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Phillies' Andrew Painter: Goes four innings in loss
Rotowire
Painter (1-1) allowed three runs on five hits, a walk and a hit batsman while striking out four over four-plus innings, taking the loss Sunday versus Atlanta.
Painter fell short of the five-inning mark for the second time in four appearances this season. The 23-year-old right-hander limited the damage to a Michael Harris solo shot through four innings, but he put traffic on the bases in the fifth, and Tim Mayza allowed both inherited runners to score. That ended up being enough to stick Painter with his first big-league loss. He's pitched to a 4.42 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 20:4 K:BB across 18.1 innings. Zack Wheeler (shoulder) is close to making his season debut, and it's not yet clear if that will cost Painter his rotation spot, though Taijuan Walker's struggles could lead to him being the odd man out. Should Painter stay in the rotation, he is tentatively lined up for a rematch on the road in Atlanta.
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Phillies' Zack Wheeler: On cusp of '26 debut
Rotowire
Wheeler (shoulder) struck out four and allowed four earned runs on six hits and one walk across four innings Sunday in his rehab start with Double-A Reading.
After working 5.2 innings and posting a 9:0 K:BB in his previous appearance for Reading on Tuesday, Wheeler took a step back with his command and control Sunday. He spotted 48 of his 77 pitches for strikes and yielded a solo home run and a three-run blast, bringing his ERA up to 5.85 and his WHIP to 1.20 over his five rehab starts between Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Though his results haven't been as strong as the Phillies might have hoped, Wheeler has been able to progressively build up his pitch counts and looks ready to handle a typical starter's workload in his next outing, which is expected to come with the big club. Wheeler tentatively lines up to return from the 15-day injured list to make his 2026 Phillies debut during next weekend's series in Atlanta.
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Phillies' Taijuan Walker: Following opener in next outing
Rotowire
Walker will work in bulk relief behind an opener during his next turn through the rotation Wednesday against the Cubs, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
The veteran right-hander has surrendered 19 earned runs across 18.1 frames in his first four starts of the season, so the Phillies will attempt to limit his exposure to the top of Chicago's lineup Wednesday. Regardless of his role, Walker will have minimal streaming appeal while going up against a Cubs offense that is averaging more than eight runs scored over the past six games. The Phillies are expected to get Zack Wheeler (shoulder) back from the injured list later next week, so Walker may not be in line for any starts or planned bulk-relief appearances for a while after Wednesday's outing.
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Phillies' Taijuan Walker: Hit hard in Friday's loss
Rotowire
Walker (1-3) took the loss Friday as the Phillies were routed 9-0 by Atlanta, coughing up seven runs on seven hits and three walks over four innings. He struck out four.
The right-hander served up homers to Austin Riley in the second inning and Dominic Smith in the third, the second time in four starts that Walker has been taken deep multiple times. It's been a brutal beginning to the year for the 33-year-old, and he carries a 9.16 ERA, 2.04 WHIP and 16:10 K:BB through 18.2 innings. Zack Wheeler (shoulder) will make what could be his final rehab start Sunday, but that schedule would allow Walker to get one more turn through the rotation on the road next week against the Cubs before being replaced.
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Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Looks sharper in fourth rehab start
Rotowire
Wheeler (shoulder) struck out nine and allowed four hits and no walks while allowing three runs in 5.2 innings during his fourth rehab start with Double-A Reading on Tuesday.
Wheeler built himself up to 72 pitches Tuesday, an encouraging sign during the final stages of his rehab from last year's venous thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. The right-hander is next slated to make a fifth and perhaps final rehab appearance with Reading on Sunday. Manager Rob Thomson did note Tuesday that Wheeler could make a sixth rehab start, per Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, depending on how the hurler fares in his outing Sunday.
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Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Next rehab start coming Sunday
Rotowire
Wheeler (shoulder) said he plans to make another rehab start with Double-A Reading on Sunday, Matt Kardos of Double-A Somerset's official site reports.
