Phillies: Can Zack Wheeler still win the Cy Young?

Aside from Zack Wheeler‘s stunning complete-game shutout on the day the Philadelphia Phillies officially retired Roy Halladay’s number, their marquee starter has struggled since the All-Star break.

Coming into Thursday’s start, he had allowed three or more earned runs in four of six starts. He’d allowed four earned runs in his last start before the break, too. In seven starts between July 7-August 13, he had a 3.75 ERA over 48 innings, with 48 strikeouts and 10 walks. The Phillies were 4-3 in those games, as was he.

Zack Wheeler fell apart against the Arizona Diamondbacks

On Thursday, Wheeler pitched 6 2/3 innings, and until the 7th inning, he had only allowed one earned run. Then, in the 7th, he gave up a leadoff double to Christian Walker, a sacrifice bunt advanced Walker to third base, Drew Ellis reached on a fielder’s choice, and Nick Ahmed drove them both in on a double.

After Wheeler got Bryan Holaday to strike out swinging, Wheeler gave up an RBI single to Madison Bumgarner, the DBack’s starter. 4-0 Arizona.

Wheeler walked Josh Rojas, and Bumgarner went to second base.

It was only then that Joe Girardi took Wheeler out of the game for Enyel De Los Santos, who promptly gave up the third double of the inning, scoring Bumgarner and Rojas to make it 6-0 Arizona. Both of those runs were attributed to Wheeler as well.

So, at the end of his start, Wheeler’s final line was seven hits, six earned runs, one walk, and seven strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings. He hadn’t allowed more than four earned runs in a start all season.

Wheeler is far from the Phillies’ biggest problem (where was the offense while he was dominating in the first six innings?), but his struggles in the second half certainly haven’t helped the team’s situation. And this was his worst start yet, which doesn’t inspire confidence going forward.

Can Zack Wheeler still win the NL Cy Young?

Wheeler still has time to return to form before the regular season ends. And he currently leads all MLB pitchers in complete games (3, tied with German Marquez and Adam Wainwright), shutouts (2, tied with Anthony DeSclafani), innings pitched (168 2/3), and strikeouts (194). No other pitcher in the NL has more than Corbin Burnes’ 175. And overall, Gerrit Cole is second behind Wheeler with 185 punchouts.

But Wheeler’s struggles lately are impacting his rankings. His 2.77 ERA ranks seventh in the National League after Thursday’s start; it was sixth before the game.

The NL Cy Young has been Wheeler’s to lose for most of this season, ever since Jacob deGrom’s impeccable performance was derailed by multiple injuries. Unfortunately for the Phillies and their fans, something being theirs to lose often means they lose it.

For most of the season, Wheeler has earned and deserved baseball’s most prestigious pitching award. If he can bounce back from these bad starts, he’ll still be worthy.