Zack Wheeler underwent a procedure to remove a blood clot in his right shoulder, the Phillies announced Monday.
There is no update yet on Wheeler’s recovery timeline.
“We don’t know until we get further information,” manager Rob Thomson said pregame when asked if Wheeler would pitch again this season.
The 35-year-old ace was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday after the clot was discovered during testing. He had experienced a dip in velocity over his past few starts, including a pushed-back outing on Aug. 6.
Wheeler has been one of the Phillies’ most consistent arms this season. He sports a 10-5 record with a 2.71 ERA across 24 starts in his 11th professional season.
“Zack’s a great pitcher,” Thomson said. “You can always rely on him every fifth day, but at the same time, I have confidence in our entire staff and the bullpen’s much better now.”
A blood clot is nothing to take lightly and the Phillies were fortunate to identify the issue quickly.
It had been reported that the Phillies would use a six-man rotation when Aaron Nola returned, but that plan is no longer in play.
The team will move forward with Cristopher Sánchez, Ranger Suárez, Jesús Luzardo, Nola and Taijuan Walker as their five-man rotation. That group will be tested as the Phillies continue a consecutive-games streak that will extend to 13 after the Seattle series.
For Thomson, Wheeler’s health is bigger than the Phillies’ rotation plans.
“My thoughts are constantly on him and his family, and hopefully, everything works out,” the Phillies skipper said.