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The Philadelphia Phillies got some good injury news on Thursday.
Good and terrible.
Just a few hours after the team confirmed that star outfielder Bryce Harper would be activated from the injured list on Friday, it placed workhorse starter Zack Wheeler on the 15-day IL due to right forearm tendinitis.
The Phillies have placed RHP Zack Wheeler on the 15-day IL (retro 8/22) with right forearm tendinitis.
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) August 25, 2022
Wheeler had been scheduled to start Friday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The runner-up in the NL Cy Young Award voting last year, Wheeler has pitched to a 3.07 ERA over 138 innings this season. He didn’t make his 2022 debut until April 12 because of some right shoulder soreness during spring training.
Wheeler, who led MLB in innings pitched in 2021, had a few rough starts to open his ‘22 campaign, allowing 12 earned runs in his first 12.2 innings. But over his previous 20 starts, he has posted a 2.51 ERA, a 4.72 K/BB ratio and a .616 opponents’ OPS.
The Phillies enter Thursday’s game versus Cincinnati holding onto the second NL Wild Card. They are two games ahead of the Padres, who have the No. 3 spot, and 3.5 games in front of the Brewers.