Phillies Ace zack Wheeler to Undergo UCL Revision, out for Remainder of 2024 and 2025 Season
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler will undergo a second Tommy John surgery to repair his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), sidelining him for the rest of the 2024 season and all of 2025, the team announced Saturday.
“It’s disappointing, but everybody knows it’s out of our control,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson told reporters. ”We’re happy he’s going to be healthy, because it’s a very serious thing that he went through.”
Wheeler,who initially underwent Tommy John surgery in 2011,experienced discomfort in his right elbow during a start against the Colorado Rockies on May 23rd,leading to imaging that revealed the need for revision surgery. The Phillies placed him on the 15-day injured list May 24th,and further evaluation confirmed the severity of the injury.
The loss of Wheeler is a significant setback for the Phillies’ postseason aspirations. As joining the Phillies before the 2020 season on a five-year, $118 million contract, Wheeler has established himself as the team’s most reliable starting pitcher. He consistently delivers quality starts characterized by a low ERA and high strikeout rate, attributed to his precise control and diverse pitching arsenal.
wheeler has been a durable presence in the Phillies’ rotation, making his full allotment of scheduled starts in four of his five seasons with the club.He has frequently been a contender for the Cy Young Award. In 2024, prior to the injury, wheeler was performing at a high level, leading the major leagues with 195 strikeouts in 149 innings pitched, while maintaining a 2.71 ERA and allowing fewer than one baserunner per inning.
The Phillies’ starting rotation includes left-handers Cristopher Sanchez, Ranger Suarez, and Jesus Luzardo, along with right-handers Aaron nola and Taijuan Walker. The team also has highly-regarded pitching prospect Andrew Painter, who could be called upon to contribute. recent acquisitions to the bullpen, closer Jhoan Duran and setup man David robertson, are expected to provide stability in late-game situations.
“It’s never good to lose a Zack Wheeler, your No. 1 pitcher,” Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said. “I think we have starting pitching depth that’s capable of pitching well for us. again, you’re never going to replace an individual like that…. I’ve been in all different types of scenarios with pitchers being out. We have a good ballclub, and we’ll be looking for othre people to step up and pick up the slack for us.”
Philadelphia currently holds a 74-54 record, a six-game lead over the New York mets in the National League East. They would currently be the no. 2 seed in the National League playoffs.
