The current season is lost for Zack Wheeler. That means the focus can now shift toward returning in 2026.
The Philadelphia Phillies ruled Wheeler out for the season on Saturday after he was diagnosed with venous thoracic outlet syndrome. The team announced on X that he would need thoracic outlet decompression surgery “in the coming weeks.”
The team provided a general timeline for Wheeler’s recovery, assuming everything goes according to plan: six to eight months.
Phillies medical update on Zack Wheeler pic.twitter.com/JnnEAz4cMZ
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) August 23, 2025
The three-time All-Star has not pitched since August 15, when he allowed two earned runs with six strikeouts through five innings against the Washington Nationals. The team announced the following day that Wheeler was dealing with a blood clot issue near his right shoulder.
Wheeler was in the midst of a stellar season with the Phillies. He had a 2.71 ERA with a 0.94 WHIP across 24 starts and was building a case to be named a National League Cy Young Award finalist.
With Wheeler no longer in the midst, the Phillies will have to rely more heavily on Christopher Sanchez, who is having a career season of his own. Sanchez has arguably had an even better 2025 campaign than Wheeler, but remains unproven in the playoffs with just two career postseason starts.
Some have also speculated that the injury may affect Wheeler’s retirement plans. A report emerged in June indicating that the 35-year-old right-hander planned to retire once his contract expires at the end of the 2027 season.
With a long road to recovery ahead of him, Wheeler may have a lot of time to reassess his plans beyond this season.
