Phillies Ace Zack Wheeler Wants Extra Surgical procedure, Is Out for Remainder of Season

The Philadelphia Phillies will chug alongside with out their ace after the staff introduced Saturday that ace Zack Wheeler was recognized with venous thoracic outlet syndrome and would require extra surgical procedure that’s anticipated to sideline him for six to eight months.

The 35-year-old Wheeler had a follow-up analysis following surgical procedure on Aug. 18, three days after his final begin, to take away a blood clot from his higher proper arm.

After receiving a second opinion, it was advisable that Wheeler endure thoracic outlet decompression surgical procedure within the coming weeks. Such an operation would threaten Wheeler’s potential to start out the 2026 season on time.

Wheeler beforehand missed time in 2022 attributable to a forearm damage and had Tommy John surgical procedure in 2015 whereas he was with the New York Mets.

Wheeler, a three-time All-Star, was 10-5 with a 2.71 ERA in 24 begins throughout 149 2/3 innings this season. His 195 strikeouts lead the Nationwide League, and he was broadly thought-about a high candidate on this 12 months’s NL Cy Younger race. He additionally had an NL-best 0.94 WHIP. Philadelphia’s beginning rotation entered Aug. 23 with a 3.61 ERA, good for tenth in MLB.

Wheeler is a two-time runner-up for the Cy Younger Award, ending second in 2021 and 2024. Philadelphia signed him to a three-year, $126 million extension in March 2024, a deal which ends after the 2027 season. 

The Phillies are 74-54, good for the No. 2 seed within the NL and a six-game lead for first place within the NL East.

The Related Press contributed to this report.

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