Zack Wheeler Accomplishes Feat Not Done This Century Mowing Down Red Sox

The Philadelphia Phillies got their series with the Boston Red Sox off on the right foot, picking up a 2-1 victory at Fenway Park.

A solo home run by Kyle Schwarber, his fifth game in a row with a long ball, in the top of the first inning, and an RBI double from Bryson Stott in the top of the second inning were all the run support that Zack Wheeler would need.

He has not missed a beat in his return to the mound after dealing with blood clots near the end of the 2025 season. There were some concerns about diminished velocity during his rehab, but that has not stopped him from producing at a historic level.

Against the Red Sox, he did something that hasn’t been accomplished this century. As shared by the official MLB account on X, Wheeler needed just 16 pitches to get through the first three innings of the game.

Zack Wheeler makes historically quick work of Red Sox

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) throws a pitch against the Boston Red Sox. — May 12, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) throws a pitch against the Boston Red Sox in the first inning at Fenway Park. | David Butler II-Imagn Images

That is the fewest pitches thrown by a starting pitcher through the first three innings since at least 2000.

The wildest part about how fast Wheeler sat the Boston lineup down through the first three innings was that runners were on base in the second and third. He hit Masatak Yoshida with a pitch to lead off the bottom of the second, but he was erased from the basepaths when Trevor Story hit into a 6-4-3 double play.

Zack Wheeler needed just 16 pitches to complete the first 3 innings tonight.

That's the fewest pitches thrown by a starter through the first 3 innings of a game since at least 2000! pic.twitter.com/3Z6rYuMhFs
— MLB (@MLB) May 13, 2026

In the bottom of the third, the Red Sox got the leadoff hitter on base again when Marcelo Mayer singled to right-center field. After Carlos Narvaez flew out to deep right-center field, Caleb Durin hit into an inning-ending double play.

From that point on, Wheeler continued dealing. The only blemish against him on the evening was an RBI single from Ceddanne Rafaela in the bottom of the seventh inning that cut the lead in half.

But, he was able to retire Mayer on a grounder to Trea Turner to end the threat and help the Phillies maintain their lead. He recorded one out in the bottom of the eighth inning before being lifted from the game in favor of Jose Alvarado.

Round of applause for Wheels 👏 pic.twitter.com/f26NROhGvu
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) May 13, 2026

Wheeler finished the night, throwing 7.1 innings, allowing six hits and issuing zero walks with one earned run against him. He added four strikeouts in an economical start in which he threw only 87 pitches, 57 of which went for strikes.

That is only the fourth time that a Philadelphia starting pitcher has recorded at least seven innings in a start, and all of them have come since Don Mattingly took over as interim manager from Rob Thomson.

Sign up for our free newsletter and keep up to date with the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google