Yardbarker
Yardbarker
x
Philadelphia Phillies Have Best Pitcher in Baseball Anchoring Starting Rotation
Oct 5, 2024; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) throws a pitch against the New York Mets in the seventh inning in game one of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park. Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The strength of the Philadelphia Phillies team as they prepare for the 2025 season is their starting rotation.

Their addition of Jesus Luzardo in an offseason trade with the Miami Marlins gives them arguably the best five-man rotation in baseball. At some point in the summer, it will become six whenever star prospect Andrew Painter gets the call.

Atop the rotation is Zack Wheeler, who finished as the runner-up for the National League Cy Young Award in 2024 to Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves.

While he may not have finished ahead in that race, the Phillies ace has an edge over Sale and every other starting pitcher in baseball in one regard.

Buster Olney of ESPN has picked Wheeler as the No. 1 starting pitcher in baseball in his recent positional rankings.

“He got four of 30 first-place votes and 25 second-place votes in finishing behind Sale for the Cy Young, the second time in his career he's been the runner-up for the award. He has made 122 starts over the past four seasons, and in that span, he has a 2.92 ERA, while averaging more than six innings per start, with an ERA+ of 141,” Olney wrote.

Philadelphia’s anchor has earned the top spot with his consistently stellar performances on the mound.

Despite being 34 years old, Wheeler looks like he is still getting better each season.

In 2024, opponents had a batting average of only .192 against him, recording only 139 hits in 200 innings pitched. He recorded 224 strikeouts, as his 10.1 K/9 was the second-highest in a single campaign of his career.

Wheeler meticulously works with pitching coach Caleb Cotham between starts, putting together a game plan and pitch sequences for the next time he is on the mound.

Part of that process is also pitch tinkering, as he is always looking to create an edge, whether it is with a different grip, arm angle or shape of the pitch.

In 2024, it was his sinker he had newfound success with.

"He just got even more strategic on who to use it against, when to use it," Cotham said, "and he got better with getting it to his glove side for a ball-to-strike pitch."

Wheeler has a great working relationship with Cotham and starting catcher J.T. Realmuto.

Rarely does he shake off signs during a game, following his catcher’s lead and going with whatever pitch he calls for.

The Phillies are going to need more of that in 2025 as they look to hold off the New York Mets and Braves in the NL East and chase down the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

Recommended Articles


This article first appeared on Philadelphia Phillies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

TODAY'S BEST

Dodgers facing potential trade decision amid Blake Snell news
MLB

Dodgers facing potential trade decision amid Blake Snell news

Left-handed starting pitcher Blake Snell is in his 10th major-league season after making his debut with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2016. Snell spent time with the San Diego Padres, then signed a deal with the San Francisco Giants after the 2023 season, which he later opted out of to enter free agency in 2024. The 32-year-old veteran signed a five-year, $182M contract this offseason with the Los Angeles Dodgers after an exceptional 2024 campaign. Snell earned such a lucrative contract thanks to his outstanding career to date, which includes two Cy Young Awards and an All-Star appearance. Over 213 career starts, he owns a 77–58 record, a 3.18 ERA and 1,372 strikeouts. Snell was placed on the injured list on April 6 (retroactive to April 3) with left shoulder inflammation after experiencing discomfort during a bullpen session; he had made only two starts for the Dodgers before the injury. After four minor-league rehab outings, manager Dave Roberts announced on Sunday that Snell is expected to rejoin the rotation next week. With his return looming, the Dodgers have decided to shift to a six-man rotation but now face a decision on right-hander Dustin May’s roster status. May returned to a full-time starting role for the first time in two seasons and has struggled. On Sunday against the Boston Red Sox, May allowed four runs in five innings of work, and he entered the start with an ERA of 4.73. May’s name has surfaced in trade rumors, and he is a candidate to potentially be moved to the bullpen. He is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.

Raiders' Pete Carroll has cryptic comments on bizarre Christian Wilkins situation
NFL

Raiders' Pete Carroll has cryptic comments on bizarre Christian Wilkins situation

There have been a couple of different theories floated about why the Las Vegas Raiders made the shocking decision to cut star defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, but head coach Pete Carroll has no interest in sharing the real motive. The Raiders released Wilkins on Thursday, which was barely a year after they signed him to a four-year, $110M contract in free agency. Initial reports suggested Wilkins and the team were at odds over how the 29-year-old's foot injury was being handled, but the story has since taken a bizarre turn. ESPN's Adam Schefter said on Monday that there was an incident between Wilkins and a teammate in the locker room that Wilkins viewed as playful, but his teammate did not take it that way. Tashan Reed of The Athletic reported that the incident took place in a meeting room at the Raiders' facility last week and was investigated by the team's human resources department. On Tuesday, a reporter asked Carroll about the alleged incident. The 73-year-old coach refused to get into it. "I have no comment to make,” Carroll said, via The Athletic. “We made a decision on what we’re doing, and we’re moving with it. We’ll see how that all unveils itself in time.” The last part of Carroll's comment is interesting. Carroll may have been saying time will tell how the decision to cut Wilkins will turn out for the Raiders, or he may have been insinuating that more information will come out at some point. Raiders defensive tackle Adam Nelson was also asked about Wilkins on Tuesday. Nelson responded by encouraging people to seek therapy if they are struggling with something in their life. Wilkins had 17 total tackles and a pair of sacks in five games with the Raiders before he suffered his season-ending foot injury.

