Amid the joy of a weekend sweep over the Toronto Blue Jays, Phillies fans were hit with unexpected news—a beloved ace may be preparing for his final chapter, both in Philadelphia and on the mound, sooner than anyone anticipated.
As reported by The Athletic’s Matt Gelb, two-time All-Star, Phillies ace and one of the league’s most dominant pitchers, Zack Wheeler, wont be in a Phillies uniform for much longer—or any uniform for that matter. The 35-year-old Georgia native, who spent the first five seasons of his career with the division-rival New York Mets before signing with Philadelphia ahead of the 2020 season, has made it clear he plans to finish out the remainder of his three-year, $126 million contract extension—set to run through the 2027 season—before hanging up his cleats for good.
As Gelb writes, Wheeler’s intentions couldn’t be clearer: “Wheeler is unequivocal: When this $126 million contract expires at the end of the 2027 season, he is done with baseball. He has four kids at home who need a dad. He stares whenever anyone questions that.”
In an era where longevity among starting pitchers is increasingly rare, Wheeler has only continued to improve with age. “Wheeler has improved with age, defying assumptions about what an ace needs to stay elite in modern baseball,” noted Gelb. He has finished in the top six of the National League Cy Young voting three times in the past four seasons, including runner-up finishes in both 2021 and 2024—the latter coming behind Atlanta Braves left-hander Chris Sale.
Through 14 starts this season, Wheeler is 7–2 with a 2.76 ERA and 110 strikeouts over 88 innings pitched. With numbers like those, he’s shaping up to be a strong candidate to start next month’s All-Star Game, which will be held at Truist Park in Atlanta.
Over the course of his career, Wheeler holds a 110–72 record with a 3.30 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 1,735 strikeouts across 1,666.2 innings pitched.
Wheeler’s postseason numbers are equally as impressive, with a 2.18 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, and 77 strikeouts over 70⅓ innings.
Naturally, many are wondering whether Wheeler will stick to his retirement plans—especially if he continues to dominate on the mound as he has in recent seasons. “Doesn’t matter,” he said. “No.” He added, “It’ll be easy to walk away.”
His catcher, J.T. Realmuto, is hoping he’ll reconsider, “I can’t imagine him dominating for two more years and hanging them up. He loves it. … I’m holding out hope that he keeps pitching.” Phillies fans surely feel the same.
Regardless of what Wheeler ultimately decides, his impact on the Phillies—and the fans who’ve cheered him on—has already cemented his legacy in franchise history.
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