The Philadelphia Phillies were dealt a devastating blow late in the regular season last year during August, when Zack Wheeler suffered a blood clot in his right shoulder. Not long after the procedure for that, the veteran received a diagnosis of venous thoracic outlet syndrome and needed another surgery. His season was over, and the Phillies would’ve felt his absence in their starting rotation if the team advanced past the NLDS last postseason.
Due to Wheeler's recovery from a serious surgery, there were sporadic updates from the franchise on his prognosis this winter. Spring training will commence with the first workout for pitchers and catchers scheduled for Feb. 11 in Clearwater, Florida. The Smyrna, Georgia, native is a bit behind schedule based on the latest update on how he's doing.
Phillies’ Zack Wheeler's injury update sounds positive
SportsRadio 94 WIP's Phillies reporter Devan Kaney's post on X (formerly Twitter) on Jan. 20 provided an update from Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and manager Rob Thomson on Wheeler's progress.
“Wheeler has thrown up to 90 feet, but not ‘on the mound’ per se,” according to Kaney.
Kaney notes that Thomson said the right-hander had a heavy workload last week, but there’s, “no timetable, but so far reports have been good on Zack Wheeler."
According to Dombrowski and Rob Thomson - Wheeler has thrown up to 90 ft but is not “on the mound” per se.
— Devan Kaney (@Devan_Kaney) January 20, 2026
Thomson says last week was a heavy workload for him. “No timetable but so far reports have been good on Zack Wheeler.”
The right-hander may not be ready for the start of the regular season. Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo appear capable of anchoring the Phillies' starting rotation if Wheeler isn’t available. Behind them lies a cause for concern. Aaron Nola, who is being paid to perform like a top starter, looked like anything but that in an inconsistent, injury-plagued 2025 season. He also begins the year slowly.
Taijuan Walker's tenure with Philadelphia has been underwhelming, and he's become a pitcher who fluctuates between the rotation and the bullpen. Prospect Andrew Painter hasn't thrown a pitch in a major league game yet. He’s also coming off a rocky campaign in the minors last year, his first season since 2022 after Tommy John surgery in 2023. Fans should temper the expectations with the rookie, even though he's the Phillies' top-ranked prospect and could be their future number one starter within the next several years.
While Sánchez looks capable of assuming the reins as the Phillies' top starter, the franchise would benefit from the return of a healthy Wheeler. However, he's unlikely to look like his typical self once he makes his first start of the season, whenever that may be.