Philadelphia Phillies star Zack Wheeler has been roughed up in his last few starts, and that trend didn’t change on Monday.
The Philadelphia Phillies have played fantastic baseball as of late. Unfortunately, one player who has struggled mightily in this recent stretch is star pitcher Zack Wheeler. He took to the mound against the Seattle Mariners on Monday, but his fortunes remained the same.
The Mariners tagged Wheeler for five runs in the first inning. He finished the game having tossed just four innings, allowing nine hits and eight runs. He also threw an unbelievable 103 pitches in those four innings. Wheeler’s ERA in his last five starts ballooned to 9.27.
The veteran starter was asked about his health after Monday’s loss, with concerns that an injury could be causing issues on the mound. However, he says everything is good, which has only added to his frustration.
“I feel perfectly fine,” Wheeler said, via NBC Sports Philadelphia. “Healthy, strong. Everything’s there. Just got to zone back in and figure it out. It’s been a while. I haven’t had a stretch like this in a while. That’s why I’m so frustrated.”
The Phillies’ bullpen did well to limit the damage after Wheeler exited the game. They allowed just one run in the final six innings. However, Cal Raleigh’s three home run game led the charge toward a 9-2 Seattle win.
Philadelphia had won nine games in a row to this point. They are chasing a playoff spot and a potential NL East division title. The Phillies are 3.5 games back of the Atlanta Braves for first in the NL East.
Of course, Philadelphia’s true ambitions go beyond simply getting into October. This franchise believes it has a chance to win the World Series right now. To do that, though, they will need to figure out what is causing Wheeler’s recent struggles.
The Philadelphia Phillies have played fantastic baseball as of late. Unfortunately, one player who has struggled mightily in this recent stretch is star pitcher Zack Wheeler. He took to the mound against the Seattle Mariners on Monday, but his fortunes remained the same. The Mariners tagged Wheeler for five runs in the first inning.