The ace of the Philadelphia Phillies is Zack Wheeler. The ace designation can be tough to assign for some teams, but for the Phillies, it somehow becomes even easier with every passing start.
Wheeler has returned for another chance at the National League Cy Young Award, and his brilliance will certainly put him among the favorites to win this year. On top of already being in the mix, it may not be too much to assume that it's Wheeler's award to lose this year. He's also inching closer to becoming the starter for the NL in the All-Star Game in his home state of Georgia next month.
Wheeler is the definition of consistent and has led the way in the Phillies rotation (subscription required), per Charlotte Varnes of The Athletic. His undeniable leadership makes his candidacy digestible to voters. Of course, there are many top arms to consider, but is it really out of the question to see Wheeler leading the race from here on out to secure his very first Cy Young? He's finished runner-up twice, but this time feels like his year.
Zack Wheeler has to be a NL Cy Young favorite so far this season
June was a month for the ages for Wheeler, per MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. The five start stretch saw Wheeler go 2-1 with a 0.58 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and strike out 42 batters across 31 innings pitched. It was capped off by his Monday start, in which he threw eight shutout innings against the San Diego Padres while racking up 10 strikeouts and no walks.
The month was very reminiscent of Cliff Lee's June in 2011 in which he posted a 0.21 ERA, amounting to only one earned run over 42 innings pitched. Wheeler's last month worth of starts is impressive, but's also a microcosm of his excellence from the mound and his push to bring home the hardware he deserves.
Simply spectacular pic.twitter.com/yXVH1aHoKu
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) July 1, 2025
In 17 starts this year, he's pitched to an 8-3 record with a 2.27 ERA, 0.907 WHIP and 136 strikeouts in 107 innings. He leads all NL pitchers in strikeouts and, according to FanGraphs, he's also tied for second in fWAR with a 3.4 along with Pittsburgh Pirates' flamethrower Paul Skenes. The only name he currently trails is San Francisco Giants' ace Logan Webb's 3.5 fWAR. It also goes to show that Wheeler, now 35, has been worth keeping around for a few more years.
Wheeler is a Cy Young candidate, and it's plausible to call him a favorite at this point. He still has to contend with Skenes' electric arm and Webb's consistent ability to keep the ball on the ground for 30-plus starts. Winning the Cy Young is never a given, but this year he looks a little closer to it than not.