Even with Zack Wheeler out, Phillies starters have walked just six batters and struck out 56 in six games
They're 5-1 entering a three-game showdown with the second-place Mets. And while they're mostly raking with the lumber, they're making hitters earn every base.
You might expect a streak of excellence from Phillies starting pitching if it was led by their dominant ace, Zack Wheeler.
You might not expect a streak of excellence from Phillies starting pitching in the absence of their dominant ace, Zack Wheeler.
But what if the streak of excellence from Phillies starting pitching was due, at least in part, to the absence of their dominant ace, Zack Wheeler?
“Right? They’re locked in right now,” said manager Rob Thomson, who then knocked on a cardboard box in the corner of his office, the closest wood-type object to hand. “They’re taking this as a challenge, and rising to the occasion.”
Wheeler underwent a procedure last week to remove a blood clot on the upper right side of his body, but the Phillies held out hope that he might return this season. On Saturday, though, the Phillies announced Wheeler was diagnosed with venous thoracic outlet syndrome. He will soon undergo thoracic outlet decompression surgery, which will sideline him for as long as eight months, which, obviously, ended Wheeler’s 2025 season. He issued a heartfelt message of appreciation before Sunday’s game against the Nationals.
It’s not that the starters are exactly trying to Win for Wheeler, but, from performance to professionalism to leadership, Wheels has been the unquestioned leader of the pitching staff since signing with the Phillies six years ago. Clearly, they sense that, with him out, there is less margin for error.
» READ MORE: Marcus Hayes: Zack Wheeler’s surgery and long absence resets the Phillies’ immediate and long-term future
What has the starters’ response been to his loss?
In the six-game homestand they just finished, Phillies starters allowed 10 earned runs in 37 innings. They struck out 56 batters and walked just six.
Six.
Unsurprisingly, they went 5-1 in those games.
Ranger Suárez started two of them. He allowed two runs in 13⅔ innings with 21 strikeouts and zero walks.
“Shh!” he said, smiling after Sunday’s seven-inning masterpiece, which featured a career-best 11 strikeouts. “If I start walking guys, it’s your fault.”
It’s true that three of the games came against the Nationals, a bottom-half offensive team in most categories. But it’s also true that three of the wins came against the Mariners, a top-half team in most categories, and a team that includes Cal Raleigh and Eugenio Suárez, who’d combined for 89 home runs entering Monday night.
The Phillies enter their three-game series in New York against the Mets on Monday night with a seven-game lead in the National League East.
The hitters admit that they’ve been inspired by the subtraction of Wheeler, and it shows. The Phillies were averaging 7.6 runs since last Sunday.
“It kind of makes you want to win a bit more, for him,” Bryce Harper said. “Obviously, we’re playing good baseball right now. The Mets are a good team and they’re still breathing down our necks, and we’ve got seven left against them, so we’ve got to continue to play that game.”
Catcher J.T. Realmuto, the man who makes the plans, says it’s been pretty simple.
“I just think all of them understand who they are, and what they do well,” Realmuto said. “They’re able to go to their strengths consistently in the strike zone, and they all have a pretty good feel of what they have and don’t have that day.”
Aaron Nola lost three months to injury, but the pitchers’ aggressiveness was not lost on him.
“It’s like every single 3-2 count, they’re challenging them,” he said. “And I feel like it’s rare right now to get a free pass in that situation. I’d like to see the numbers on that — like, I feel like we’re like the best 3-2 count team in baseball.”
Actually, as a team, they’re fourth-best at not allowing walks in full counts, third-best in 3-0 counts, and second-best when it’s 3-1. They are No. 1 in inducing ground balls.
Overall, the Phillies have issued just 347 walks as a team, which ranks second, and 201 among their starters, which is tied for fifth.
» READ MORE: Scott Lauber: Phillies prepare for life without Zack Wheeler: ‘People have got to step up’
Which means they’re not nibbling.
“It is just a core principle we’ve made consistently over the years,” said Caleb Cotham, the Phillies’ pitching coach the last six seasons. “Here, the most important thing is to limit walks.”
It helps to have talent independent of the ace who’s making $42 million. Cristopher Sánchez went 30 innings over five starts without issuing a walk. Jesús Luzardo has five walks and 34 strikeouts in his last five starts. Taijuan Walker walked two in a recent five-start span.
“What’s different about us and some other staffs is, like, we don’t just throw, you know, we pitch,” said Walker, whose 2.9 walks per nine innings represent the best rate in his three seasons in Philadelphia. “We mix our pitches, we hit the corners, and we make them put the ball in play.”
Fewer walks usually means fewer pitches, which means more innings from the starters, which means less stress on the bullpen — all of which means more wins. After Sunday, the Phillies had the third-best record in baseball. They’d scored the ninth-highest run total while giving up the fifth-lowest total, and they’re not a particularly good defensive team.
More than anything, it’s been the pitching, which has, so far, gotten even better without their ace.
“Maybe there’s a little bit of teams like chasing pitches out of the zone, but we throw strikes,” Cotham said. “All roads lead from there.”