Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler endured an unusually brief outing on Monday in the opener of a three-game series against the Miami Marlins, leaving both fans and reporters concerned.
Wheelers departed after third innings
The veteran right-hander struggled from the very beginning, surrendering two runs in the first inning before giving up three more in the second.
Although he settled down with a clean third inning, his night ended there as the Phillies removed him from the game after just three innings of work.
Wheeler finished the outing after pitching three innings, allowing six hits and five earned runs, including two home runs, while recording one walk, six strikeouts, and throwing 68 pitches.
Fans worried with injury concerns
As Wheeler’s outing unfolded, The Athletic Phillies reporter Matt Gelb noted that something appeared to be bothering the 36-year-old.
Posting on X, Gelb wrote, “It looks like Zack Wheeler is going to be done after three innings. Something was affecting him all night. He threw a 91 mph sinker in the third. Phillies brass, after huddling in dugout, made the call.”
The Phillies have not announced whether Wheeler suffered an injury or experienced any physical issue. However, his early departure immediately sparked concern across Major League Baseball.
John Stolnis, a Washington, D.C.-based reporter and producer posted, “To say a Wheeler injury would be devastating is understating it. Really hope it’s nothing major.”
MLB journalist Jeff Kerr also emphasized how significant Wheeler’s absence could be for Philadelphia’s postseason hopes.
“No matter what you think of the #Phillies…They are going to have a very hard time getting to October if Zack Wheeler has to miss a significant amount of time,” Kerr wrote.
Also read: Why did Phillies star Zack Wheeler decline MLB All Star game invitation? Explained
Another fan wrote on X, “He looked hurt on that last throw to first.”
Fans also expressed hope that Wheeler had not suffered an injury. One concerned user wrote, “Pls don’t be hurt.”
Unusual dip in velocity
The biggest concern from Wheeler’s outing was the noticeable drop in the effectiveness of his pitches. His four-seam fastball averaged just 93.5 mph, which was 1.7 mph slower than his season average.
It marked the second-lowest average four-seam fastball velocity of any start in his career, with the only lower mark coming on April 3, 2024, when it averaged a career-low 93.1 mph.
