'He's the best in the league': Wheeler gets Phils' Opening Day nod
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CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Phillies manager Rob Thomson announced on Monday what everybody already expected.
Zack Wheeler will start on Opening Day on March 27 against the Nationals in D.C.
¡°He¡¯s one of the best pitchers in baseball,¡± Thomson said after Philadelphia's 4-2 Grapefruit League victory over the Blue Jays at BayCare Ballpark. ¡°It¡¯s the combination of power and command -- pitchability. That¡¯s why he¡¯s so great.¡±
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Wheeler had been lined up since late last month to start the season opener against the Nationals, who will start left-hander MacKenzie Gore (10-12, 3.90 ERA last season). Gore went 1-1 with a 3.42 ERA in four starts against the Phillies.
But Wheeler was the obvious choice for the Phils on Opening Day, even in a rotation full of former All-Star starters.
It will be Wheeler¡¯s second consecutive Opening Day start.
¡°He¡¯s a stud, man,¡± said Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola, who started six consecutive Opening Days from 2018-23. ¡°His track record shows it. I¡¯ll say it again, I think he¡¯s the best in the league.¡±
A strong argument can be made that Wheeler has been baseball¡¯s best pitcher the past five years.
Wheeler leads the Majors with 25.4 bWAR and 24.7 fWAR from 2020-24. He is second in wins (59), just one behind Framber Valdez (60). Wheeler is second in innings (829 1/3; behind Nola's 850) and WHIP (1.03; behind Corbin Burnes' 1.02), third in ERA (2.94) and sixth in strikeouts (899). He was the runner-up for the NL Cy Young Award in both 2021 and '24.
Wheeler has been a stud in the postseason, too. He is 4-3 with a 2.18 ERA in 12 postseason appearances (11 starts). His postseason ERA ranks 10th in baseball history (minimum eight starts). It¡¯s better than Curt Schilling (2.23), Orel Hershiser (2.59), Jim Palmer (2.61), John Smoltz (2.67) and Whitey Ford (2.71).
Left-hander Jes¨²s Luzardo and Nola are lined up to start Games 2 and 3, respectively, although Thomson did not want to announce anything until he speaks to his pitchers. Left-hander Cristopher S¨¢nchez is lined up to start the home opener against the Rockies at Citizens Bank Park on March 31. Left-hander Ranger Su¨¢rez would then start on April 2 against the Rockies.