Zack Wheeler’s not concerned about decreased velocity in final tuneup before rejoining Phillies
Wheeler's fastball sat in the low 90s as he allowed two home runs in a rehab start for double-A Reading on Sunday. “When your velo is down, you have to do other things,” he says.
BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — It was cold and rainy, the game was delayed by more than 30 minutes, and Zack Wheeler stayed in the dugout for a long first inning before taking the mound. The conditions for Wheeler’s final rehab start before he rejoins the Phillies were far from ideal. And the pitcher credits it for the decreased velocity in his fastball, which sat in the low 90s.
Wheeler said he’s not concerned about his fastball as he pointed to Tuesday night’s start when it was a few ticks faster.
He threw 77 pitches Sunday for double-A Reading and allowed four runs in four innings against the Somerset Patriots, a Yankees farm team. He struck out four, walked one, allowed six hits, and all four runs came on two homers.
» READ MORE: What is Zack Wheeler facing in his return from surgery? We asked two pitchers who have done it.
“The biggest thing is the velo,” Wheeler said. “I’m a high-90s guy, a mid-90s guy. It’s not there right now. You have to pitch a little bit more when that happens and hit your spots. You have to fool guys a little bit more compared to just raring back and throwing. That’ll be the biggest adjustment if that’s still down when I do come back. Hopefully this warmer weather does allow me to get back to close to where I used to be and hopefully get there throughout the season.”
Wheeler will likely start Friday night in Atlanta, joining a rotation that entered Sunday with the fourth-highest ERA (5.23) in baseball. His return will likely bump out Taijuan Walker, who allowed seven runs in four innings Friday and is scheduled to pitch Wednesday at Wrigley Field.
The 35-year-old Wheeler generated 10 whiffs Sunday and used all of his pitches. His fastball did not have the life it had before he underwent thoracic outlet decompression surgery in September, but his off-speed pitches — most notably his sweeper — had good movement. Wheeler will likely be a different pitcher when he returns to the majors with a decreased fastball, placing even more importance on the rest of his arsenal.
Last season, Wheeler’s fastball averaged 96.1 mph and his 224 fastballs at 97 mph or faster ranked him 30th among all starters. He’s a power arm, but he was always more than just a power pitcher.
» READ MORE: Taijuan Walker cannot, in good conscience, start another game for the Phillies
Catcher J.T. Realmuto once compared Wheeler to a “thumber,” or a pitcher who relies on command and craft to get outs. Wheeler, Realmuto explained, happens to do that while also having a blazing fastball.
Wheeler’s craftiness still looks intact and it could be what allows him to find success if his fastball is not where it once was.
“When your velo is down, you have to do other things,” Wheeler said. “I’ve pitched like that before when the velo is down and you have to move the ball around like guys who steadily pitch at that velo. It’s just something you have to do. Guys can hit fastballs. They can hit 100-plus anytime they want. You have to mix things up and hit your spots.”
Most pitchers who have had Wheeler’s surgery — which included the removal of a rib — say it can take time for the velocity to return. Wheeler’s fastball on Tuesday night sat around 95 mph in 80-degree weather. It hovered Sunday around 92 mph in worse conditions.
“I may have some ups and downs this year,” Wheeler said. “I had a major surgery. So I’m real with it. Hope for the best, but you never know.”
Wheeler rarely shows emotion on the mound. But Friday night in Atlanta, a few miles from his hometown, could be different. His season was shortened last summer by blood clots and surgery. He has a rib in his closet as proof. Eight months later, he’s on the cusp of a return.
The weather will be much warmer in Atlanta, giving the pitcher a better chance to find his fastball. And Wheeler — who often pitches like a cyborg — may take it all in.
“Maybe,” Wheeler said about feeling any emotion on Friday. “I don’t know. I like to think right now. I don’t like to think too far ahead. But there may be some. I don’t know. We’ll see.”
Gage Wood might have pitched the best game in college baseball history 10 months ago. Now, with Andrew Painter in the majors, Wood is the Phillies’ top pitching prospect. The 22-year-old righty joins Phillies Extra, The Inquirer’s baseball podcast, to discuss his strong start to the season. Watch here.
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