Zack Wheeler

Zachary Harrison Wheeler (born May 30, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has also played in MLB for the New York Mets.

Wheeler was born to a baseball-playing family in Smyrna, Georgia.  He moved to Dallas, Georgia, shortly before the start of high school. There, he pitched for East Paulding High School. He led the team to a state playoff appearance in 2009. He pitched a no-hitter against Mill Creek High School. The San Francisco Giants chose Wheeler sixth overall in the 2009 MLB Draft. He decided to sign with the team rather than go to Kennesaw State where he had planned to play baseball. Wheeler played for the Giants' minor league teams in 2010 and 2011. He was traded to the Mets in July 2011.

Wheeler then rose through the Mets' farm system. He first played in the major leagues in 2013. Wheeler's tore his ulnar collateral ligament during spring training in 2015. He had Tommy John surgery for the injury. The Mets thought he would return during the 2016 season. He did not return until 2017 because of problems during his rehabilitation.

Wheeler became a free agent at the end of the 2019 season. He signed a five-year deal with the Phillies in December 2019. In his tenure with the Phillies, Wheeler has become the team's ace (best pitcher). He has had a below 3.00 ERA in five of his six seasons with the team.  He was named an All-Star in 2021, 2024, and 2025.

 Early life 

Zachary Harrison Wheeler was born on May 30, 1990, in Smyrna, Georgia. He was raised in Dallas, Georgia, by Barry and Elaine Wheeler. Wheeler's father played amateur baseball for 15 years. His mother playing softball even after having children. She would put a playpen in the dugout during weekend games. Zack was the youngest of three brothers. They all grew up playing baseball. His oldest brother, Jacob, stopped playing sports in high school after he had surgeries for supraventricular tachycardia. His middle brother, Adam, was a minor league pitcher in the New York Yankees farm system until he torn his glenoid labrum.

The Wheeler family moved to Dallas, Georgia, when Zack was 13 years old. Wheeler attended East Paulding High School, where he played baseball and basketball. As a junior in 2008, Wheeler had an 8–3 win–loss record, with a 1.31 earned run average (ERA) and 127 strikeouts in  innings pitched.  He was named the Georgia High School Association 4A Region Pitcher of the Year. The next year, he set a school record with 149 strikeouts in 76 innings. He had a 9–0 record and 0.54 ERA.  Wheeler was named the Gatorade Georgia Player of the Year. As a designated hitter, Wheeler also had a batting average of .280 during his senior year. During the second round of 2009 Class 5A state playoffs, Wheeler pitched his first no-hitter, against Mill Creek High School. In 2015, East Paulding retired Wheeler's No. 45 jersey.

 Professional career 

Zachary Harrison Wheeler (born May 30, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has also played in MLB for the New York Mets.

Wheeler was born to a baseball-playing family in Smyrna, Georgia.  He moved to Dallas, Georgia, shortly before the start of high school. There, he pitched for East Paulding High School. He led the team to a state playoff appearance in 2009. He pitched a no-hitter against Mill Creek High School. The San Francisco Giants chose Wheeler sixth overall in the 2009 MLB Draft. He decided to sign with the team rather than go to Kennesaw State where he had planned to play baseball. Wheeler played for the Giants' minor league teams in 2010 and 2011. He was traded to the Mets in July 2011.

Wheeler then rose through the Mets' farm system. He first played in the major leagues in 2013. Wheeler's tore his ulnar collateral ligament during spring training in 2015. He had Tommy John surgery for the injury. The Mets thought he would return during the 2016 season. He did not return until 2017 because of problems during his rehabilitation.

Wheeler became a free agent at the end of the 2019 season. He signed a five-year deal with the Phillies in December 2019. In his tenure with the Phillies, Wheeler has become the team's ace (best pitcher). He has had a below 3.00 ERA in five of his six seasons with the team.  He was named an All-Star in 2021, 2024, and 2025.

 Early life 
Zachary Harrison Wheeler was born on May 30, 1990, in Smyrna, Georgia. He was raised in Dallas, Georgia, by Barry and Elaine Wheeler. Wheeler's father played amateur baseball for 15 years. His mother playing softball even after having children. She would put a playpen in the dugout during weekend games. Zack was the youngest of three brothers. They all grew up playing baseball. His oldest brother, Jacob, stopped playing sports in high school after he had surgeries for supraventricular tachycardia. His middle brother, Adam, was a minor league pitcher in the New York Yankees farm system until he torn his glenoid labrum.

