Zack Wheeler Fantasy Stats

Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler (shoulder) is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day this year, but the team is hopeful he'll be back shortly after, according to manager Rob Thomson. Wheeler is recovering from venous thoracic outlet surgery, which is the less severe version of the surgery. Still, the 35-year-old most likely won't be a part of Philly's Opening Day rotation in 2026 even though he resumed throwing back in December. If Wheeler doesn't have any setbacks through spring training, fantasy managers should have the right-handed ace at some point in April. The three-time All-Star was limited to 24 starts with the Phillies in 2025 in his sixth year with the team, going 10-5 with a 2.71 ERA and 0.93 WHIP with 195 strikeouts and 33 walks in 149 2/3 innings pitched. Wheeler has been one of the most consistent high-end starting pitchers in baseball in recent years, but there's no guarantee he'll bounce back to that form after his surgery. Proceed with caution.

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler (shoulder) continues to recover from thoracic outlet syndrome, and manager Rob Thomson indicated that the veteran right-hander could be ahead of schedule. It was previously reported that Wheeler's estimated return was sometime in May, but now, Thomson has told the media that the 35-year-old has been handling "a very heavy workload for him." Additionally, Matt Gelb of The Athletic writes that Wheeler "will be behind the other pitchers in camp, but by every indication, he will not be too far behind." This phrasing suggests that Wheeler still has a chance to be ready for Opening Day. If so, he could fill a key role in a Phillies rotation that saw Ranger Suarez depart during free agency. Wheeler, who had a 2.73 xFIP, 11.73 K/9, and 1.98 B/9 through 24 starts last year, ranks as the #51 starting pitcher in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball draft rankings for 2026.

Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler's (shoulder) 2025 season was cut short when he was put on the injured list in August with a blood clot in his right upper extremity. He had a successful thrombolysis removal surgery a day later. It was a disappointing end to another strong season, as Wheeler had a 10-5 record, 2.71 ERA, an elite 195:33 K:BB ratio, and a 0.94 WHIP in 24 starts. On Sept. 23, he had vascular thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. The type of surgery Wheeler had has produced stronger outcomes than the neuronic version that derailed Stephen Strasburg's career. Wheeler is unlikely to be ready by Opening Day next year, but president of baseball operations David Dombrowski said last month that Wheeler is likely to return near the end of May. Wheeler has been a constant at the top of Philly's starting rotation since 2020, but fantasy managers will be skeptical of a pitcher who will turn 36 on May 30 and who is coming off a major surgery.

Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said on Foul Territory on Thursday that right-hander Zack Wheeler (shoulder) could have a chance to be ready for Opening Day in 2026, and that they aren't expecting Wheeler to have any setbacks during his recovery this offseason from thoracic outlet surgery. "We're hopeful it'll [his return] be on the front end, which would even get him ready for Opening Day, but right now he's doing very good," Dombrowski said. Wheeler's 2025 campaign ended early because of a blood-clot issue in his right shoulder that required surgery, but he could be ready to go early next year. Before the unique injury, the 35-year-old veteran hurler went 10-5 with a 2.71 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 195 strikeouts in 149 2/3 innings pitched over 24 starts. Wheeler has been one of the most consistent starting pitchers in the league since 2021, but there will be more risk than ever with him in 2026.

Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler (shoulder) will undergo thoracic outlet decompression surgery on Sept. 23, according to Charlotte Varnes of The Athletic. This was the expected outcome after Wheeler's season came to an end in August. The right-hander is expected to need six to eight months to recover from the procedure, which will jeopardize his chances of being ready for the start of the 2026 campaign. Wheeler had been in the midst of another tremendous season until he had to undergo surgery to remove a blood clot near his right shoulder on Aug. 18. The 35-year-old took the ball 24 times this season and went 10-5 with a 2.71 ERA, a .94 WHIP, and 195:33 K:BB in 149 2/3 innings. Even without Wheeler, the Phillies are among the favorites to win the World Series, but their chances took an obvious hit when they lost him.

Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler (shoulder) will undergo season-ending surgery for venous thoracic outlet syndrome, the team announced. Wheeler will need six to eight months to recover, which could put him in jeopardy for the start of 2026. This is a devastating blow to both the Phillies and fantasy managers, as the 35-year-old has once again been among the premier pitchers in baseball this season. Wheeler made 24 starts and went 10-5 with a 2.71 ERA, a .94 WHIP, and 195 strikeouts against 33 walks before the Phillies placed him on the 15-day injured list on Aug. 16 with a blood clot in his upper right arm. Wheeler has since undergone surgery to remove the blood clot. With Wheeler unable to pitch again this year, the NL East-leading Phillies will go forward with a rotation consisting of Cristopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo, Ranger Suarez, Taijuan Walker, and Aaron Nola. They could also promote top prospect Andrew Painter to help cover for Wheeler's loss.

Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler (shoulder) underwent a successful thrombolysis procedure performed by Dr. Paul DiMuzio on Monday to remove a blood clot in his right upper extremity, according to the team. Further treatment and a timeline for Wheeler's recovery will be determined at at future date. Fantay managers must stash the 35-year-old All-Star for now, but there's a chance the Phillies might not get him back at all this season, depending on how his recovery goes. It would be a massive hit to one of the best teams in baseball down the stretch. With Wheeler on the shelf, veteran right-hander Taijuan Walker should remain in the team's rotation. Wheeler currently leads baseball with 195 strikeouts and has also gone 10-5 with a 2.71 ERA (2.98 FIP) a 0.93 WHIP and 33 walks in 149 2/3 innings (24 starts).

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler (shoulder) was placed on the 15-day injured list on Saturday. Wheeler is going to miss an unknown period of time due to blood clots near his right shoulder. This could explain why Wheeler has been struggling on the mound lately. The Phillies will take the cautious approach and shut down Wheeler for the time being. They haven't offered any timetable on Wheeler, but that probably won't be known until they see how he responds to treatment. The loss of Wheeler means the Phillies probably won't be going with a six-man rotation anymore. Wheeler has been excellent this season with a 2.71 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and a league-leading 195 strikeouts in 24 starts this season. Fantasy managers will need to stay tuned for more updates on his status. UPDATE: Wheeler will head back to Philadelphia for further testing on Sunday, according to manager Rob Thomson.

The Philadelphia Phillies are pushing right-hander Zack Wheeler (shoulder) back two days to Sunday against the Texas Rangers after he complained of shoulder stiffness, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic. Manager Rob Thompson said an MRI exam on Wheeler's right shoulder came back clean, and he was able to play catch on Wednesday before the series finale against the Baltimore Orioles. Wheeler has an ERA under 3.00 on the year, but he's allowed at least three earned runs or more in three of his last four outings. The Phillies aren't too concerned about the 35-year-old right now, and fantasy managers shouldn't be, either. Wheeler will be a bit more risky in fantasy this weekend, but he should still be deployed in all starting lineups against a Rangers offense that ranks 27th in baseball with a .678 OPS.

Philadelphia Phillies standout starters Zack Wheeler and Cristopher Sanchez will make their second-half debuts in a home series against the Boston Red Sox during the upcoming week. Wheeler will start Monday, Sanchez will toe the rubber Tuesday, and left-hander Jesus Luzardo will get the ball Wednesday. Wheeler was spectacular in the first half en route to his third All-Star nod, going 9-3 with a 2.36 ERA, a 0.86 WHIP, and 154:26 K:BB in 122 innings. Sanchez was a controversial All-Star snub after the southpaw went 8-2 with a 2.50 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and 122 strikeouts against 32 walks over 115 frames.