As good as Zack Wheeler‘s first rehab start was, his second was just plain bad. Wheeler was on a 50-55 pitch limit and the Phillies hoped to get four innings from him. Based on his first start that was completely possible, but it didn’t happen Friday night in Durham.
Wheeler made it through just three innings and needed 49 pitches to do that. The bottom of the third turned into a five-run inning for the Bulls. A long flyball by Durham’s Raynel Delgado should have been caught in left center field but there appeared to be miscommunication between Oscar Mercado and Pedro Leon on the play. As a result the ball landed on the warning track for a two-run double to start the scoring. Wheeler then hit catcher Dom Keegan with a pitch to put two runners on and Jacob Melton turned on a 3-0 pitch and hit it 391 feet with a 107.3 exit velocity.
That inning wrapped up the night for Wheeler who finished with a final line of 3 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 49 pitches/26 strikes.
Wheeler’s fastball velocity ranged from a low of 90.8 mph in the third inning to a high of 93.9 mph on a pitch to Justyn-Henry Malloy in the second inning. The velocity was right around where it was in his first rehab appearance last week.
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The plan is for Wheeler to make another rehab start next week — most likely on Thursday — with Lehigh Valley in their home ballpark against the Rochester Red Wings.
Wheeler is rehabbing from surgery to repair thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition that compresses nerves and/or veins between a person’s collarbone and top rib. The repair for the condition is to remove the first rib to provide extra space for the nerves and veins. The initial timetable for Wheeler to return was in early to mid May, but there has been some speculation that he could return after that next start with Lehigh Valley. It’s not clear whether the most recent outing will affect the timetable.
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