Even as arguably the best pitcher in baseball, Zack Wheeler is still getting better
Zack Wheeler had a grievance to air. Despite a strong performance, Wheeler didn’t like the mound he had to endure last Friday night at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento.
“The mound was terrible,” Wheeler told reporters, including Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Philadelphia, after the Phillies’ 4-3 win over the Athletics.
“It was like cement right in front of the rubber,” Wheeler said, “and if you didn’t break it up, there were little bumps in it. It probably doesn’t sound like a lot but when you’re used to pitching on similar mounds throughout the league, just that little difference messes with you. Couldn’t really get into the dirt to drive, was kinda throwing all arm tonight.”
Despite throwing “all arm,” Wheeler’s average velocities were up on five of his six pitch types. He touched 98.3 mph with his four-seam fastball, averaging 96.6 mph, tied for his highest in a start this season. Wheeler also averaged 96.6 mph in his May 17 outing against the Pirates.
Wheeler, who walked the last two batters he faced, pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings against the A’s. He allowed three hits. None came against his four-seamer, which is the best it’s ever been.
Wheeler’s four-seam fastball is his bread and butter. Since joining the Phillies in 2020, he’s thrown the pitch more than any other. He’s used it at least 40% of the time each year. It’s made up 40.9% of Wheeler’s pitches thrown so far this year, per Statcast.
Last season, hitters batted .210 against Wheeler’s four-seamer. They slugged .397. Those are more-than-solid numbers, and ones around where they’ve been on a year-to-year basis during Wheeler’s time in Philadelphia. This year, those numbers are even better. So is the pitch’s put-away rate, a number that tells us how often a pitcher gets a strikeout with a certain pitch when throwing it with two strikes.
Year | Batting Average | Slugging Percentage | PutAway% |
2020 | .293 | .397 | 14.2 |
2021 | .224 | .317 | 24.0 |
2022 | .210 | .342 | 24.4 |
2023 | .201 | .337 | 23.4 |
2024 | .210 | .397 | 20.7 |
2025 | .165 | .271 | 27.8 |
Those numbers also make Wheeler’s one of the best four-seam fastballs in the majors. Through Memorial Day, the batting average against it was sixth-lowest among four-seam fastballs thrown at least 300 times by their respective pitchers. The slugging percentage was the seventh-lowest. The put-away rate, fourth-highest.
In his last three starts — all scoreless performances — Wheeler’s fastball has been even better. Throwing it 114 times out of 298 total pitches, Wheeler held opposing hitters to a .100 average and a .200 slugging percentage against his four-seamer. The pitch averaged 96.3 mph.
Wheeler’s three consecutive scoreless starts have extended his scoreless streak to 22 2/3 innings. The last run he surrendered came on a two-run home run by Yandy Díaz in the bottom of the fourth inning on May 6 in Tampa Bay against the Rays. Since that homer, Wheeler’s been locked in, firing 23 2/3 innings while allowing 10 hits, striking out 28 batters and walking five.
While he’s been on another level over his last few starts, Wheeler’s dominance has been present all year. He remains one of baseball’s best pitchers, sporting a 2.42 ERA in 11 starts. Wheeler’s 2.1 wins above replacement, according to FanGraphs, is tied for seventh among starting pitchers.
Among his dominant numbers this year, some, along with those on his four-seam fastball, are the best they’ve ever been. Wheeler is currently holding the highest strikeout rate of his career (32.7%) and the second-lowest walk rate (5.2%). Opponents are batting .190 against Wheeler with a .570 OPS; both are career-bests. The right-hander’s 0.877 WHIP is also currently a career-best.
Wheeler is scheduled to toe the rubber on Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park against the Braves. It’s a favorable matchup for the Phillies ace, at least on paper.
Entering Tuesday’s series opener, Atlanta ranked 18th in the majors in batting average against four-seam fastballs (.249). They were 20th in slugging percentage (.410). Those marks were even lower on fastballs of at least 95 mph. Wheeler also has a 2.38 ERA in 17 regular-season starts against the Braves since coming to Philadelphia.
For Wheeler, and most pitchers, it all starts with the fastball. It’s been no different this year for the soon-to-be 35-year-old, who, through 11 starts, is seemingly getting better thanks to his tried-and-true four-seamer.