Phillies get incredible Zack Wheeler update as return to MLB might be sooner than expected

The Philadelphia Phillies have plenty of storylines entering the 2026 MLB season, but none might be more interesting than that of Zack Wheeler.

Recovering from thoracic outlet syndrome, Wheeler missed the final month and a half of the 2025 season, and entering 2026, he's expected to miss roughly a month.

However, a recent report from The Athletic's Matt Gelb states that Wheeler is scheduled for a rehab start this Saturday already, which might have the Phillies ace ready to come back even sooner than initially thought.

Phillies get great Zack Wheeler update with rehab start

"Things are going so well that the Phillies will put Zack Wheeler on an official rehab assignment Saturday with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Three innings," Gelb reports.

This is some incredible news for the Phillies. While Wheeler is still a ways away from a return, this rehab start is a fantastic step in the right direction.

The same day as this announcement, Wheeler had his first outing in a live game. That game clearly went well, as this decision from the Phillies wouldn't have come otherwise.

Wheeler is a 35-year-old right-hander who is entering his 12th season in the Majors, and his seventh with the Phillies.

Across his six seasons with the Phillies since signing in 2020, Wheeler has posted an incredible 2.91 ERA with 30.4 total bWAR.

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Last season, before being forced to miss the final month and a half of the year, Wheeler had a 2.71 ERA in 24 starts with 5.0 bWAR, a 10-5 record, and 195 strikeouts in just 149 innings pitched.

Wheeler is a Cy Young-caliber starter and would be a huge player to get back into the rotation for the Phillies as early as possible this season.

In a tight NL East with the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves, getting Wheeler back early this season would be huge. And based on this report, Wheeler's return might be earlier than the late-April expectation.

As long as his rehab outing goes well, the Phillies veteran righty should be getting closer and closer to a return to the rotation for the Phillies this upcoming MLB season.

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• Joey Wentz is out for the season with a torn ACL for the Braves
• Reds’ Hunter Greene to be out until July amid brutal injury news
• Braves predicted to trade Bryce Elder for Lars Nootbaar