Zack Wheeler injured a nail on his pitching hand while attempting to put on a pair of pants. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Phillies' Zack Wheeler could lose fingernail following freak pants-related injury

The Philadelphia Phillies were initially hopeful that right-handed pitcher Zack Wheeler would have a start against the Miami Marlins pushed back from Saturday to Monday after he injured a nail on his pitching hand while attempting to put on a pair of pants.

That might have been overly optimistic. 

Per Matt Breen of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Phillies manager Joe Girardi told reporters on Friday that it would be "fortunate" if Wheeler takes the bump against Miami on Monday. Girardi added that Wheeler's middle fingernail might need to be removed:

The Phillies open a three-game series versus division foes the New York Mets, Wheeler's club from 2013 through 2019, on Tuesday. 

Wheeler possesses a 4-0 record with a 2.47 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 51.0 innings of work across eight starts this season. He put pen to paper on a five-year, $118 million contract with the Phillies last December. 

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