Zack Wheeler is still in Spring Training. The right-hander has made three rehab starts for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs and has another rehab start to come next week. Wheeler’s first outing was good, but really just a return to the mound after undergoing thoracic outlet surgery late last season. His second outing came in Durham against the Bulls and wasn’t as smooth as the first, but he came through it healthy and ready to prepare for his next start.
The weather at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, PA was decidedly on the chilly side, but better than the harshly cold weather that greeted Wheeler there for his first start. The 35-year-old came out firing on all cylinders with his velocity touching 94 mph on his four-seam fastball. He retired nine of the first 10 hitters he faced with one runner reaching on a hit by pitch. Five of those 10 hitters struck out and eight of the 10 saw first pitch strikes.
In the fourth inning, the Rochester Red Wings, the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, started to make some contact. Unfortunately for them, it was very light contact. Harry Ford, Dylan Crews, and Andres Chaparro all reached on singles that combined for approximately 220 feet of distance. The infield hit by Crews didn’t even register an exit velocity, but Ford’s hit was a blistering 61.1 mph – not even as fast as I drove on my way to the ballpark – but Charparro’s hit would have beaten me slightly as it exited at 68.3 mph.
The three singles and a wild pitch in the inning resulted in a run, the only one that Wheeler would allow in his 4.1 innings of work. The three hits were also the only hits he allowed and a walk later in the inning was the only walk he gave up. Of the 61 pitches he threw, 44 (72-percent) were for strikes.
Wheeler has slowly increased his pitch count going from 38 in his first outing to 49 and then up to the 61 pitches he threw Wednesday. He also pitched into the fifth inning for the first time in the process. The Phillies have him scheduled for another outing next week which would most likely be either back with Lehigh Valley when they play in St. Paul against the Saints, or with Double-A Reading when they play at Somerset.
To start his rehab Wheeler was given the choice of staying in Clearwater or facing competition higher up in the minor league system. He made the call to come north and pitch for Lehigh Valley for his first start and has been with the IronPigs for each of his two starts after that. When asked what level he would pitch at for what could be his final outing next week, Wheeler was coy about the decision. “I think I’ll let whoever tell you that, it’s not my place,” Wheeler said with a slight grin.
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