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PHI • Pitcher • #45
about 19 hours ago
Wheeler was not as good statistically as he was in his first rehab start Tuesday where he allowed three runs in 5 2/3 innings. The results really aren’t all that important right now; the important thing is that he’s building up his workload. Wheeler likely will make one more rehab start at least, but the next steps will be determined in part by how he feels in the coming days.
PHI • Pitcher • #45
about 19 hours ago
Wheeler was not as good statistically as he was in his first rehab start Tuesday, where he allowed three runs in 5 2/3 innings. The results really aren’t all that important right now; the important thing is that he’s building up his workload. However, Wheeler also sat just 91 mph with his four-seam fastball in this one, and the pitch was getting hit hard. He tried to rely almost exclusively on his off-speed pitches, but that’s not the Wheeler that we’ve come to expect. Maybe it was just due to the cold, but Wheeler is coming back from a pretty major surgery, so it’s prudent for fantasy managers not to expect immediate success. The veteran likely will make one more rehab, but the next steps will be determined in part by how he feels in the coming days.
PHI • Pitcher • #45
6 days ago
There’s no publicly available Statcast data below Triple-A, but The Athletic’s Matt Gelb reports Wheeler was sitting 94 mph and touched 95 in his first inning of work. The 35-year-old former fantasy ace’s diminished velocity has been a concern throughout his rehab assignment as he works his way back from last year’s thoracic outlet syndrome procedure, but it appears the Phillies are ready to bring him back to the majors soon. He’s expected to make a final rehab start at Double-A Reading on Sunday. His extensive track record suggests he can still be an impactful fantasy contributor, though it remains unclear whether he’ll return to his previous level of performance.
PHI • Pitcher • #45
12 days ago
Wheeler’s fastball velocity was down for the second consecutive outing, averaging just 92.9 mph after sitting near 96 mph last year. The bigger concern is his inability to sustain velocity, as he dropped from nearly 94 mph in the opening frame to barely 92 mph by the fourth inning in his latest rehab start. He threw 61 pitches (44 strikes) in his third rehab tune-up. The 35-year-old former ace can still be an effective fantasy contributor at reduced velocity, but his chances of reclaiming ace status appear slim if that extra gear doesn’t return. All indications are that he’ll rejoin Philadelphia’s rotation for his season debut at some point in the near future.
PHI • Pitcher • #45
16 days ago
Wheeler finished with one strikeout while allowing four hits, including a home run, and issuing a pair of walks. The results are less concerning than his fastball velocity, which averaged just 92.7 mph after sitting in the 96 mph range last year. The 35-year-old threw 49 pitches (26 strikes) in his second rehab outing as he continues to build up towards a potential late-April or early-May return to Philadelphia’s rotation coming off last year’s thoracic outlet syndrome surgery.
PHI • Pitcher • #45
19 days ago
It will be Wheeler‘s second rehab start, and he is expected to throw between 50 and 55 pitches. He will then make one more rehab start in Triple-A next week before potentially returning to the Phillies rotation. Obviously, all this depends on how he feels and looks in his next two starts.
Source: Todd Zolecki
PHI • Pitcher • #45
23 days ago
Wheeler, coming back from thoracic outlet surgery, threw 38 pitches. His velocity was down 2.5-3 mph from last year, which might or might not be a concern. If he was trying to throw as hard as he could and only came in at 92-94 mph, that would be a problem. But if he was just easing into things, being down 2-3 mph sounds about right. We will just note that last year, Wheeler averaged 95.9 mph with his fastball in his first spring outing, which was practically a match for the 96.1 mph he averaged during the season. Wheeler is due to make two more rehab starts before being reevaluated.
PHI • Pitcher • #45
23 days ago
Wheeler is scheduled to throw roughly 45 pitches in his first rehab outing to be followed by two additional tune-up starts before the Phillies make a determination on his status. That rough timeline puts him on track to potentially make his season debut by the end of April or early May, barring any complications.
Source: Todd Zolecki
PHI • Pitcher • #45
26 days ago
Wheeler, who had thoracic outlet surgery in September, threw two innings in a simulated game on Monday and is expected to make a rehab start in Triple-A on Saturday. Barring a setback, he should rejoin the Phillies rotation before the end of April
PHI • Pitcher • #45
28 days ago
Wheeler will open the season on the injured list to continue building up his pitch count and stamina in advance of his season debut, which is likely to come before the end of April. The 35-year-old veteran fantasy ace will likely require a handful of rehab outings before he’s ready to rejoin Philadelphia’s rotation. He’s a top 25-30 range fantasy starter in remaining drafts this spring. His absence gives top prospect Andrew Painter some additional runway to prove he belongs at the highest level following a strong performance in spring training.
