Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler will miss the remainder of the season and is expected to be out for six to eight months after being diagnosed with venous thoracic outlet syndrome, the team announced Saturday.
The 35-year-old right-hander had surgery this week to remove a blood clot in his throwing shoulder. Venous thoracic outlet — a rare subtype of the compression disorder that pinches a vein and causes blood clots to form — is repaired through surgery, which has been recommended for Wheeler and could allow him to return by Opening Day 2026. The surgery typically entails the removal of a rib to help decompress the area.
Cristopher Sanchez, Ranger Suarez and Jesus Luzardo, plus right-handers Aaron Nola and Taijuan Walker, the Phillies have ample starting depth to weather the loss. They also could eventually summon top pitching prospect Andrew Painter to bolster a pitching staff that has added closer Jhoan Duran and setup man David Robertson within the last month.
At 74-54, Philadelphia holds a six-game lead in the National League East ahead of the New York Mets and would currently hold the No. 2 seed in the NL playoffs.