Wheeler has already made three starts in the minors as he works his way back from shoulder surgery, posting a 5.23 ERA and 1.26 WHIP alongside a 10:4 K:BB over 10.1 innings. The veteran righty notably struggled with his velocity during his most recent outing with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, averaging 92.9 mph with his fastball after sitting at 96.1 mph last season. It remains to be seen whether he'll make any additional appearances in the minors after Sunday, though the Phillies will likely wait to see how he performs in Double-A before determining his next step.
Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Still seeking velocity during rehab
Rotowire
Wheeler (shoulder) struck out six over 4.1 innings in his third rehab start Wednesday for Triple-A Lehigh Valley, allowing one run on three hits and one walk.
The All-Star right-hander built up to 61 pitches Wednesday, although it was fairly discouraging to see his fastball velocity average 92.9 mph after it averaged 96.1 mph last year. It remains to be seen if Wheeler will be able to regain the form he displayed before last year's venous thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, but he'll make at least one more rehab appearance to try and tune up before the Phillies consider reinstating him from the injured list, per Todd Zolecki of MLB.com.
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Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Slated for two more rehab starts
Rotowire
Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Saturday that Wheeler (shoulder) will continue his rehab assignment Wednesday with Triple-A Lehigh Valley and will make another minor-league start after that, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
Wheeler struggled in his second rehab start with Lehigh Valley on Friday, allowing five runs on four hits and two walks while striking one batter over three innings. His four-seamer averaged 92.7 mph, and Philadelphia will give him at least two more starts to build up in the minors after he threw 49 pitches Friday. That puts a possible return to the major leagues around April 18 or 19, depending on how Wheeler fares as he completes his recovery from venous thoracic outlet syndrome surgery.
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Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Shaky in second rehab start
Rotowire
Wheeler (shoulder) struck out one and allowed four hits and two walks in three innings during a rehab start Friday for Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Wheeler wasn't nearly as sharp in his second rehab outing as he was in his first, when he fanned three across three scoreless frames last Saturday. The All-Star right-hander threw just 26 of his 49 pitches for strikes, and his four-seam fastball averaged 92.7 mph Friday. The expectation is that Wheeler will need to make at least one more rehab appearance before the Phillies consider activating him from the injured list, but the hurler still has a chance to make his season debut for Philadelphia in mid-April if all goes well.
Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Looks sharp in first rehab start
Rotowire
Wheeler (shoulder) struck out three and scattered two hits and one walk over three scoreless frames in a rehab start Saturday for Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Heading into the rehab start, the Phillies had planned for Wheeler to cover three innings or 50 pitches. The right-hander was even more economical than the Phillies had hoped, needing only 38 pitches to record nine outs in what was his first official game since Aug. 15, 2025. After undergoing thoracic outlet decompression surgery in September, Wheeler has had a fairly seamless recovery thus far and appears on track to return from the 15-day injured list around mid-April. He'll continue to build up his innings and pitch count in his next rehab start, which is set to come Friday versus Triple-A Durham.
Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Three innings in first rehab start
Rotowire
Wheeler (shoulder) is scheduled to throw three innings and/or 50 pitches in Saturday's rehab start with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Corey Seidman of PHLY Sports reports.
It will be Wheeler's first official game action since last September's venous thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. The Phillies will likely want Wheeler to get his pitch count up to the 80-to-90 range before clearing him for his season debut, so the right-hander will likely make two additional rehab starts after Saturday before returning in mid-April if all goes well.
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Phillies' Zack Wheeler: 15-day IL move made official
Rotowire
The Phillies placed Wheeler (shoulder) on the 15-day injured list Wednesday.
Wheeler is still working his way back from last September's venous thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. He is slated to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Saturday. Wheeler will be eligible for activation April 6, and while he might not be ready by that date, he is on track to return sometime in April.
