Star pitcher Zack Wheeler faced an unusual challenge recently, as his typically dominant command faltered, contributing to a Philadelphia Phillies loss and raising questions about his recent form.

In a tough outing against the Detroit Tigers, Wheeler visibly struggled, surrendering three home runs and completing just six innings. He candidly admitted his fastball command was “off” and described his sinker as the “worst it’s ever been.”

This recent performance aligns with a concerning trend for the Phillies’ ace, who, despite maintaining elite statistics like a 0.92 WHIP and 2.64 ERA—both among the National League’s best for a Starting Pitcher—has experienced a noticeable dip in his usual sharpness.

While Wheeler has allowed three or more runs in only six of his 22 starts this season, a significant three of those instances have occurred within the last month, including Saturday’s critical “battle of aces” against American League Cy Young contender Tarik Skubal.

A deeper Baseball Analysis reveals a troubling increase in home runs given up, with Zack Wheeler surrendering seven long balls in his last five starts compared to just ten in his preceding seventeen outings. His pitch counts have also climbed, indicative of more labored innings for the Philadelphia Phillies.

This command issue isn’t isolated; similar struggles appeared in recent games against the New York Yankees, where he hit three batters, and against the Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres, where dead-center fastballs resulted in costly home runs.

Despite his struggles, Phillies Baseball manager Rob Thomson opted to keep Wheeler in the game longer, a decision Wheeler felt good about at the moment, though he later conceded it might have been ill-advised. Thomson attributed the recent challenges primarily to command, noting slight improvements from previous outings, suggesting a potential positive trend for the MLB Pitching star.