The Wheeler family moved to Dallas, Georgia, when Zack was 13 years old. Wheeler attended East Paulding High School, where he played baseball and basketball. As a junior in 2008, Wheeler had an 8–3 win–loss record, with a 1.31 earned run average (ERA) and 127 strikeouts in  innings pitched.  He was named the Georgia High School Association 4A Region Pitcher of the Year. The next year, he set a school record with 149 strikeouts in 76 innings. He had a 9–0 record and 0.54 ERA.  Wheeler was named the Gatorade Georgia Player of the Year. As a designated hitter, Wheeler also had a batting average of .280 during his senior year. During the second round of 2009 Class 5A state playoffs, Wheeler pitched his first no-hitter, against Mill Creek High School. In 2015, East Paulding retired Wheeler's No. 45 jersey.

 Draft and minor leagues 
The San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB) chose Wheeler in the first round of the 2009 MLB Draft.  He was the sixth pick in the draft. At the time, he had planned to play college baseball at Kennesaw State. On August 17, 2009, Wheeler signed with the Giants. His deal included a $3.3 million signing bonus.

The Giants put Wheeler on their Class A Augusta GreenJackets team in the South Atlantic League to start the 2010 season. He was placed on the disabled list early in the year. He had a fingernail injury on the middle finger of his throwing hand. Wheeler was sent to San Francisco to see the team's hand doctor. He later returned to the GreenJackets.  There he made several relief appearances before re-entering the starting rotation. In 21 games with Augusta, including 13 starts, Wheeler posted a 3–3 record and a 3.99 ERA, with 70 strikeouts in  innings. He also played in the 2010 All-Star Futures Game in Anaheim, California.
Before the 2011 season, Baseball America named Wheeler the number two prospect in the Giants organization. They said that he had the "best fastball" in the farm system. He was assigned to the Class A-Advanced San Jose Giants. He went 7–5 with a 3.99 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 16 starts and 88 innings pitched. He also played in the 2011 California League All-Star Game.

On July 28, 2011, the Giants traded Wheeler to the New York Mets.  The Giants received veteran outfielder Carlos Beltrán and cash. Giants general manager Brian Sabean said that they chose to trade Wheeler because, "[w]e didn't think (Zack) Wheeler was going to impact our situation in the immediate future. Quite frankly, it's our job to find another Wheeler or develop another Wheeler." He spent the rest of the season with the Class A St. Lucie Mets. There he went 2–2 with a 2.00 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 27 innings across six starts.
The Mets assigned Wheeler to the Double A Binghamton Mets of the Eastern League at the start of the 2012 season. He became the best player in that season's Binghamton pitching rotation. He struck out 25 percent of batters he faced.  This led the Eastern League. In 116 innings and 19 starts, Wheeler went 10–6 with Binghamton. He gave up only two home runs. He was named an Eastern League All-Star. Wheeler also received his second All-Star Future Game selection. On July 14, 2012, Wheeler pitched his first professional complete game shutout in a 1–0 victory over the Erie SeaWolves. The next day, the Mets said that he was not being considered for a major league promotion.

On July 31, he struck out 11 batters in a game against the Harrisburg Senators.  The next day the Mets moved Wheeler to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. Many Mets pitchers had injuries that year.  They decided to have their young pitchers pitch fewer innings. They decided Wheeler should only pitch 150 innings that year. On September 1, he threw five innings against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. The Mets did not let him pitch anymore in 2012. In 149 innings between Binghamton and Buffalo, Wheeler had a 12–8 season record with a 3.26 ERA. He led Minor League Baseball with 148 strikeouts. Mets general manager Sandy Alderson told reporters that Wheeler would probably start the 2013 season with Buffalo. He also said Wheeler would probably play his first major league game that same year.

The Buffalo Bisons decided to be the Toronto Blue Jays' Triple-A team during the 2012 offseason. Wheeler and other Mets Triple-A pitchers began pitching in 2013 for the Las Vegas 51s of the Pacific Coast League.  This league was known at the time for being good for hitters but hard for pitchers. Wheeler had a rough start to the season. He had a 6.34 ERA in his first three starts with Las Vegas. He pitched well in his fourth game. He struck out eight batters in  innings against the Reno Aces on April 30. With Las Vegas that season, Wheeler had a 4–2 record with a 3.93 ERA and 73 strikeouts in  innings and 13 starts.

 New York Mets (2013–2014, 2017–2019) 

 2013–14 
Wheeler played in his first major league game on June 18, 2013. He pitched six shutout innings in the second game of a doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves. Wheeler had seven strikeouts and gave up four hits in the 6–1 win. On August 15, Wheeler struck out a career-high 12 batters in a 4–1 win over the San Diego Padres. He became the youngest Mets pitcher to record at least 12 strikeouts in a game since Doc Gooden in 1986. On September 21, the Mets ended his season.  This was because he felt shoulder stiffness in his last game. Wheeler finished his first season with a 7–5 record, a 3.42 ERA, and 84 strikeouts in 100 innings in 17 starts.

