The Philadelphia Phillies got the news they needed before MLB Opening Day — Zack Wheeler fired 29 pitches in a two-inning sim game at Carpenter Complex on Monday, a ramp-up breakthrough that has spring camp buzzing about his return timeline, per MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki.
Wheeler’s simulated outing marked his first spring start of 2026. Zolecki noted the Philadelphia Phillies’ right-hander remains on track for an April return — exactly the kind of update this Philadelphia Phillies rotation needed with MLB Opening Day just a few days away.
Philadelphia Phillies Outlook for MLB Opening Day
The Phillies don’t need Zack Wheeler to limp into MLB Opening Day — but they absolutely need him for October.
Cristopher Sanchez, the Phillies’ breakout ace last season, will take the MLB Opening Day ball against the Texas Rangers on Thursday at Citizens Bank Park. Aaron Nola slots in behind him after a strong World Baseball Classic showing with Team Italy, and Jesúus Luzardo rounds out a left-right-left top three following his five-year, $100 million extension.
Andrew Painter and Taijuan Walker fill out the five for now — meaning the Phillies are running deep even before their ace returns to game action. That depth is exactly what makes Wheeler’s April return a luxury rather than a lifeline.
Zack Wheeler has Been a Star for Phillies
Wheeler’s track record across six seasons in Philadelphia speaks for itself. Since joining the Phillies in 2020, he owns a 2.91 ERA across 979 innings with 1,094 strikeouts. He had a sparkling 0.935 WHIP during his 2025 season, plus a career 30.4 WAR in a Phillies uniform.
His 2024 was arguably his finest full year: a 2.57 ERA, 224 strikeouts, and a 163 ERA+ across 200 innings that earned him second-place Cy Young votes and 12th in MVP balloting.
Even in 2025, limited to 24 starts before the blood clot shutdown, Wheeler posted a 2.71 ERA and 195 strikeouts in 149.2 innings. The Phillies didn’t hand him the largest AAV extension in MLB history at the time — three years, $126 million — because they thought he’d slow down. They did it because this version of Zack Wheeler changes what their rotation ceiling looks like during a fall World Series quest.
What This Means for Philadelphia Phillies in 2026
Wheeler rejoining a rotation that already features Sanchez, Nola, Luzardo, and Painter turns the Phillies from a strong postseason contender into arguably the deepest pitching staff in baseball, heading past MLB Opening Day.
The sim game at Carpenter Complex is not the finish line. Wheeler’s next step will be a minor league game appearance, then a gradual innings ramp-up before he slots back into the rotation. But the 29-pitch, two-inning outing tells the Phillies everything they needed to hear before MLB Opening Day. Their ace is close, his arm is healthy, and the April target is reasonable.
Philadelphia doesn’t just want to make the playoffs. The Phillies want to win the whole thing. Getting Zack Wheeler back on schedule shortly after MLB Opening Day is exactly how they plan to do it.
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