After the first two games of the NLDS, the Philadelphia Phillies and their fans have gone through almost every emotion possible. A deflating Game 1 loss led to a slow start for the Phillies' offense in Game 2. However, some timely hits and home runs from Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos turned the tide and led the club to a victory to even the series at one game apiece.
The frustrating part is that the Phillies could be heading to New York with a two-game lead. Zack Wheeler twirled a gem on Saturday, but the offense came up short. That is something that has been surprisingly consistent in Wheeler's starts in the NLDS.
Phillies’ record in Zack Wheeler's NLDS starts is unbelievable
Wheeler and postseason success have become synonymous in Philadelphia recently. After Saturday's outing, the right-hander has a career postseason ERA of 2.42. Every time he takes the mound, the Phillies are expected to win.
However, in three NLDS starts the Phillies are winless when their ace takes the mound, per Adam Aaronson of The Philiy Voice. The losses are not a reflection of Wheeler's performance, though. Let's revisit some of the games.
Oct. 12, 2022: NLDS Game 2 in Atlanta
The lone Phillies' loss to the Atlanta Braves in the 2022 NLDS took place in Game 2 with Wheeler on the mound. The right-hander tossed six innings of three-run ball. He was pulled after 79 pitches, and Andrew Bellatti and Noah Syndergaard shut down the Braves offense over the final innings.
The offense is to blame for this one. The lineup mustered just three hits and failed to plate any baserunners. The Phillies lost 3-0, but Wheeler pitched well and gave his team a chance to win the game.
Oct. 9, 2023: NLDS Game 2 in Atlanta
There are many similarities between this game and the 2022 NLDS start. Wheeler got the ball in Atlanta again for a Game 2. He pitched 6 1/3 innings allowing two earned runs and striking out 10 Braves hitters. In this game, the offense put up three runs off of Max Fried and another off of Kirby Yates.
Jeff Hoffman took the loss in this game after allowing two runs to score. Wheeler pitched well enough to win this game too, but unfortunately, this time the bullpen could not hold the lead.
Oct. 5, 2024: NLDS Game 1 in Philadelphia
The Phillies opened their postseason this past weekend, and Wheeler was tasked with getting the club off to a quick 1-0 lead in the series. The offense and bullpen had other plans, however. Wheeler was stellar. Outside of four walks, the right-hander pitched seven shutout innings, allowed just one hit, and struck out nine New York Mets.
The offense put up only two runs on five hits in their 2024 playoff debut. The bullpen stumbled too, as the usually reliable Hoffman and Matt Strahm each surrendered multiple runs en route to a disappointing 6-2 loss.
The moral of the story here is that the Phillies need to win when their ace is on the mound. If he gets lit up, sure a loss could be expected. He pitched well enough on Saturday for the team to win Game 1. Instead of being up 2-0 in the series, they go to New York with the series split. Should the club advance to the NLCS, they will need capitalize when Wheeler takes the hill.