The sooner Zack Wheeler is game-ready, the better off the Philadelphia Phillies will be for a successful 2026.
The sting of losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers one month ago in the National League Division Series is still being felt by the Philadelphia Phillies and their fans.
Just as the Dodgers were working to be World Series champions for a second straight season—Los Angeles defeated the Toronto Blue Jays in seven games—the Phillies, too, had hopes of going deep into the postseason.
However, when it was announced in August that Phillies ace pitcher Zack Wheeler would miss the remainder of the regular season because of a season-ending injury—venous thoracic outlet syndrome, or TOS—the club lost significant momentum heading into the postseason.
As durable as Wheeler has proven to be with Philadelphia since joining the club in 2020, the law of physics caught up with the hard-throwing right-handed starting pitcher.
In September, Wheeler underwent decompression surgery on his right shoulder to remove a blood clot. With all indications of a successful surgery, Wheeler’s prognosis called for a rehabilitation period of between six and eight months.
It is hoped that the 11-year veteran could be ready to rejoin the Phillies’ starting rotation for Opening Day in March 2026.
As much as baseball fans are rooting for Wheeler’s full recovery, monitoring his progress is crucial. He signed his initial five-year, $118 million contract with the club in December 2019 after leaving the New York Mets.
Dave Dombrowski, Philadelphia’s president of baseball operations, and General Manager Preston Mattingly face several serious personnel challenges that need immediate attention.
On paper, for the 2026 season, the Phillies will trot out a starting rotation consisting of Cristopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo, Aaron Nola, and Taijuan Walker. Having Wheeler inserted back at the top of the rotation—and the sooner the better—could be the deciding factor that brings the Phillies closer to the next World Series.
Dombrowski and Mattingly must address three key free agents from the 2025 squad that led the Phillies to the National League East title.
Right-handed starter Ranger Suarez, winner of 12 games in 2025, is a free agent. The Phillies have extended to him Major League Baseball’s (MLB’s) standard one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer to remain with the club.
Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia’s designated hitter who last season led the National League in home runs (56) and RBIs (132), has also been tabbed with the qualifying offer. Both players are expected to land lucrative, multiyear contracts. Although neither player is expected to accept the offer, both Suarez and Schwarber have until Nov. 18 to accept or reject the Phillies’ offer officially.
Along with the importance of retaining Suarez and Schwarber’s services, catcher JT Realmuto is also a free agent and wasn’t offered a qualifying deal by the Phillies. Although his offensive statistics declined in 2025, reports from Phillies pitchers concur that Realmuto’s defensive skills more than make up for a lower batting average.
Continuity in framing pitches and his ability to throw out base runners have a calming effect on the staff. Realmuto threw out 30 base runners in 2025—the most in MLB. He has been Wheeler’s starting catcher during all of his six seasons in Philadelphia.
To add intrigue to the Phillies and their decision-making process regarding free agents and the highly anticipated return of their ace starter, last season, Wheeler announced that he would retire at the end of the 2027 season.
Shortly before last season began, Wheeler agreed to a three-year, $126 million contract, which pays him an annual average of $42 million per season.
In the long term, Philadelphia will need to address the impact of Wheeler’s departure from the game. In the short term, they really are a much stronger club with a healthy Wheeler leading the starting staff. Keeping the club strong around him offensively remains a constant goal.
Selected by the San Francisco Giants in the first round of the MLB Draft in 2009, Wheeler’s arm could be getting tired. Combining his minor and major league appearances, the three-time all-star and gold glove winner has tossed 2,100-plus innings. The TOS diagnosis could be foreshadowing Wheeler’s career trending on the decline.
Keeping Wheeler pitching regularly in 2026 should see him rebound to the level his teammates and opponents are accustomed to.
In 2024, Wheeler came in second place to Atlanta Braves’ Chris Sale in National League Cy Young Award voting. As elite a pitcher as Wheeler is, he has yet to collect the National League’s top trophy for pitching. With a strong return from being on the injured list, he just may be motivated to finally own the Cy Young Award before he exits the game in 2027.
Keeping one eye on Wheeler’s progression this winter at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park and the other on retaining Suarez, Schawber, and Realmuto, as well as checking out other top free agent star pitchers, including Framber Valdez and Zac Gallen, is sure to keep Dombrowski and Mattingly burning the midnight oil.
Prior to being sidelined with the blood clot diagnosis in August, Wheeler was at the top of his game.
With rest, rehabilitation, and the confidence knowing all the key teammates of 2025 are back in the Phillies’ fold, come spring training, it should be all the prescription Wheeler will need to be back leading the charge in bringing another National League pennant to the City of Brotherly Love.
