The Philadelphia Phillies are facing a tough stretch without their ace pitcher Zack Wheeler, but at the moment, the team’s main concern isn’t baseball—it’s his health. Wheeler, who has been one of the National League’s most reliable arms and a frequent Cy Young contender, had been experiencing shoulder discomfort in recent outings. However, the situation took a more serious turn when doctors discovered a blood clot in his right arm area, as first reported by MLB.com’s Byron Kerr. Wheeler, who is 35 years old, now faces an uncertain recovery timeline, and while his absence is a huge loss for a Phillies team with playoff aspirations, his well-being is at the forefront.
His teammates, including power hitter Kyle Schwarber, admitted the news was unsettling. Schwarber explained that the clubhouse noticed Wheeler’s absence at the ballpark and soon learned he was undergoing medical tests. “It’s a scary situation,” Schwarber said, noting that blood clots can be far more serious than typical sports injuries. He stressed that everyone just wants Wheeler healthy again, both for himself and his family, before even thinking about his return to the mound. “Baseball is baseball,” Schwarber added, “but when it comes to health, that comes first.”
Manager Rob Thomson echoed those thoughts, pointing out that this isn’t the kind of injury players and coaches deal with every day. “This isn’t a hamstring pull,” Thomson said. “This is something that makes you think about a person’s life and family more than the game.”
Up until this health scare, Wheeler had been having another strong season. The three-time All-Star owned a 10-5 record with a sharp 2.71 ERA across 24 starts, while also leading the entire league with 195 strikeouts entering Sunday’s action. His dominance on the mound has been a cornerstone for Philadelphia, and replacing his production will be no easy task. The rest of the rotation will need to step up in his absence, but as far as the team is concerned, there is no game more important than Wheeler’s long-term health.
