The Philadelphia Phillies have not opened the season as strongly as they had hoped, with most of their struggles coming on the offensive side of the ball.
On the pitching front, however, the rotation has largely held up well—and it could soon receive an even bigger boost with the return of Zack Wheeler. The key question now is how close he is to making it back to the big leagues.
Encouraging update on Zack Wheeler’s recovery
According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the Phillies received “very good news” regarding Wheeler ahead of his latest rehab outing against the New York Yankees’ minor league affiliate.
Morosi reported:
“Very good news for the Phillies, especially as it relates to Zack Wheeler. He’s due to make another minor league rehab outing today, and if things go well in this one, perhaps one more, and then he’ll make his long-awaited return to the mound.”
The update suggests Wheeler is nearing the final stages of his recovery, with possibly one or two more rehab appearances remaining before rejoining the Phillies.
Wheeler nearing return after long absence
Wheeler has been sidelined since mid-August 2025 while recovering from thoracic outlet syndrome. The 35-year-old right-hander is now on the verge of returning to Major League action after a lengthy rehab process.
If his next outing goes smoothly, he could be just one step away from being activated.
Phillies rotation getting stronger
Philadelphia’s pitching staff has remained solid in his absence. Cristopher Sánchez has continued to perform at a high level, while Aaron Nola and Jesús Luzardo have been steady contributors. Andrew Painter has shown some early inconsistency, but overall remains serviceable. Taijuan Walker has also provided decent outings outside of early-inning struggles, and the bullpen has been reliable.
With Wheeler approaching a return, the Phillies’ already strong pitching group could become even more dangerous.
Wheeler, who posted a 2.71 ERA over 24 starts last season, is expected to miss only a few more starts before rejoining the rotation. Morosi’s report has given Philadelphia a major dose of optimism as they near the next phase of their season.
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