Phillies ace Zack Wheeler ‘owned’ his former team in 2021
By Matt Rappa
Zack Wheeler has made his former team pay since joining the Phillies.
When the Philadelphia Phillies signed free-agent Zack Wheeler after the 2019 season, they hoped the New York Mets moving on from him would be a decision their division rivals would regret.
So far, that wish has been granted.
Wheeler has made five starts against the Mets in 2021, three being away at Citi Field. Over 34 1/3 total innings, he has allowed just eight earned runs and six walks, while striking out 37 batters en route to an impressive 2.10 ERA and 0.961 WHIP ratio. He even threw a complete-game shutout against them.
Zack Wheeler’s 2021 Starts vs. Mets
- April 14 (away): 6 1/3 IP, 10 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO, 0 HR
- May 1 (home): 7 IP, 7 H, 4R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO, 0 HR
- June 27 (away): 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO 0 HR
- August 8 (home): 9 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO, 0 HR
- September 17 (away): 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO, 0 HR
The Phillies ace made his fifth start of the season against his former team in Friday’s three-game series opener, away in Queens, New York. And while Wheeler lasted only five innings, he still limited the Mets offense to scoring only one run in the eventual 4-3 victory.
With the division-rival Atlanta Braves losing to Gabe Kapler’s San Francisco Giants — who have already clinched a postseason spot — the Phillies improved to only a couple of games back in the National League East standings. At the end of the day, moving up in the standings on the same day your ace starts and helps beat a division rival is a win-win.
Mowing down 6 over 5 IP of work in his team's 4-3 victory over the Mets on Friday night, Zack Wheeler upped his 2021 strikeout total to 231. That's a total bested only 4 times by a pitcher through their first 30 outings on this list in the @Phillies franchise's 139 season history pic.twitter.com/xWgTYFBZdL
— StatsCentre (@StatsCentre) September 18, 2021
Coincidentally, the Giants drafted Wheeler in the first round (sixth overall) in the 2009 draft of his Georgia high school. Three years later, the National League West organization dealt him to the Mets for outfielder Carlos Beltran and cash considerations.
Overall, Wheeler is 4-1 with a 2.63 ERA and 1.006 WHIP ratio in eight starts against the Mets, since joining the Phillies. Without a doubt, he has “owned” his former team, especially in 2021.
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