Is it Time to Call Zack Wheeler an Ace Again?

After a slow, and perhaps worrying start, has Philadelphia Phillies front man Zack Wheeler returned to "ace" status?

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler was incredible during the 2021 MLB season. He finished second in NL Cy Young voting following a season performance which saw him pitch an MLB high 213.1 innings, to the tune of a 2.78 ERA with a FIP of 2.59, and WHIP of 1.008 to match.

He was the bonafide ace the Phillies needed. 

However, his 2022 MLB season couldn't have started any differently. He was unable to put in work during spring training due to nursing a sore right shoulder. It was to be expected following such a heavy workload in 2021.

Therefore, his innings that he would have pitched during spring training as a ramp-up instead came at the beginning of the season. During his second and third starts of the season, his velocity was down, which resulted in an unsightly combined eight innings pitched and 11 earned runs.

Of course it was natural for there to be some concern. Was Wheeler still injured? Would he ever regain his 2021 form?

What ensued next assuaged those fears. In back to back outings, Wheeler dealt. He threw 13.2 innings over the course of the two games and both times never allowed an earned run. 

He was back. 

Even with his two speed bump starts, Wheeler still sports an ERA of 3.38, but his FIP of 2.31 (lower than in 2021) and his WHIP of 1.147 indicate he pitched much better than his ERA implies. 

Add another seven-inning shutout in the month of May, and all signs point towards Wheeler having righted the ship. When he pitches well, the Phillies tend to win. Shocker. But, his last three starts have come against the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres (shutout), and the Atlanta Braves. All were victories.

It is safe to say the "ace" is back. And Philadelphia needs it more than ever as they try and track down one of the six available playoff spots up for grabs in the National League. It may be a long season and we have just passed the quarter mark, but Wheeler's continued dominance will play a monumental part in whether the Phillies once again taste October baseball.

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