Phillies Star Zack Wheeler in Position for Accolades With Unprecedented Stretch

When the Philadelphia Phillies signed Zack Wheeler away from their National League East rivals, the New York Mets, ahead of the 2020 campaign, a lot of eyebrows were raised.

The two sides agreed to a five-year, $118 million deal, which was considered by some to be an overpay based on Wheeler’s track record.

He was basically a league-average pitcher with an ERA+ of 100 during his tenure with the Mets. Some injury concerns also made a long-term commitment of that nature a risky proposition, as he missed the entirety of the 2015 and 2016 seasons and reached the 30-start plateau only twice.

More News: Phillies Superstar Zack Wheeler Predicted To Finish As NL Cy Young Runner-Up Again

In hindsight, that deal was eyebrow-raising, but not because Wheeler didn’t live up to expectations; it was because he blew all of the expectations out of the water, providing the team with incredible value.

The veteran right-hander has cemented his status as one of the premier starting pitchers in baseball during his Phillies tenure.

He has twice made the NL MVP ballot, in 2021 and 2024, finishing 19th and 12th, respectively. Those were also the two years that he made the NL All-Star Team and finished as the runner-up for the NL Cy Young Award.

More News: Phillies Ace Zack Wheeler Named NL Player of the Week

On two other occasions, 2020 and 2023, he finished on the Cy Young ballot as well, coming in 12th and sixth place.

Incredibly productive over that span, Wheeler has taken his production to another level in 2025.

He was named to his third All-Star team and will be in the mix to start the game for the NL Team, currently in the midst of arguably the most dominant stretch of his career.

More News: Will Phillies Continue Their Recent Trend With Early Selections in 2025 MLB Draft?

“Wheeler is on an extended heater since the start of June, and he’s yielded all of two earned runs in 34 innings over his last five starts (with 47 strikeouts). He’s given up 11 earned runs in two starts against Atlanta this season — and 17 earned runs the other 16 times he’s taken the ball,” wrote Tim Britton of The Athletic (subscription required).

Even at 35 years of age, he is finding new ways to improve his production on the mound, dominating opponents.

Wheeler has put himself in a position to contend for the NL Cy Young Award again, hoping this time to be the bride and not the bridesmaid.

He will face stiff competition from Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Logan Webb of the San Francisco Giants, but the Philadelphia ace has numbers that stack up against anyone.

More News: Phillies' Trea Turner One of Top Players Snubbed From NL All-Star Team

He has made 18 starts, going 9-3 thus far with a 2.17 ERA, which would be by far the lowest in a single season of his career.

Wheeler has thrown 116 innings, striking out an NL-high 148 batters. His 0.845 WHIP and 5.7 H/9 ratio are both the best in the NL as well, while his 11.5 K/9 is currently the best in baseball.

Putting together a career year at this age is rare, but it goes to show just how talented the Phillies' ace is, on pace to set a career high in bWAR as well, already compiling a 4.8, which would be tied for his third highest in a campaign.

For more Phillies news, head over to Phillies On SI.