Matt Harvey would miss the 2014 season to recover from Tommy John surgery. Some sports writers thought Wheeler would become the Mets' ace. His pitching did not always pitch well in the first two months of the season. He had a large number of walks. He had poor record against left-handed batters. On June 19, 2014, Wheeler pitched a complete-game shutout against the Miami Marlins.  He only faced 28 batters and allowed just three hits. The Mets' 2014 season was thought of as disappointing.  They did not make the playoffs. Wheeler's pitching was considered to be a good part of the season. He had an 11–11 record that season, with a 3.54 ERA and 187 strikeouts in  innings in 32 starts.

 2015–16 
On March 16, 2015, the Mets said that Wheeler had torn the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. The injury was found after he began having pain during spring training. People reported that Wheeler had torn a tendon in the same elbow during the previous season. They said that he had platelet-rich plasma therapy to heal his elbow better. Wheeler had Tommy John surgery for the torn ligament on March 25. The Mets hoped Wheeler would return to the team in July 2016.

Wheeler had problems in his return from Tommy John surgery. In early April 2016, he had a second surgery. This was to take out a undissolved stitch in his elbow. The Mets moved his expected return to after the MLB All-Star break. In late June, he felt pain in his elbow again. Finally, in mid-August, the Mets ended his season. Doctors said he had a strained flexor tendon. It needed another plasma injection. On September 3, Mets manager Terry Collins told reporters that Wheeler would not pitch anymore in 2016.

 2017–19 
Wheeler signed a one-year, $800,000 contract with the Mets on January 11, 2017. He made his first major league start in over two years on April 8.  He allowed five runs and six hits in only four innings against the Miami Marlins. Wheeler had a good first inning with his fastball speeds up to . His speed dropped to  as the game continued. The worst two starts of his career both happen in June. First, he gave up eight runs in  innings against the Chicago Cubs. Then he gave up two home runs to Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Cody Bellinger.

Wheeler was put on the 10-day disabled list on June 22 with biceps tendinitis. He had been feeling soreness in the arm since a June 7 start against the Texas Rangers. Some sports writers wondered if he should have been pitching in those games. Injuries continued to happen to Wheeler through the second part of the season. He returned to the disabled list on July 24 after suffering an injury to the humerus. The met season on August 24. In 17 starts, Wheeler posted a 3–7 record with a 5.21 ERA for the 2017 season.

Wheeler was healthy to start the 2018 season. The Mets signed All-Star Jason Vargas in the offseason.  People thought that Wheeler would be moved out of the starting rotation and into the bullpen because of this. He did not pitch well in spring training. Wheeler began the season in the minor leagues in Las Vegas. Vargas was injured early in the season. Wheeler took his spot on the Mets. He had a good game against the Washington Nationals on April 18.  This showed he could stay with the Mets. His pitching was especially good after the All-Star break. He led MLB in WHIP with 0.81 and had the second-lowest ERA with 1.32. By mid-September, the Mets thought about ending his season early. His  innings pitched were more than two times his 2017 total. Mets manager Mickey Callaway said on September 19, 2018, that Wheeler would not pitch anymore that year. He went 12–7 for the year, with a 3.31 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP in 29 starts.

Wheeler was set to become a free agent at the end of the 2019 season. People thought that the Mets would try to trade Wheeler before the July 31 deadline. They chose to keep him. General manager Brodie Van Wagenen told reporters, "We think he's a good pitcher. We have interest in him being a Met for the long term." Like in 2018, Wheeler was better in the second half of 2019. He had a 4.69 ERA in the first part of the season. Then he allowed only one earned run in each of his final five starts. Wheeler also had the most innings pitched () and strikeouts (195) in his career. He finished the season with an 11–8 record and a 3.96 ERA in 31 starts."Zack Wheeler Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on April 18, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.

 Philadelphia Phillies (2020–present) 
On December 9, 2019, the Philadelphia Phillies signed Wheeler as a free agent to a five-year, $118 million contract. He played his first game for them in a 7–1 victory against the Miami Marlins on July 25, 2020. This was less than a week after the birth of his son Wesley. On September 9, Wheeler's fingernail ripped from nail bed while he was trying to put on a pair of jeans. A week later, he pitched with a fake fingernail. He had surgery for the injury on October 12. The 2020 season was short because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He had a 4–2 record and 2.92 ERA in 11 games and 71 innings. He led the NL in batters hit by pitch with 7."Zack Wheeler Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on April 18, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021. He was the first Phillies pitcher to allow three or fewer runs in each of his first 10 starts with the team. He allowed only three home runs.  That was the fewest of any pitcher in 2020 who pitched at least 70 innings.

