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Phillies' J.T. Realmuto Reacts to Zack Wheeler's Retirement Plan

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matthew Sullivan | Last updated Jun 13, 2025 1:15 PM ET

Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler alluded to his retirement after the 2027 season in a new article from Matt Gelb of The Athletic. J.T. Realmuto, the long-time catcher of Wheeler in Philadelphia, reacted to Wheeler's retirement plan.

"I mean, he can say all he wants," said Realmuto. "I can't imagine him dominating for two more years and hanging them up. He loves it. ... I'm holding out hope that he keeps pitching."

While Wheeler plans to retire after the 2027 season, Realmuto is hoping that he will come back for 2028, and potentially more. But Wheeler is steadfast in shutting down those talks, saying that even if he pitches well, he won't return after 2027. "Doesn't matter," Wheeler said. "No."

Wheeler and Realmuto have been in lockstep since Wheeler joined the Phillies in 2020. Since Wheeler signed with Philadelphia, the two have been one of the best pitcher-catcher tandems in baseball.

Across his six-year Phillies career, Wheeler has a 2.93 ERA and a 65-34 record. A large reason for Wheeler's success in Philadelphia is thanks to Realmuto and pitching coach Caleb Cotham.

In Gelb's article, it's revealed that the pre-game scouting is deferred to Cotham and Realmuto.

"Some pitchers spend hours studying video and reviewing scouting reports." Gelb writes. "Wheeler has come to understand this is one piece he can eliminate. He cannot do it better than Realmuto and Cotham. Why try?"

Wheeler's trust in Realmuto and Cotham is strong, and with how he's been pitching, it's working. In 2025, Wheeler has a 2.85 ERA, a 6-2 record, and 101 strikeouts across 13 starts. He also has just 19 walks and 55 hits allowed in 82 innings, good for an impressive 0.902 WHIP.

Since joining the Phillies in 2020, Wheeler has been one of the best pitchers in baseball. From dominant appearances in the regular season to an incredible 2.18 ERA in the postseason, Wheeler has been everything the Phillies hoped for and more.

After signing a huge three-year extension worth $126 million in the offseason, Wheeler was locked in through the 2027 season. But, in Gelb's article, it's expressed that Wheeler plans to retire after his current deal is up.

Realmuto doesn't believe that Wheeler will retire after 2027. He's holding out hope that with how much Wheeler loves pitching, he'll come back for more after the 2027 season.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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