Fantasy News

• Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Another 10-strikeout loss

  Rotowire Apr 14, 2024

  Wheeler (0-3) took the loss Sunday, allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits and three walks across five innings against Pittsburgh. He struck out 10. Despite Wheeler's winless record, he's been putting together a strong start to 2024. He's gotten just six combined runs of support from his offense and has notched double-digit K's twice in four starts. Wheeler held the Pirates to just one run through five innings Sunday but let three batters on to start the sixth and was pulled without registering an out in the frame after surrendering a grand slam to Jack Suwinski. He's tied for the second-most quality starts in MLB and boasts an impressive 11.3 K/9 over 24.0 innings. Wheeler's next start is tentatively lined up to come against the White Sox on Saturday.

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• Phillies' Zack Wheeler: No run support in loss

  Rotowire Apr 10, 2024

  Wheeler (0-2) took the loss Tuesday against the Cardinals, allowing three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out five over seven innings. The Phillies failed to give Wheeler any run support despite getting 11 baserunners during the game. Wheeler was unable to keep the Cardinals off the scoreboard forever. He shut them out through three frames before Nolan Gorman took him deep in the fourth. The Cardinals then padded their lead in the fifth with two more runs after opening the inning with a pair of hits. If you look past the record, Wheeler has been excellent thus far with a 1.89 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 20:2 K:BB in 19 innings. He'll look for his first win of the year in his next start, which looks to come Sunday against the Pirates.

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• Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Fans 10 in tough loss

  Rotowire Apr 4, 2024

  Wheeler (0-1) took the loss Wednesday, giving up three runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk over six innings as the Phillies fell 4-1 to the Reds. He struck out 10. A Bryson Stott error and a hit by pitch contributed to a two-run third inning by Cincy, and Philly's offense never woke up in a game delayed by nearly seven hours due to rain. Wheeler still delivered his second straight quality start to begin the season despite the weather, and he generated 17 swinging strikes among his 93 pitches. The veteran right-hander will take a 15:1 K:BB through 12 innings into his next start, which lines up to come in St. Louis early next week.

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• Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Strong start wasted Friday

  Rotowire Mar 29, 2024

  Wheeler came away with a no-decision Friday, scattering five hits over six scoreless innings in a 9-3 loss to Atlanta. He struck out five without walking a batter. The right-hander had an impressive beginning to his campaign against a very tough opponent, but the Phillies' bullpen let him down after Wheeler left the mound with a 2-0 lead. He tossed 63 of 89 pitches for strikes and generated 18 swinging strikes, and after fanning 212 batters last year -- the second time in his career he's struck out 200 or more -- Wheeler seems poised to rack up an impressive whiff total again in 2024.

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• Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Atlanta-Philadelphia game postponed

  Rotowire Mar 27, 2024

  Wheeler and the Phillies won't face Atlanta on Thursday after the game was postponed due to forecasted rain in Philadelphia. The season opener for both clubs has been rescheduled for Friday at 3:05 p.m. ET. Wheeler, who had been slated to take the hill Thursday, will presumably be bumped back one day in the schedule to go head-to-head against Atlanta's Opening Day starter, Spencer Strider.

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• Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Confirmed for Opening Day

  Rotowire Mar 17, 2024

  Manager Rob Thomson announced Sunday that Wheeler will be Philadelphia's starter for Opening Day against Atlanta on March 28, Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The right-hander inked a three-year, $126 million extension with the Phillies in early March and will be their first pitcher to officially take the mound in 2024. Wheeler had a 3.61 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 212:39 K:BB across 192 innings last season, and he's looked like himself through three spring starts with two runs allowed and a 9:3 K:BB in nine frames.

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• Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Agrees to extension with Phillies

  Rotowire Mar 4, 2024

  Wheeler signed a three-year, $126 million contract extension with the Phillies on Monday, Buster Olney of ESPN reports. Wheeler had been in line to reach free agency after the upcoming season, but now he'll remain in Philadelphia for a while longer. The average annual value of the deal is a Phillies record and also the largest-ever AAV for a contract extension. The veteran right-hander has collected a 3.06 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 21.3 K-BB% across 101 starts during his time with the Phillies and will turn 34 in May.