In his first 2021 game, Wheeler struck out 10 batters in 7 innings. He became the first Phillies' pitcher to have two or more hits and RBIs in a game since Ben Lively in 2017. On May 29, Wheeler struck out a career-high 14 batters.  He was the third pitcher in Phillies history, following Steve Carlton and Curt Schilling, to strike out 10 or more batters in three starts in a row. He had a 2.05 ERA in his first 17 starts. He led the league with 139 strikeouts in 114 innings pitched. Wheeler received his first MLB All-Star Game selection because of his good first part of the season. Some fans thought that Wheeler would be chosen to start for the National League team, but Max Scherzer of the Nationals was the starter.  Wheeler pitched at the top of the ninth inning to strike out Matt Olson and end the inning. Wheeler led MLB with a career-high  innings. He finished the season 14–10 with a 2.78 ERA. He also had league-leading three complete games, two shutouts, and 849 batters faced. He struck out 247 batters. He was first Phillies pitcher to win the NL strikeout title since Curt Schilling in 1998. Wheeler finished second in NL Cy Young Award voting behind Corbin Burnes. He was named a finalist for the 2021 NL Gold Glove Award at pitcher. It was won by Max Fried.

In 2022, he was 12–7 with a 2.82 ERA in 153 innings with 163 strikeouts over 26 starts. His career 0.812 home runs-per-9 innings was the 4th-lowest among active major league pitchers. His salary of $26 million was the 10th-highest of all NL baseball players.

In 2023, his ERA went up to 3.61, but his win-loss record improved to 13–6. He struck out 212 batters in 192 innings.  He won his first Gold Glove Award."Zack Wheeler Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com. He mostly used his four-seam fastball (44% of the time) and slider (27%), while also mixing in a sinker and curveball.

On March 4, 2024, Wheeler signed a three-year, $126 million contract extension with the Phillies. In 2024, he was 16–7 with a 2.57 ERA in 200 innings with 224 strikeouts over 32 starts. He finished second in NL Cy Young voting for the second time. Chris Sale won the award.

On June 9, 2025, Wheeler struck out Kyle Tucker in the sixth inning. This was Wheeler's 1,000th career strikeout as a Philadelphia Phillie. He became the 10th player in team history to reach 1,000 strikeouts as a Phillie.

In July 2025, Wheeler decided not to play in the 2025 All-Star Game at Truist Park in Atlanta. He said that he would "rather just get [himself] ready to go for the second half" of the season even though "it would be an honor to throw [or] start."

On August 16, Wheeler was placed on the injured list. He had a blood clot near his right shoulder. On August 23, doctors said he had venous thoracic outlet syndrome. He decided to have season-ending thoracic outlet decompression surgery. Wheeler finished his 2025 season with a 10–5 record, a 2.71 ERA, and 195 strikeouts (a league-high mark at the time of his injury).

 The way he pitches 

Wheeler uses five pitches. These include a four-seam fastball, a sinker, a curveball, a slider, and a changeup. Baseball experts think Wheeler's four-seam fastball is his best pitch. In 2019, his average fastball speed was .  This was much higher than the MLB average of . His sinker is also known for its speed. In the 2020 season, Wheeler's sinker speed of  was the second-highest among pitchers who threw the pitch at least 100 times. Wheeler began to use his fastball more as he got older. This is because batters made contact more often against the sinker. New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole did the same thing.  Cole's did better when he used his sinker less.

Wheeler thinks his curveball is "decent." He thinks that his control of the pitch has gotten worse as his slider has gotten better. His changeup is a pitch Wheeler began throwing in the 2014 season.  He uses it to confuse batters who think he is going to throw a hard fastball. His slider is the pitch he thinks he has to work on the most. Wheeler said before the 2021 season that he wanted to be more consistent in throwing it. He wanted to "make it look like a strike instead of it ... being like a waste pitch".

 Personal life 

Wheeler and his wife Dominique have four children. They have a son born July 20, 2020. They also have three daughters. They reside in Dallas, Georgia during the offseason.

Wheeler has a close friendship with retired Atlanta Braves player Chipper Jones. The two were introduced when Jones' agents met with Wheeler in high school.

 References 

 Other websites 

Category:Philadelphia Phillies players
Category:New York Mets players
Category:National League All-Stars
Category:Living people
Category:1990 births