Phillies finally get the news fans have been waiting for about Zack Wheeler

The Philadelphia Phillies enter action on Tuesday Night with an 8-14, their worst start to a season since 2015. While the issues with the offense have been the focus of most fan and media criticism, the pitching staff has been just as responsible for the disapointing start to the 2026 MLB season.

The Phillies starting pitchers have the fourth-worst ERA in Major League Baseball (5.48), and the worst Batting Average Against (.301).

Even though Cristopher Sanchez has the sixth-best ERA in baseball (1.59), Jesus Luzardo has the worst ERA in all of MLB (7.94), only because Taijuan Walker hasn't pitched enough innings to "qualify" for Starting Pitcher ERA statistics (9.04 ERA for Walker).

But Philadelphia Got Good News to help their pitching staff on Tuesday

The Athletic Phillies Writer Charlotte Varnes and NBC Sports Philadelphia Reporter John Clark have both shared on social media that the Phillies plan to welcome back Zack Wheeler to the rotation for the upcoming series against the Atlanta Braves.

Wheeler is scheduled to make his first start of the 2026 MLB serason on Saturday, April 25th. This will push Aaron Nola's next start back to Sunday, giving the Phillies other vetern Right-Handed Starter an extra day between starts.

Wheeler started 5 games total between Double-A (Reading), and Triple-A (Lehigh Valley). Even though his overall ERA was 5.85 with 23 strikeouts in 20 Innings Pitched, he has been experimenting with his pitches, and treating these starts like a ramp-up a pitcher would go through in Spring Training.

Whether Wheeler is fully back to the elite level he was before his health issues last season, the reality is the Phillies desperately need him to stabilize their pitching rotation. Wheeler missed the final weeks of the 2025 MLB season after doctors discovered a Blood Clot near his right shoulder, and later he was diagnosed with Venous Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, which required surgery.