NFL insider shares worrisome update on Micah Parsons' contract dispute with Cowboys
NFL

NFL insider shares worrisome update on Micah Parsons' contract dispute with Cowboys

With a new NFL season comes another contract dispute between Jerry Jones and one of the Dallas Cowboys' star players. In 2019, it was running back Ezekiel Elliott. Then there was quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb in 2024, and now it's defensive end Micah Parsons in 2025. Those first three all got their wish and received massive paydays without missing any game action, which has many believing that the same movie will play out with Parsons. However, in the moment, Parsons and the Cowboys don't seem to be aligned in their thinking, and that has only been magnified by ESPN insider Adam Schefter's latest update on the situation. "I would say right now we're nowhere on that deal. I would say right now we are further away from a deal in late July/early August than we were in late March/early April. The two sides have gone backwards, not forwards. I don't think they're speaking very much these days, if at all," Schefter said. "This sounds different to me. This sounds a little bit more personal from both sides. It sounds like Dallas is upset with the fact that it felt like it was getting closer to a deal, and then that deal went sideways. And I think Micah Parsons feels like this deal should've been done. I don't think Micah is real happy with them; I don't think they're real happy with him. I don't think anybody is real happy with anybody. And I don't think there's a deal that's being discussed right now, not to mention being close," Schefter added. Certainly not the update Cowboys fans were hoping to hear on Tuesday afternoon. As we know, Parsons is entering the final season of his rookie contract on a fifth-year player option, which Dallas exercised in April of 2024. The superstar pass rusher is set to earn just over $24 million in 2025-26. The 26-year-old has been participating in Cowboys training camp, though he has voiced his displeasure with the current state of contract negotiations both in interviews and on social media. Parsons is one of, if not the best, pass rushers in football, having racked up 12-plus sacks in all four seasons to begin his NFL career. His combination of strength, speed and pure athleticism is a nightmare for opposing offenses, and you can understand why he wants to be paid for it. There's no doubt that the recent deals signed by defensive end Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns and outside linebacker T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers added fuel to the fire for Parsons. Garrett and Watt will both make over $40 million per season moving forward while already being 30 and 31 years old, respectively. Expectations should remain that Jerry Jones will eventually pony up and pay his franchise player, but reports like these definitely don't help anyone in this situation.

Top Prospect Could Force Canadiens Hand at Training Camp
NHL

Top Prospect Could Force Canadiens Hand at Training Camp

David Reinbacher impressed Montreal Canadiens management enough for general manager Kent Hughes to deal fellow right defense prospect Logan Mailloux to the St. Louis Blues for sophomore forward Zachary Bolduc. Because of his ability to shut down the rush, cut off checkers at the blueline and then spring a pass or use his feet to skate his way out of trouble consistently, the six-foot-four Austrian defender (despite limited experience on North American ice) has many believers. The idea that Reinbacher and Ivan Demidov could play out their Calder seasons together in 2025-26 doesn't seem so far-fetched, because Reinbacher emerged as the Laval Rocket's top dog on defense, during his first taste of American Hockey League playoff hockey. For the fans that enjoy Kaiden Guhle's responsible style of hockey, and ability to scan and react, breaking potential oddman rushes, thanks to great anticipation, foot speed and defensive details, Reinbacher displays many of those tools. You could argue that Reinbacher has a much higher offensive upside, but in any world where both are playing in your top four defense, as a head coach, you would feel incredibly spoiled with riches. The pair are 23 and 20 years old respectively, so there is significant development leash ahead. There is a very good argument to be made that while Reinbacher looked like an NHL player during the AHL playoffs, he has played just 21 games of North American regular-season professional hockey under his belt, so further seasoning isn't going to overcook the prospect, but ensure he is ready when he makes the jump. However, there are exceptions, and if Reinbacher can follow up his brilliant playoff debut with the Rocket, where he registered six points in 13 games, and emerged as an all-situations defenseman, that head coach Pascal Vincent leaned on for big and important minutes, with a great training camp in the fall, he could put himself on the fast track to the big league. Reinbacher has tremendous upside, and is still learning to use his big frame to punish opponents along the boards and in front of the net, but once he integrates some added physicality and some daring offensive sequences into his game with more regularity, he could put himself and the Canadiens blueline in a great spot to accelerate their rebuild exponentially in 2025-26. The playoffs are the standard for the Canadiens now, regardless of what the media might say, and it wouldn't be wise to suggest to any of the players that the team will regress and achieve anything less than another playoff berth next season. Montreal's 2023 fifth overall selection is hoping to earn his stripes and help push the team beyond the first round, and perhaps further in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.