The Philadelphia Phillies received a positive development regarding the Zack Wheeler injury timeline as the team prepares for Opening Day on Thursday, March 26, against the Texas Rangers. Wheeler will not be ready for the start of the 2026 season, but he is trending in the right direction.
The veteran right-hander was back on the mound for the first time since undergoing surgery to address venous thoracic outlet syndrome, according to multiple reports, including from Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. Wheeler tossed 21 pitches in what amounts to the initial step in his ramp-up process heading into the campaign.
The fact that he’s back throwing in February, along with Thomson not ruling out a six-week return, suggests the righty is in a good spot regarding his recovery.
Excluding the shortened 2020 season, the 24 starts Wheeler made in 2025 were his fewest in a Phillies uniform. He had averaged more than 30 games pitched from 2021 through 2024. He peaked from a workload perspective in 2021, pacing the league in innings, complete games, and shutouts. The veteran finished second in National League Cy Young voting that season.
A standard progression in the spring would require a six-week buildup. Reporters asked manager Rob Thomson if Wheeler could be back on a major-league mound in that timeframe, and he replied, “Possibly,” as relayed by Zolecki. “It all depends on how he feels and how he recovers,”Wheeler’s 2025 season ended in August. The 35-year-old initially went down with arm discomfort, but then a blood clot was discovered. Physicians ultimately landed on thoracic outlet decompression surgery. The only timeframe given by Wheeler and the team so far had been on the negative side, that he wouldn’t be ready for the opener.
The fact that he’s back throwing in February, along with Thomson not ruling out a six-week return, suggests the righty is in a good spot regarding his recovery.
Excluding the shortened 2020 season, the 24 starts Wheeler made in 2025 were his fewest in a Phillies uniform. He had averaged more than 30 games pitched from 2021 through 2024. He peaked from a workload perspective in 2021, pacing the league in innings, complete games, and shutouts. The veteran finished second in National League Cy Young voting that season. Wheeler has garnered three All-Star selections and a Gold Glove award in his six seasons in PhiladelphiaThe San Francisco Giants took Wheeler with the sixth overall pick in the 2009 draft. He landed with the New York Mets in a 2011 trade that sent Hall of Famer Carlos Beltran back the other way. Wheeler debuted with the Mets in 2013. He delivered five solid seasons with the club before jumping ship to the divisional rival Phillies on a five-year, $118 million contract heading into 2020. Philadelphia has since tacked on a three-year, $126 million extension
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