in which he walked four batters and needed 98 pitches to navigate five innings. Wheeler said afterward that his fastball felt "as good as it has in a really long time," but he didn't have a feel for his breaking pitches after making an adjustment between starts.
There figure to be more adjustments heading into Monday, as Wheeler continues to try to get back on track. He has a 6.64 ERA over his past five starts. He hasn't earned a win since July 12.
This is the first time in a Phillies uniform that Wheeler has gone six consecutive outings without a victory, though one of those starts was his rain-shortened outing on Aug. 2 in Baltimore. It's his longest stretch without a win since 2018 with the Mets, when he went 13 straight outings without a victory.
Despite his recent struggles, interim manager Don Mattingly believes Wheeler isn't that far off from being the guy who was 10-1 with a 2.13 ERA through his first 15 starts this season.
"I mean, Zack's not one of the guys I worry about, if that’s what you’re asking," Mattingly said following Wheeler's last start. "I’ve known Zack Wheeler for a long time. The stuff is still good."
Most of the underlying metrics agree. The usual movement is still there. He's still getting plenty of swings and misses.
At the end of the day, Wheeler just needs to rediscover that pinpoint command that has made him one of the best pitchers in baseball since joining the Phillies.
"I know I’ve still got it," Wheeler said. "There's no question about that."