Source: Lochlahn March
PHI • Pitcher • #45
28 days ago
Wheeler threw two innings on a back field on Monday “against low-level farmhands with no outfielders and the catcher calling balls and strikes.” However, the most important part of the day was simply that the right-hander came away happy and was able to go full speed against hitters. As of now, Wheeler remains on track to return in late April, but we have yet to see him pitch, so it’s hard to know for sure what version of the 35-year-old we’re going to get coming off such a big surgery. He remains one of the bigger risk/reward picks in fantasy drafts right now.
Source: Matt Gelb
PHI • Pitcher • #45
about 1 month ago
Most of the Wheeler updates have been positive this offseason, but this will be his first game action. The former fantasy ace continues to look likely to return from thoracic outlet syndrome surgery sometime in mid- to late-April and will likely start the year on the injured list. He’ll be limited to 40 pitches in the outing.
Source: Todd Zolecki
PHI • Pitcher • #45
about 1 month ago
Wheeler will open the regular season on the IL, but Phillies manager Rob Thomson has indicated that they believe he’ll be ready to make his season debut at some point in April. The 35-year-old former fantasy ace continues to ramp up his throwing program coming off thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. He’s a top 25-30 range starter in fantasy drafts based on his previously-elite track record.
Source: Lochlahn March
PHI • Pitcher • #45
about 1 month ago
Wheeler will open the regular season on the IL, but Phillies manager Rob Thomson has indicated that they believe he’ll be ready to make his season debut at some point in April. The 35-year-old former fantasy ace continues to ramp up his throwing program coming off thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. He’s a top 25-30 range starter in fantasy drafts based on his previously-elite track record.
Source: Lochlahn March
PHI • Pitcher • #45
about 1 month ago
It was Wheeler’s first time facing hitters since undergoing surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome last September. The 35-year-old former fantasy ace is trending towards a return to Philadelphia’s rotation at some point in April but remains without a firm timeline. There should be a definitive target date once Wheeler begins ramping up from a pitch count and endurance standpoint in game action. He’s a top 25-30 range starter in fantasy drafts at the moment, especially since all signs point to him only missing a few weeks at the outset of the regular season.
Source: Todd Zolecki
PHI • Pitcher • #45
about 1 month ago
MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki believes an April return is in play for Wheeler, and adds that it wouldn’t be surprising if he pitched in a game before the end of camp. All reports out of Spring Training have been optimistic for Wheeler so far, making him a reasonable gamble at ADP.
Source: MLB.com
PHI • Pitcher • #45
about 2 months ago
Thomson’s updated ramp-up timeline puts Wheeler in line to potentially make his season debut on April 9, barring any setbacks. The 35-year-old former fantasy ace completed his first bullpen session since undergoing thoracic outlet surgery earlier this week and is scheduled to throw another one later this weekend. Fantasy managers should anticipate the Phillies approaching his build-up with an abundance of caution. However, it sounds like he’ll be ready to rejoin Philadelphia’s rotation from a pitch count and stamina standpoint at some point in early-to-mid April. The big question is how his stuff responds once he progresses to facing hitters in game situations coming off a major surgical procedure. He’s been going off the board 146th overall, on average, in early NFBC drafts since February 1.
Source: MLB.com
PHI • Pitcher • #45
about 2 months ago
Thomson’s updated ramp-up timeline puts Wheeler in line to potentially make his season debut on April 9, barring any setbacks. The 35-year-old former fantasy ace completed his first bullpen session since undergoing thoracic outlet surgery earlier this week and is scheduled to throw another one later this weekend. Fantasy managers should anticipate the Phillies approaching his build-up with an abundance of caution. However, it sounds like he’ll be ready to rejoin Philadelphia’s rotation from a pitch count and stamina standpoint at some point in early-to-mid April. The big question is how his stuff responds once he progresses to facing hitters in game situations coming off a major surgical procedure. He’s been going off the board 146th overall, on average, in early NFBC drafts since February 1.
Source: MLB.com
PHI • Pitcher • #45
about 2 months ago
The 35-year-old right-hander appears to be slightly ahead of schedule in his recovery from thoracic outlet decompression surgery that he underwent in late September. The Phillies aren’t going to rush him back, but it sounds like he could beat the initial estimate that had him returning to the Phillies’ rotation in early May which would be a major boon to fantasy managers who invested in him in early drafts.