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• Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Working toward long-term extension

  Rotowire Feb 20, 2024

  President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski confirmed Monday that Wheeler and the Phillies have been in negotiations on a long-term contract extension, Chris Nelsen of the Associated Press reports. "Zack would not mislead you. Of course, we've talked," Dombrowski said, after Wheeler relayed last Wednesday that he had been in touch with the Phillies on a new deal. "It is a priority. We would love to get that deal done." Wheeler is heading into the final season of the five-year, $118 million deal he signed with the Phillies in December 2019. Though he's been an All-Star for only one of the first four seasons of his deal, Wheeler has provided an excellent return on the Phillies' investment, going 43-25 with a 3.06 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 21.3 K-BB% across 101 starts. He's set to turn 34 years old in May, but Wheeler has shown no signs of decline and has arguably supplanted Aaron Nola -- who inked a seven-year, $172 million deal with the team in November -- as the staff ace. Wheeler said he prefers to have an agreement on an extension in place prior to Opening Day, and both sides should have plenty of incentive to hammer out a deal before spring training comes to a close.

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• Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Available in relief for Game 7

  Rotowire Oct 23, 2023

  Wheeler will be available out of the bullpen for Game 7 of the NLCS against the Diamondbacks on Tuesday, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. It'll be all hands on deck for the Phillies in Game 7, and Wheeler will be ready in relief if skipper Rob Thomson calls his name. Wheeler fired 99 pitches in Saturday's Game 5, but as Healey notes, Tuesday would be his between-starts bullpen day, so he'll likely be available for an inning.

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• Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Fans eight to earn win

  Rotowire Oct 3, 2023

  Wheeler allowed one run on five hits across 6.2 innings to secure the win in Tuesday's 4-1 victory over the Marlins in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series. He struck out eight. Wheeler was dominant in this outing, as he made quick work of the Marlins lineup, racking up 18 whiffs in the process. His sole mistake was allowing an RBI single to Bryan De La Cruz in the seventh inning that was set up by a defensive miscue when Wheeler forgot to cover first base. The right-hander thrives under pressure, as he now has a mint 2.55 ERA and 0.73 WHIP with 41 strikeouts across 42.1 career postseason innings.

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• Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Gets ball for Game 1

  Rotowire Oct 1, 2023

  Wheeler is starting Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series against the Marlins on Tuesday. Wheeler had a 3.29 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 47 strikeouts in 41 innings over his final seven starts of the season. He will pitch opposite Jesus Luzardo.

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• Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Cedes one run in loss

  Rotowire Sep 28, 2023

  Wheeler allowed one run on four hits and one walk across four innings in Thursday's 3-2 loss to the Pirates. He struck out five and took a no-decision. Wheeler threw only 67 pitches in this contest, as he likely earned time to recover in advance of the playoffs. Nonetheless, he made the most of his shorter outing by racking up 13 whiffs. The right-hander has put together another fine season, pitching to a 3.61 ERA and 1.08 WHIP across 192 innings with a milestone 212 strikeouts.

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• Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Collects 13th win

  Rotowire Sep 24, 2023

  Wheeler (13-6) picked up the win in Saturday's 7-5 victory over the Mets, giving up five runs (three earned) on eight hits and a walk over seven innings. He struck out six. The right-hander fired an efficient 99 pitches and generated 30 called or swinging strikes, but Wheeler faded late and nearly squandered the Phillies' lead by allowing three runs in the seventh inning. He held on for his fourth straight winning decision, and over that six-outing stretch he's posted a 3.41 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 42:8 K:BB through 37 innings while delivering five quality starts. Wheeler lines up to take the mound once more in the regular season -- a rematch with the Mets in New York next weekend -- but with the Phillies all but locked into the top wild-card spot in the NL, he could make an early exit to get a bit of extra rest ahead of the postseason.

