Phillies: Zack Wheeler to make start for Reading Fightin Phils on Tuesday

The Philadelphia Phillies announced Sunday that starting pitcher Zack Wheeler is scheduled to make a rehab start with the Reading Fightin Phils on Tuesday at the Somerset Patriots.

The 35-year-old Wheeler began the season on the 15-day injured list as he continued to recover from surgery to heal a right upper extremity blood clot. He was initially placed on the injured Aug. 17 of last season and missed the remainder of the year.

Wheeler, a three-time All-Star, has made three rehab appearances with Lehigh Valley (AAA) so far in 2026.

Over those three starts, Wheeler is 0-1, with a 5.23 ERA (6 ER, 10.1 IP), along with 10 strikeouts.

In his most recent start on April 8 against Rochester, Wheeler struck out six over 4.1 innings of work, while allowing one run on three hits.

The Phillies originally signed Wheeler prior to the 2020 season and he has grown into one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball. Wheeler finished second in National League Cy Young voting in both 2021 and ’24. Prior to being placed on the injured list last season, Wheeler went 10-5, with a 2.71 ERA across 24 starts. Wheeler has posted an ERA under 3.00 in five-of-six seasons with the Phillies.

Wheeler has also be a dominant arm at the front-end of the Phillies’ rotation in the postseason. Over 12 postseason appearances, Wheeler is 4-3, with a 2.18 ERA.

Prior to joining the Phillies in 2020, Wheeler began his career with the New York Mets, pitching for them from 2013-19, but did not appear in any big leagues games during the 2015 and ’16 seasons. Wheeler was originally selected by the New York Mets in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2009 draft by the San Francisco Giants out of East Paulding High School in Dallas, Georgia. Wheeler was traded to the Mets in July of 2011 in exchange for outfielder Carlos Beltran.

Wheeler was also selected as an Eastern League All-Star during the 2012 season, when he played for the Binghamton Mets, and that game was held at FirstEnergy Stadium.

The Fightin Phils begin this week’s six-game series at the Somerset Patriots, Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m.