Phillies Suffer Massive Injury As Zack Wheeler Placed On IL With Blood Clot

The race for a postseason spot and the top of the National League East took a huge turn on Saturday afternoon. 

With little warning, the Philadelphia Phillies placed starter Zack Wheeler on the injured list with what they described as a "blood clot" in the pitcher's right upper arm. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told the media that the blood clot is near his shoulder area, always a concerning sign for a pitcher.

Perhaps even more concerningly, Dombrowski also said that there is no timetable for when Wheeler might be able to return to the mound. This is obviously terrible news for Wheeler personally, and for a team in the thick of a playoff race, with hopes and expectations of reaching or winning the World Series, it's devastating.

And while every injury and situation is different, estimates on the recovery time period for this type of blood clot do not bode well for Wheeler's hopes of returning this season.

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) walks off the field after pitching the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres at Citizens Bank Park on June 30, 2025. Photo: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Philadelphia Phillies Get Bad News With Zack Wheeler Injury

Wheeler was in the midst of yet another outstanding season in 2025. Even at age 35, his fastball velocity has remained consistent, leading to the highest strikeout rate of his career. At 35 years old. 

His 2.71 ERA ranks eighth in Major League Baseball among qualified starters and he leads the league in strikeouts with 195, all while walking less than two hitters per nine innings. His WHIP is near the league lead at 0.94, as is his batting average allowed, at just .197. Up until now, Wheeler's also been one of baseball's most reliable starters. Outside a handful of starts in 2022, Wheeler's taken the ball virtually every single fifth day since 2017. 

But blood clot injuries in the shoulder can be a symptom of a much larger problem. Even if it is "just" a blood clot, treatment options can range from a three-month recovery to five months or more. This type of blood clot can sometimes be a symptom of thoracic outlet syndrome, however, which could result in a much more significant absence.

It's yet another sign that pitcher injuries are not going away any time soon, that "durability" among starters amounts to a ticking time bomb.

The Phillies have opened up a five-game lead over the second-place New York Mets, but with the Mets' talent, that's hardly enough to feel safe. Especially with the team's best pitcher now out for the foreseeable future. Philadelphia still has a strong rotation, with Christopher Sanchez, Aaron Nola, who's set to return from injury, Ranger Suarez, and Jesus Luzardo. But Wheeler would almost certainly start game one of a playoff series, were he healthy.

That now seems like a longshot. And it's pushed the Phillies' World Series a little closer to that territory as well.