Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler recently faced a challenging outing against the Detroit Tigers, highlighting a recurring theme of elusive command that has plagued his performances over the past month. Despite his characteristic tenacity, Wheeler’s inability to consistently locate his pitches, particularly his fastball and sinker, led to a disheartening 7-5 loss in a highly anticipated battle of formidable pitchers.
The critical turning point arrived as Javier Báez capitalized on a misplaced sinker, launching a decisive home run that effectively concluded Wheeler’s day after six innings and three long balls conceded. Zack Wheeler candidly acknowledged his struggles post-game, stating his fastball command was off and lamenting the “worst my sinker’s ever been,” which contributed directly to the critical hits allowed.
This recent stretch marks a noticeable shift from Wheeler’s dominant form earlier in the season. While he still managed an impressive ten strikeouts against Detroit, showcasing his ability to induce swings and misses with pitches like his sweeper, the frequency of allowing three or more runs has sharply increased. Three of his six such outings this year have occurred within the last month, indicating a concerning trend for the Philadelphia Phillies’ pitching staff.
Statistical anomalies further underscore the issue. Wheeler’s pitch counts have generally escalated in his last four starts, averaging 17.5 pitches per inning compared to 15.3 pitches per inning in the five outings prior. More strikingly, he has surrendered seven home runs in his most recent five starts, nearly matching his total of ten allowed across the preceding seventeen games, a clear indicator of his ongoing command issues and the challenges he faces in MLB baseball.
The command issues are not isolated incidents, having surfaced in earlier games as well. Against the New York Yankees on July 27th, Wheeler hit three batters and yielded four runs in the second inning due to errant pitches. Prior to that, a dead-center fastball was tagged for a leadoff homer by Jarren Duran of the Red Sox on July 21st, and a similar pitch became a two-run blast for the Padres’ Jackson Merrill before the All-Star break, signaling a pattern of struggles for the Philadelphia Phillies ace.
Manager Rob Thomson’s decision to keep Zack Wheeler in for the seventh inning, despite a high pitch count, underscored the mutual respect between player and coach, though Wheeler himself questioned the efficacy of the choice given the outcome. Thomson’s primary concern remains Wheeler’s command, identifying it as the principal cause behind his recent struggles, rather than a decline in velocity.
Despite these challenges, Thomson noted a slight improvement in velocity compared to a previous outing, offering a glimmer of hope that the Philadelphia Phillies’ ace might be “trending in the right direction.” The focus for Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies will undoubtedly be on refining his pitching mechanics and re-establishing the consistent command that has made him one of MLB’s premier baseball pitchers.
