Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler was excellent on the mound during Friday's game against the Miami Marlins. Wheeler gave up a two-run home run to Eric Wagaman, but was basically untouchable outside of that. He tossed seven innings, allowing five hits, two earned runs, and recording 13 strikeouts in the win. Wheeler hasn't been like himself lately, but hopefully this outing will help him get back on track. He'll take a 3.73 ERA with 41 strikeouts into his next start against the New York Mets. Fantasy managers have been given a few bad starts from Wheeler, but he remains a must-start in fantasy formats.

Phillies ace Zack Wheeler had another down day on Sunday and ultimately was handed his first loss of the season. Wheeler went six full innings against the Cardinals, allowing seven hits, one walk, and four earned runs in the 89-pitch outing. He recorded just three strikeouts, his lowest game total of the season and his fewest since recording a pair in a four-inning outing on May 12 of last season. Wheeler allowed 11 baserunners and five earned runs in his previous start, against the Braves. Through four starts in the young season, Wheeler is 1-1 with 28 strikeouts, a 4.07 ERA, and 1.07 WHIP. Wheeler should be able to right the ship in his next start. He is slated to face the Marlins at home on April 18.

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler was excellent on the mound during Wednesday's start against the Colorado Rockies. The right-hander had seemingly no issues outside of Hunter Goodman's solo blast in the seventh inning. Wheeler tossed seven innings, allowing three hits, and striking out 10 batters in the 5-1 victory. To be fair, Wheeler did have a favorable matchup against the lowly Rockies lineup. He did what he needed to do and showed why he is the ace of this staff. We'll see if Wheeler has the same amount of success against a much stronger Atlanta Braves lineup in his next start.

Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson announced on Monday that right-hander Zack Wheeler will start on Opening Day on Thursday, March 27, against the division-rival Washington Nationals on the road. The decision doesn't come as a surprise, even though the Phillies also have right-hander Aaron Nola, who would be a staff ace for most other teams. The 34-year-old Wheeler is ranked as the No. 3 fantasy starter at RotoBaller, behind only Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes, after going 16-7 with a 2.57 ERA (3.13 FIP), league-low 0.95 WHIP, 224 strikeouts and 52 walks in 200 innings over 32 starts in his fifth year in Philadelphia. Wheeler has now racked up 200-plus strikeouts and at least 192 innings pitched in three of the last four years. He'll be one of the best DFS plays at the position on Opening Day as well against the Nats.

Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson said over the weekend that he'd like to split up right-handers Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola in the starting rotation this year and also do the same with left-handers Cristopher Sanchez and Jesus Luzardo. It could result in an opening-week rotation of Wheeler, Sanchez, Nola, Luzardo and left-hander Ranger Suarez. In addition, right-hander Joe Ross will be built up as a starter in spring training in case an injury pops up. If the Phillies' top five starters are healthy going into Opening Day, Ross will open up in the bullpen in a relief role. Ross had a 1.67 ERA in 27 innings of relief in 2024 with the Milwaukee Brewers. Thomson said he'd be comfortable using Ross as a multi-inning reliever or in one-inning stints in more high-leverage roles.

Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler won't be in the bullpen for Game 4 of the National League Division Series on Wednesday against the division-rival New York Mets at Citi Field. Wheeler would only pitch in an emergency situation in this must-win game for the Phillies. Left-hander Cristopher Sanchez, who started Game 2 on Sunday, will be available in a relief role. The Phillies are starting left-hander Ranger Suarez on Wednesday. The 34-year-old Wheeler is on just three days of rest and went 111 pitches in the team's Game 1 loss against the Mets on Saturday. Wheeler was excellent in a no-decision on Saturday, tossing seven shutout innings while giving up only one hit, walking four and striking out nine. If Philadelphia wins on Wednesday and forces a deciding Game 5 on Friday back at Citizens Bank Park, Wheeler would make the start for the Phillies.

