CHICAGO – A Phillies club in dire need of a jolt is due to receive one this weekend in Atlanta.
Ace starter Zack Wheeler, fresh off his fifth rehab outing as he makes his way back from the thoracic outlet decompression surgery he underwent back in September, will officially make his first start of the season Saturday against the Braves at Truist Park. The outing will mark Wheeler’s first start in a Phillies uniform since Aug. 15 of last season.
The 35-year-old right-hander, who’s coming off his third career All-Star appearance, has been on a long path to recovery ever since doctors found a blood clot around his right shoulder that led to September’s operation.
Wheeler, who had to have the first rib near his right shoulder removed as part of the procedure, began throwing bullpen sessions in Spring Training before kicking off his rehab assignment with Triple-A Lehigh Valley on March 28. He threw three outings with the IronPigs before wrapping up his assignment with two starts for Double-A Reading, the last of which took place on Sunday.
“I think he's basically at the end of Spring Training,” manager Rob Thomson said when asked what he’s seen from Wheeler’s rehab appearances. “The fastball velocity's gone up. It's not where it's gonna be, I don't believe. The command has been some days good, some days not as good. But I'm expecting on a normal day, weather-wise, that he's gonna have his command.
“He's really spun the ball well during all of his outings, so I feel good about him.”
Thomson said he anticipates Wheeler throwing under a six-inning, 90-pitch restriction for his debut. The manager did not note how Wheeler’s return will impact Philadelphia’s rotation moving forward, but just seeing their ace back on the mound could give the Phillies the kind of boost they need as they navigate their toughest stretch of this young season.
Philadelphia entered Tuesday’s game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field riding a six-game losing streak, and starting pitching has played a significant role in the club’s struggles. The rotation boasts a combined ERA of 5.48, which bests only three teams in the Majors. Phillies starters have allowed 75 runs (68 earned) during that time period, which has consistently placed a scuffling offense behind the eight ball.
While lefty Cristopher Sánchez has carried momentum from his sparkling 2025 season into the new year, other Philadelphia starters have struggled out of the gate. Tuesday night’s starter, Jesús Luzardo, entered with a 7.94 ERA, though his .417 batting average allowed on balls in play at least indicates he’s suffering from a string of bad luck.
Meanwhile, veterans Taijuan Walker (9.16 ERA) and Aaron Nola (5.06) have had trouble anchoring the back end of the rotation.
It all helps illustrate how pivotal Wheeler’s return could be for a team that badly needs things to start breaking in its favor before its early season hole becomes too big to dig out of. Count Thomson as someone who knows how significant it will be to see the 11-year vet back on the bump.
“Having Zack Wheeler on your 26-man roster makes you a better roster, no matter what,” Thomson said. “When he's healthy and pitching well, he's one of the best, if not the best pitcher in the National League.”