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• Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Picks up 12th win

  Rotowire Sep 18, 2023

  Wheeler (12-6) yielded one run on three hits and two walks over six innings Monday, striking out five and earning a win over Atlanta. After allowing a solo homer to Ozzie Albies in the first inning, Wheeler retired 10 straight batters and cruised to a quality start. Wheeler is 3-0 with a 3.30 ERA over his last five starts and has 11 quality starts in his last 13 trips to the mound. He dropped his season ERA to 3.63 with a 201:37 K:BB through 30 appearances. His next outing is currently projected to be at home against the Mets this weekend.

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• Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Allows six runs to Atlanta

  Rotowire Sep 12, 2023

  Wheeler did not factor into the decision Tuesday, allowing six runs on seven hits and three walks over five innings in a 7-6 loss to Atlanta. He struck out four. Even the 33-year-old ace wasn't impervious to Atlanta's vaunted offense, yielding home runs of the solo, two-run and three-run varieties. It was the first time this season that Wheeler has allowed more than two homers in a start. He had been on a roll in his previous three starts, giving up just four earned runs across 19 innings with an awe-inspiring 27:2 K:BB during that stretch. However, Tuesday's poor performance inflated the righty's season-long ERA to 3.70, the highest in his four years in Philadelphia. Wheeler currently lines up for a road rematch with Atlanta early next week.

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• Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Blanks San Diego

  Rotowire Sep 6, 2023

  Wheeler (11-6) earned the win Wednesday, allowing just one hit and two walks over six scoreless innings against the Padres. He struck out seven. A Manny Machado single in the fourth inning was the lone hit against Wheeler on Monday, who's now gone six or more innings in 11 consecutive starts. The 33-year-old right-hander lowered his ERA to 3.49 through 28 starts (170 innings) this season with a 1.05 WHIP and 192 strikeouts, sixth most in the league. Wheeler will look to keep rolling in his next start, currently scheduled for next week against Atlanta.

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• Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Quality start versus Brewers

  Rotowire Sep 2, 2023

  Wheeler did not factor into the decision Friday, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out 10 batters in the Phillies' 7-5 loss to the Brewers. Wheeler tossed three scoreless frames to open his outing before Willy Adames took him deep for a three-run shot in the bottom of the fourth, accounting for all the damage against him. The right-hander has now reached 10 punchouts in back-to-back starts and he has allowed three or fewer runs in nine of his last 10 outings. Overall on the season, Wheeler owns a 3.62 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with 185 strikeouts over 164 innings in 27 starts.

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• Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Breezes in 10th victory

  Rotowire Aug 27, 2023

  Wheeler (10-6) earned the win over St. Louis on Saturday, allowing one run on three hits and no walks while striking out 10 batters over seven innings. Wheeler served up Luken Baker's first MLB homer in the third frame, but that was the only run the Cardinals managed against him. The veteran hurler finished with his fourth double-digit strikeout effort of the campaign and completed exactly seven innings for his third straight start. Wheeler has been invaluable to the Phillies for his ability to go deep into contests of late -- he hasn't completed fewer than six frames in any of his nine starts since July 1. Among NL hurlers, he's tied for seventh with 158 innings pitched and ranks sixth with 175 strikeouts on the campaign.

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• Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Charged with four runs

  Rotowire Aug 20, 2023

  Wheeler (9-6) allowed four runs on seven hits and a walk over seven innings Sunday, striking out five and taking a loss against the Nationals. While his final line wasn't great, Wheeler tossed six shutout frames after Washington plated four runs in the first inning. He gave up five straight hits to open the contest but followed that with 11 straight outs. It was the first time he allowed more than three runs in an outing since July 1. Wheeler saw his season ERA climb to 3.70 with a 165:30 K:BB through 151 innings. His next start is lined up to be at home against the Cardinals.

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• Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Settles for quality start Tuesday

  Rotowire Aug 16, 2023

  Wheeler came away with a no-decision Tuesday in the Phillies' 2-1 loss to the Blue Jays, allowing one run on three hits and four walks over seven inning. He struck out five. Despite setting a season high in free passes, Wheeler was rarely in much danger -- Toronto didn't even get a runner past second base until the sixth inning. The right-hander extended his quality start streak to seven outings, a stretch in which he's posted a 2.76 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 48:7 K:BB through 45.2 innings. Wheeler will look to make it eight in a row when he next makes the mound, which is likely to come at home early next week against the Giants.

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