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler tossed seven shutout frames in Game 1 of the NLDS on Saturday afternoon. He allowed just one hit to third baseman Mark Vientos and four free passes. He struck out nine. Wheeler put the Phillies in position to win the opening game of the series, but the bullpen could not hold the one-run lead late into the game. The 34-year-old will likely take the again mound in Game 4 or 5, depending on where the Phillies stand in the series. This was another stellar outing for the Cy Young candidate as he posted a dominant 1.83 ERA and 0.79 WHIP across his final six starts of the regular season. Wheeler remains a top pick in DFS formats when he makes his next start this postseason, given his ability to go deep into games and generate a high number of strikeouts.

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler threw six innings of one-run ball in Friday's 16-2 victory over the Marlins, allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out seven batters on the way to earning his 14th win of the season. It was the seventh straight quality start, giving him 22 on the season and the most quality starts in all of baseball. The former first-round draft pick is having a Cy Young-caliber season, posting a 2.59 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and a 21.0% K-BB% over 28 starts. The 34-year-old will take on the Rays in his next matchup at home on Wednesday.

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler threw seven shutout innings in Saturday's 3-0 victory over the Braves, allowing just four hits and no walks while striking out seven batters on the way to earning his 13th win of the season. It was the sixth straight quality start, giving him 21 on the season and tying him with the Mariners' Logan Gilbert for the most quality starts in all of baseball. The former first-round draft pick is having a Cy Young-caliber season, posting a 2.63 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and a 20.8% K-BB% over 27 starts. The 34-year-old gets a favorable start in his next matchup which will be with the Marlins on the road next weekend.

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler pitched well but fell to 12-5 in Tuesday's 3-1 loss to the Braves. Wheeler pitched six innings, allowing two runs on six hits (including a solo home run) and no walks with eight strikeouts. However, Reynaldo Lopez (forearm) held the Phillies in check in his return from the injured list. The 34-year-old has once again been a reliable high-end fantasy starter with a 2.73 ERA, a 9.89 K/9 rate, and a 2.50 BB/9 rate in 25 starts and 154 2/3 IP. In his next start, he will face a tough matchup at the Royals, but fantasy managers have no reason to avoid him.

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitching Zack Wheeler tossed six innings of two-run ball (one earned) en route to earning his 12th victory of the campaign. He allowed just three hits and no walks while striking out six. The one blemish on Wheeler's start came in the fifth inning as he served up a solo shot to Washington backstop Keibert Ruiz. Since allowing seven earned runs on July 29, the right-hander has held a strong 1.35 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, and a 3:23 BB:K ratio across his past 20 innings. Under the hood, he boasts an excellent 33.2% hard-hit rate and 27.5% K rate, which suggests he should continue to enjoy a nice second half. Wheeler should always remain in your starting lineup and is worth a look in DFS in any matchup.

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler was nearly unhittable on the mound during Sunday's outing against the Seattle Mariners. Wheeler piled up nine strikeouts while allowing only two hits over eight scoreless innings in the win. The 34-year-old retired the final 15 batters he faced during this outing. Wheeler has been hard to hit all season long as he takes a 2.77 ERA and 148 strikeouts into his next start against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler turned in another strong start in Tuesday's 3-0 win over the Twins. Wheeler pitched seven innings, allowing three hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. Unfortunately, his offense couldn't provide support until the ninth inning, leaving him with a no-decision. The 34-year-old is now 10-4 with a 2.55 ERA, a 9.68 K/9 rate, and a 2.69 BB/9 rate in 20 starts and 123 2/3 IP. Fantasy managers will be pleased to see Wheeler bounce back from a relatively pedestrian 2023 season. His next scheduled start will be a tough matchup against the Yankees, but he has proven to be matchup-proof for some time.

Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler (back) is listed as the team's probable starter for Tuesday's contest on the road in Minnesota against the Twins. As a precaution, Wheeler had his final start of the first half skipped last Sunday against the Oakland Athletics due to back spasms. The issue is considered minor, though, and the 34-year-old veteran All-Star is ready to roll for his first start of the second half on Tuesday. It's not the best of matchups on the road, but fantasy managers should feel comfortable rolling Wheeler out there against a Twins team that will be missing star shortstop Carlos Correa (foot). Wheeler was as consistent as they come for fantasy managers in the first half in 2024, going 10-4 with a 2.70 ERA and 0.99 WHIP with 126 strikeouts and 35 walks in 116 2/3 innings over his 19 starts. Roll him out there in Minnesota next week.

Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler (back) will not make his next scheduled start on Sunday against the Oakland Athletics after being removed from his outing on Wednesday early against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers with lower-back tightness. However, manager Rob Thomson said Wheeler will start in his first turn coming out of next week's All-Star break, but it's unclear which day that will fall on. While fantasy managers would have loved to have used the 34-year-old veteran in a juicy matchup on Sunday in a two-start week, they'd probably prefer that the Phils play it safe and hold him out until the second half. Unsurprisingly, Wheeler has been a must-start for fantasy managers every time he toes the rubber in 2024. He's gone 10-4 with a 2.70 ERA and 0.99 WHIP with 126 strikeouts and only 35 walks in 116 2/3 innings over his 19 starts in his fifth year in Philly.

Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler (back) is still sore after leaving his start early on Tuesday against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers with lower-back tightness, but an MRI exam on Wednesday showed no structural damage. "We're going to be very cautious with him," manager Rob Thomson said. When asked if Wheeler will make his next scheduled start on Sunday against the visiting Oakland Athletics, Thomson said, "Not sure yet. We'll know tomorrow. We're not going to risk anything." It's an excellent matchup for Wheeler's fantasy managers, but with the All-Star break coming next week, it's likely they'll skip him to avoid taking any chances. The 34-year-old pitched well in his 10th win of the year against LA on Tuesday despite the back injuries and has been a must-start in all fantasy formats all year.

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler (back) left Tuesday's game against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers with left lower-back tightness. Wheeler was removed from Tuesday's start after throwing just 76 pitches, but with the first-place Phillies cruising along on the scoreboard, there should be some optimism that the 34-year-old All-Star isn't dealing with a significant setback and was pulled for precautionary reasons. Fantasy managers should deem him day-to-day ahead of Sunday's scheduled appearance at home against the Oakland Athletics to close out the first half of the year, but it's fair to start making other arrangements with the All-Star break looming. After tossing five innings of one-run ball with seven punchouts against the Dodgers, Wheeler now has an excellent 2.70 ERA and 0.99 WHIP with 126 strikeouts and 35 walks over 116 2/3 innings (19 starts) for Philly this year.UPDATE: Wheeler said he hopes to make his next start on Saturday against the A's, but he added his back has "bothered me here and there a little bit lately."

Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler was dominant in a 12-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday. Wheeler tossed seven innings of one-run ball while allowing just two hits and striking out eight. He picked up the win to improve his record to 9-4, to go along with a 2.73 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 107 strikeouts over 99 innings of work spanning 16 starts this season. Wheeler appears lined up to make his next start against a struggling Miami Marlins lineup next week. He will be a must-start for that favorable matchup.

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler continued his stellar season in Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Red Sox. Wheeler pitched seven innings, allowing one run on three hits and a walk with four strikeouts. The 34-year-old has rebounded after a relatively pedestrian 2023 season and is now 8-3 with a 2.16 ERA, a 9.75 K/9 rate, and a 2.77 BB/9 rate in 14 starts and 87 2/3 IP. Wheeler's ability to pitch deep into games and rack up strikeouts has made him a top fantasy option once again while being backed by one of baseball's best offenses. He will face a tough matchup in his next projected start at the Orioles but continues to be a must-start fantasy option.

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler put up another strong start against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers on Monday, striking out six batters across seven innings of one-run ball on five hits and three walks for his seventh win of the year. Make it four quality starts in a row for Wheeler, who's now reached double figures with 10 in this category this year. The 34-year-old fantasy stalwart will bring a sensational 2.23 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 91:26 K:BB over 13 starts (80 2/3 innings) into his next scheduled start, which doesn't line up until next Tuesday against the Boston Red Sox with the Phillies headed to London this weekend. Wheeler is a matchup-proof fantasy play each time he takes the mound.