Source: Charlotte Varnes
PHI • Pitcher • #45
about 2 months ago
It was a 21-pitch session that featured just four-seam and two-seam fastballs. Afterwards, Phillies manager Rob Thomson said, “The velo was good, the ball flight was good...He felt great. We’ll check him tomorrow, find out how he’s feeling, and get a plan going moving forward.” As of now, Wheeler’s timeline is fluid, and the Phillies have said they will not rush him back because he’s too important to their success this season. As of now, an early May return seems like it might be the most optimistic outlook for Wheeler.
Source: MLB.com
PHI • Pitcher • #45
2 months ago
The Phillies are taking a cautious approach with the 35-year-old hurler and the expectation is that he’ll open the season on the injured list. It’s unclear how much time into the regular season he may miss though and if we don’t wind up seeing him at all in Grapefruit League action, it’ll be tough for fantasy managers to know what to expect from Wheeler to open the 2026 season.
Source: Matt Gelb
PHI • Pitcher • #45
2 months ago
Wheeler is coming back from thoracic outlet surgery that took place in late September. The Phillies lost Ranger Suárez and haven’t added any veteran starters on major league deals this winter, so barring a late pickup, it looks like there will be two rotation spots initially available for Taijuan Walker, Andrew Painter, Bryse Wilson or anyone else who steps up.
Source: Paul Casella
PHI • Pitcher • #45
4 months ago
Wheeler underwent surgery in late September to address venous thoracic outlet syndrome following an operation in mid-August to remove a blood clot near his right shoulder. The 35-year-old fantasy ace is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day based on the club’s initial recovery timeline of 6-8 months. There should be a clearer estimate for his season debut once he ramps up his throwing program in spring training.
Source: Lochlahn March
PHI • Pitcher • #45
5 months ago
Dombrowski hasn’t offered any additional clarity on Wheeler’s recovery timeline from surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome since his end-of-season media session in late October, when he reiterated the club’s expectation: “The timeline remains six to eight months to be back pitching in a major-league game — so that takes you to the end of May.” The veteran fantasy ace, who turns 36 in late May, is expected to continue ramping up during spring training, but remains highly unlikely to be ready for Opening Day. The central question for fantasy managers is whether his front-of-the-rotation stuff returns to pre-surgery during spring throwing sessions and early-season rehab outings. He’s the definition of a high-risk, high-reward pick — volatile because of the procedure but impossible to ignore given his track record. A speculative selection as a top-40 range starting pitcher for fantasy purposes makes sense. With Wheeler projected to miss at least two months — and Ranger Suárez likely leaving in free agency — there’s also a very real pathway for top prospect Andrew Painter to break camp in Philadelphia’s rotation.
Source: NBC Sports Philadelphia
PHI • Pitcher • #45
6 months ago
Wheeler who suffered from a blood clot in his shoulder and underwent thoracic outlet surgery to remove a rib one month ago today. The surgery has a 6-8 month recovery window, and Dombrowski thinks Wheeler will be on the short end of that. Whether that means Wheeler’s stuff comes all of the way back obviously isn’t something we’ll know until March at the earliest.
Source: Foul Territory
PHI • Pitcher • #45
7 months ago
Wheeler is expected to miss 6-8 months following the procedure, putting his potential return sometime early next season. The 35-year-old veteran workhorse faces an uncertain path back to fantasy ace status given the checkered history of pitchers who’ve previously undergone the surgery.
Source: Charlotte Varnes
PHI • Pitcher • #45
8 months ago
It’s a devastating development for one of the most impactful pitchers in the fantasy landscape. The 35-year-old veteran ace, who finishes with a stellar 2.71 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 195/33 K/BB ratio across 149 2/3 innings (24 starts), will be sidelined into the early stages of next spring following the surgery, which comes on the heels of a procedure earlier this week to remove a blood clot from his shoulder.
Source: Philadelphia Phillies
PHI • Pitcher • #45
8 months ago
The blood clot was near Wheeler’s right shoulder. The Phillies didn’t announce any timeline for Wheeler to return to pitching. The ace was placed on the injured list on Saturday after pitching against the Nationals on Friday.
PHI • Pitcher • #45
8 months ago
Wheeler is headed back to Philadelphia for further evaluation and testing after hitting the injured list earlier this weekend with a blood clot in his right shoulder. There should be a clearer timetable for his return at some point in the coming days and fantasy managers should brace for the possibility that the 35-year-old ace requires an extended absence.
Source: Charlotte Varnes
PHI • Pitcher • #45
8 months ago
How long Wheeler will be out is still unknown, but this is obviously a very serious injury that Philadelphia will need to take every necessary precaution with. The right-hander was scheduled to start against the Mariners next week, but Philadelphia will need to make that change, and likely back off their planned six-man rotation. There should be more information on Wheeler in the coming days, if not sooner.
Source: Charlotte Varnes