Zack Wheeler
Breakdown
Performance
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April 5, 2026
Slated for two more rehab starts
Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Saturday that Wheeler (shoulder) will continue his rehab assignment Wednesday with Triple-A Lehigh Valley and will make another minor-league start after that, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
Analysis
Wheeler struggled in his second rehab start with Lehigh Valley on Friday, allowing five runs on four hits and two walks while striking one batter over three innings. His four-seamer averaged 92.7 mph, and Philadelphia will give him at least two more starts to build up in the minors after he threw 49 pitches Friday. That puts a possible return to the major leagues around April 18 or 19, depending on how Wheeler fares as he completes his recovery from venous thoracic outlet syndrome surgery.
April 4, 2026
Shaky in second rehab start
Wheeler (shoulder) struck out one and allowed four hits and two walks in three innings during a rehab start Friday for Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Analysis
Wheeler wasn't nearly as sharp in his second rehab outing as he was in his first, when he fanned three across three scoreless frames last Saturday. The All-Star right-hander threw just 26 of his 49 pitches for strikes, and his four-seam fastball averaged 92.7 mph Friday. The expectation is that Wheeler will need to make at least one more rehab appearance before the Phillies consider activating him from the injured list, but the hurler still has a chance to make his season debut for Philadelphia in mid-April if all goes well.
March 30, 2026
Looks sharp in first rehab start
Wheeler (shoulder) struck out three and scattered two hits and one walk over three scoreless frames in a rehab start Saturday for Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Analysis
Heading into the rehab start, the Phillies had planned for Wheeler to cover three innings or 50 pitches. The right-hander was even more economical than the Phillies had hoped, needing only 38 pitches to record nine outs in what was his first official game since Aug. 15, 2025. After undergoing thoracic outlet decompression surgery in September, Wheeler has had a fairly seamless recovery thus far and appears on track to return from the 15-day injured list around mid-April. He'll continue to build up his innings and pitch count in his next rehab start, which is set to come Friday versus Triple-A Durham.
