Zack Wheeler has posted a 2.13 ERA in 15 starts since returning to the Philadelphia Phillies rotation on April 25. The 36-year-old right-hander is coming off thoracic outlet decompression surgery last fall that removed a rib near his throwing shoulder. He is scheduled to face the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park.
Wheeler missed the start of the 2026 season while recovering but has performed at a high level upon his return. His record stands at 10-1, and the Phillies have won 13 of his starts. The team improved to 47-26 after firing manager Rob Thomson on April 28.
Wheeler has increased movement on several pitches, including his four-seamer, curveball, sinker and sweeper. He has struck out 30.4 percent of batters faced and induced a 36.3 percent chase rate outside the zone. His ground-ball rate has reached 46.2 percent, supporting a career-best .239 batting average on balls in play.
The veteran kept the removed rib as a reminder of the procedure. He is set to start Tuesday at 6:40 p.m. ET against left-hander Justin Wrobleski and the reigning champion Dodgers.
