Zack Wheeler has turned a corner and has returned to his elite form in recent weeks. This development comes at the perfect time for the Philadelphia Phillies, who are dealing with a ton of uncertainty in their star-studded rotation.
Zack Wheeler Back To Elite Level
Wheeler went on a stretch from July 27th up until August 24th where he failed to reach the sixth inning. For someone who has made his calling on being able to go deep into games, that was a real concern.
Wheeler allowed 23 runs in that six-game stretch, pitching only 24.1 innings.
Since then, Wheeler has made four starts that finally look more like himself. He hasn’t allowed more than one run in any of those starts and has gone six innings or more in all of them. That’s the Wheeler that Phillies fans are used to.
Wheeler turned in his best game in months against the Washington Nationals, going seven innings and not allowing any runs. This game got his ERA for the season back down to 2.99.
This is a huge boost to the Phillies starting rotation that has scene some really rough things recently. Wheeler may be pitching at a Cy-Young level, but that can’t be said about everyone.
Cristopher Sanchez Struggles
Cristopher Sanchez started off the season as the best pitcher in the MLB. He was at one point the frontrunner for the NL Cy-Young Award and was playing some of the best baseball anyone has ever seen.
Sanchez has now allowed 14 runs in his last three starts, throwing 18.1 innings in that time.
Sanchez has not been as effective as the Phillies need him to be if they are going to trust him as the game one starter. The choice of three elite pitchers as your ace is a good problem to have, but only when they are all pitching like the elite pitchers they are.
Sanchez is at least on the mound throwing every fifth day, that can’t be said about all of their pitchers. They received some rough news a few days ago on an injury to their best pitcher over the past few months.
Jesus Luzardo Injury
Jesus Luzardo was placed on the 15-day injured list due to shoulder stiffness that began following his complete game shutout against the Atlanta Braves on September 7th. The injury initially appeared harmless, as he was scratched from his next start but was expected to resume pitching the following week.
Luzardo did not feel well enough to be able to pitch or even throw a bullpen session, leading the team to put him on the IL. He has said he “guarantees” to be available in October for the postseason, but there is still a level in uncertainty regarding the whole situation.
Luzardo is currently eligible to be activated on the final day of the regular season, but it would be a stretch to expect him to pitch. He will likely need to throw multiple bullpen sessions before ramping up into game action. It will also be interesting to watch how the Phillies use him when he returns. Could Luzardo be a piece out of the bullpen during his ramp up process? That could change the dynamic of the Phillies postseason, for better or for worse.
Philadelphia Phillies Postseason Battle
The Phillies are in the middle of an intense battle for a spot in the 2026 MLB postseason. They are fighting for the top wildcard spot in the National League with the Chicago Cubs. If they can secure the top spot, they would have home field advantage in the opening round.
The NL East appears to be out of reach when discussing paths to the postseason for Philadelphia. Their struggles against the Braves have set them back 5.5 games. Now, they just have to stay alive and fight for a spot in the wildcard.
The starting rotation is key to making sure they stay above the cutline and in playoff position as the regular season winds down. The bullpen and the lineup have been inconsistent, to say the least; they can’t afford to have that same effect on the rotation.
Wheeler returning to this elite level has provided some balance to the rotation that really needed it. It gives them some time to get Luzardo healthy and Sanchez back on track.
