Phillies Need Ace Zack Wheeler Healthy To Achieve Their Ultimate Goal

If the Philadelphia Phillies are going to win the World Series, they will need a healthy Zack Wheeler.

Aug 10, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) throws dur ing the third inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Even though the Philadelphia Phillies are coming off a sweep of the Seattle Mariners, the team should be very concerned about the status of their ace going forward. 

It has been a strong season for the Phillies, and this is a team that has been playing well of late. At the trade deadline, they were aggressive in their pursuit of some help for their bullpen, and they landed closer Jhoan Duran from the Minnesota Twins. 

The right-hander has been fantastic since coming over, and the bullpen has gone from a weakness for the team to a strength fairly quickly. Adding Duran appeared to be the move that was going to be able to help push Philadelphia over the top, but they unfortunately received some bad injury news about their ace, Zack Wheeler. 

Wheeler was recently placed on the injured list with a blood clot in his shoulder. With this being an extremely serious matter, there is no timetable for his return, and both he and the Phillies will be extremely cautious. 

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The All-Star right-hander might not get the credit that he deserves for just how good he has been for the team since they signed him. After finishing as the runner-up in the NL Cy Young race last year, he has performed very well once again in 2025. 

So far this campaign, he has totaled a 10-5 record and 2.71 ERA. Before heading to the IL, he was once again in the NL Cy Young conversation, but there are more important matters for him to attend to now. 

For the Phillies, the loss of their ace and one of the best pitchers in baseball is a massive blow. While he could return, it is impossible to know, and the team will have to operate under that assumption now. 

Can Phillies Win It All Without Wheeler?

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Fortunately, even without Wheeler, this is an excellent staff. Christopher Sanchez has been performing like an ace, and it very well could be his time to lead now. Furthermore, even though he has struggled this year, Aaron Nola recently returned from the IL. Southpaws Ranger Suarez and Jesus Luzardo are both capable of starting in a postseason game, making this a deep unit. 

Even though it is far from ideal not to have Wheeler, this is still a strong rotation. However, when it comes to thinking about winning the World Series, they will need their ace back to accomplish that lofty goal.