PHILADELPHIA – Zack Wheeler had another odd start Tuesday night, but limited the damage enough to keep his team in the game. Despite leaving with the Phillies down one, the revamped offensive approach eventually paid off, and Philly battled back to win the game  6-4.

Zack Wheeler’s odd night

Wheeler has not looked like himself lately. In his last five starts (including tonight), the veteran right-hander has a 6.64 ERA and is averaging almost five walks per game. His outing tonight actually dropped his ERA a full run from where it sat over the prior four despite him not having his best outing.

Wheeler still has nasty stuff. He struck out seven Marlins despite only going five innings and facing 20 batters. The walks have been the issue, and that continued tonight. He surrendered four free passes to just two base hits. The right-hander left the game allowing just two runs. 

Job well done for Wheeler, but when he has set such a high standard, it is natural to wonder if there are concerns. “His stuff seems fine,” Mattingly said postgame. “[Opponents] are battling as you get through that second time through, third time through…I don’t know what that would make of it. You worry more about ‘is this guy giving us good starts, keeping us in the game’ more than anything else.”

Even with confidence from his manager, Wheeler is coming off a major surgery. Not every pitcher who has had this procedure comes back the same guy. It is a near miracle he has been as good as he was to start his season. 

Phillies’ star pitcher has not gone six innings in nearly a month. There has to be some concern in the clubhouse, right?

“Zach’s not one of the guys I worry about, if that’s what you’re asking,” Mattingly said definitively when questioned about Wheeler’s performance again. “He’s been Zach Wheeler for a long time. His stuff’s still good. You’re not really asking guys to go seven, eight innings. You’re asking them to get outs and so many times through the order and trying to match up from there. So as long as he’s doing that, there’s nothing to be concerned about, I mean.

His control seemed off all night. Despite throwing a first-pitch strike to 15 of 20 batters, he generated just one 0-2 count and still ended up in five full counts. But as the manager pointed out – he’s still Zack Wheeler. His stuff is still good, and he used it to keep a pesky Marlins lineup at bay.

Phillies renewed offensive approach continues 

Much has been said about the recent change in approach after what may go down as a mythical hitters meeting in late July, but the fruits of that labor continue to show.

Philly’s offense tallied 10-plus hits for the fourth time in five games, something they have not done since late April. 

Philadelphia recorded another four walks, reaching base 15 times in total. This all happened despite finding themselves in 11 0-2 counts. Eleven! They tallied three hits and a walk in such counts. It comes down to the aforementioned approach. 

The Phillies offense found themselves in eleven 0-2 counts tonight. They generated 3 hits and a walk in those situations.

Don Mattingly explained to me how an 0-2 count doesn’t necessarily mean the approach that AB wasn’t good#Phillies | #RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/GsrVYI3Yoe

— Kyle Fisher (@KyleFisher45) August 19, 2026

I asked Mattingly about how they grinded to produce despite facing pitcher-friendly counts throughout the night:

“Our guys are having good at-bats,” Mattingly stated plainly. “That’s the main thing I think. [They’re] just kind of connected from that standpoint of up and down the order, having good at-bats. It puts pressure on the other guys.” 

Mattingly expanded on how 0-2 counts are not necessarily a sign of straying from their fresh approach: “If those first two pitches aren’t places that you’re looking and they’re nicking edges, we don’t want to be swinging anyway…Our guys are having good at-bats, that’s all we care about.”

Other notes:

Jhoan Duran was not available tonight. With Wheeler only going five, Mattingly had to piece together the rest of the game.

Alex McFarlane and Orion Kerkering surrendered an unearned run each, while José Alvarado and Brooks Raley had clean innings. Mattingly said when his starter came out, they started identifying pockets for each available arm, knowing they would not have their All-Star closer.

Philly has won five in a row for just the second time this season. They have not won six straight in 2026. Another victory would push Miami five games out of the final Wild Card spot. They have a chance at the sweep tomorrow with Aaron Nola on the mound.

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Keywords

Phillies,

recap,

Marlins,

Zack Wheeler,

Don Mattingly,

Luis Arraez,

Brooks Raley