A healthy Zack Wheeler is a game-changer for the Phillies' stretch run

With Wednesday afternoon's loss, the Philadelphia Phillies have now lost three straight series. The offense hasn't packed the same punch as it did prior to the All-Star break, and the pitching has also dropped off.

Despite getting J.T. Realmuto, Zack Wheeler and Ranger Suárez back from the infirmary, the team just can't seem to get both the offense and pitching going at the same time. It's not time to panic. In a long season, every team will go through ups and downs.

Losing a series on the road to the Minnesota Twins is not something that should set off any alarms. Especially given the fact that the club's ace had a very encouraging start in his first appearance since July 9.

A healthy Zack Wheeler is a game-changer for the Phillies' stretch run

In the Phillies' lone win in Minnesota, Wheeler pitched a gem. In a strong seven-inning outing, the ace of the staff allowed just three hits and two walks. He didn't allow any runs to score, and he struck out seven Twins hitters.

This is an encouraging sign for the Phillies. Wheeler experienced back pain after his July 9 start against the Los Angeles Dodgers and was shut down to give him time to heal. An outing like the one the right-hander had on Tuesday night was exactly what the club needed.

MLB.com's Todd Zolecki wrote that Wheeler's teammate Nick Castellanos spoke about his most recent start and how impressed he was by his ace.

“It’s Zack Wheeler being Zack Wheeler," Castellanos said, per Zolecki. "The fastball had a lot of life, attacking the zone, never really fell behind or looked like he got out of sync. I mean, it was a really clean, impressive start from start to finish.”

The extra time off was beneficial to the 34-year-old starter even though he isn't a fan of extra days off between starts. Missing his final start prior to the All-Star break and using the extended time off to rehab his back bodes well for the club going forward.

"Obviously, that’s not what you want to do," Wheeler said about his thoughts on the added rest. "But at the end of the day, it’s what’s best for us -- and the team -- in the long run.”

He is correct. As the Phillies prepare to hold their lead on the National League East, the health of the players — especially the starting pitchers — is paramount. Having healthy arms is what the team will rely on during the final stretch of the season and, hopefully, the postseason.

Wheeler and the other top-of-the-rotation starters are expected to lead that charge and the ace's most recent outing shows that if healthy, he's one of the top pitchers in baseball.