Phillies' Don Mattingly compares Zack Wheeler to Braves HOF

Zack Wheeler may be back to his Cy Young-type self after shoving against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night. The Philadelphia Phillies right-hander needed 87 pitches (57 strikes) to cruise through 7.1 innings in the 2-1 win over the Red Sox. 

Wheeler showed how efficient he can be, needing just 16 pitches to get through the first three innings, which included two key double plays. That is the fewest pitches for a starting pitcher to complete the first three innings since 2000, according to MLB.com's Paul Casella. 

The three-time All-Star said that he got a "little nervous" in the bullpen, which didn't seem to affect him. 

“I think I threw about three strikes in the bullpen,” Wheeler said to Casella of his warmup. “So I was a little nervous going out there. Usually, when that happens, it could go really bad or pretty well.”

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Wheeler was so good for the Phillies on Tuesday that interim manager Don Mattingly took notice and gave his ace quite the compliment.

Philadelphia Phillies manager Don Mattingly compares Zack Wheeler to Atlanta Braves Hall of Famer

According to Mattingly, Wheeler was like Atlanta Braves Hall of Famer Greg Maddux in carving up the Red Sox lineup in 87 pitches. Maddux was known for throwing complete-game shutouts in 100 pitches or fewer, which is known as a "Maddux."

“You're thinking Maddux-like at that point,” said interim manager Don Mattingly to Casella, referring to a feat of a shutout on fewer than 100 pitches named after Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux. “You know, is it gonna be a Maddux game?”

Through four starts since returning from thoracic outlet surgery, which cost him the end of last season, Wheeler is 2-0 with a 2.55 ERA and 0.93 WHIP and struck out 22 in 24.2 innings. Still a good amount of season ahead of him, but Wheeler is establishing why he could be the starter in his home ballpark for the Midsummer Classic in July.