Jul 6, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) throws a pitch during the second inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Eric Hartline
It may not have been Zack Wheeler's most dominant start as a Phillie, but Sunday's performance against the Cincinnati Reds was pretty damn close.
Shortly before being announced as an All-Star, the reigning NL Pitcher of the Month made a pretty compelling argument for why he should be the starter for the senior circuit in Atlanta later this month.
Wheeler didn't allow a hit before former Phillie Austin Hays tagged him for an opposite-field home run to lead off the top of the fifth inning. Wheeler, though, rallied to retire the next 12 batters he faced, with the fans at Citizens Bank Park giving him an ovation as he walked off the mound after eight shutout innings and exactly 100 pitches. It felt like his day might be over.
Rob Thomson said Zack Wheeler was going back out for the ninth whether the Phillies scored or not. pic.twitter.com/AIWEVwhiPe
But as it turns out, even before Bryson Stott hit the go-ahead two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning, Rob Thomson planned to bring Wheeler back out for the ninth.
"He still had his stuff in the eighth," Thomson said of his thought process. "I mean, he was dominant in the eighth. I would have taken him out to 115 pitches.
"I went down [in the bottom of the eighth], and I said, 'How are you feeling?' He said, 'I'm good.' And I said, 'Well, your stuff is dominant.' He said, 'Oh I'm good.' He said, 'I'd lie to you, but I'm good.'"
No lies were needed Sunday, as by the time Wheeler took the mound with a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning, it felt like fait accompli that he was going to toss a complete game. Indeed, it only took him eight pitches to retire Will Benson, Santiago Espinal and TJ Friedl in the top of the ninth, securing his first complete game since he led baseball with three of them in 2021.
In total, Wheeler allowed just one hit and struck out 12 batters during a 108-pitch complete game during his final home start of the first half.
That’s one of the best starts of Zack Wheeler’s career. 👏
pic.twitter.com/byD8OtNiZH
As Wheeler finished off the game in the ninth inning, he was serenaded by more than 42,000 fans at Citizens Bank Park chanting 'Let's go, Wheeler!" Kyle Schwarber said postgame that the chants gave him goosebumps, while Bryson Stott shared that it got so loud that he needed to turn up the volume on his PitchCom.
The incredible environment wasn't lost on the mild-mannered Wheeler.
"Yeah, it was very cool," Wheeler said. "It felt like the playoff vibe. It got me through that and it was really cool. That's why it's awesome to play here in Philly."
Zack Wheeler on ninth-inning chants: “That’s why it’s awesome to play here in Philly.”
(Via @TimKellySports) pic.twitter.com/fD4B18qCw4
After Wheeler's latest dominant outing, he's given himself a real case to start the All-Star Game for the NL. Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates took the mound in Seattle about the same time that Wheeler was getting water poured on him by Brandon Marsh following his complete game. Wheeler is now 9-3 with a 2.17 ERA, 2.50 FIP and 3.8 WAR over 116 innings. Skenes struck out 10 over five shutout innings Sunday and is now 4-7 with a 1.96 ERA, 2.39 FIP and 3.9 WAR over 115 innings.
This year's All-Star Game will be played at Truist Park in Atlanta. It would be quite the storyline for Wheeler — who went to high school in Dallas, Georgia — to get to start this particular All-Star Game, if that's what NL skipper Dave Roberts decides.
"Yeah, it would be really cool," Wheeler acknowledged. "It would be an honor, for sure."
In any event, Wheeler is an All-Star for the third time. Whether he pitches in the first, second or third inning of this year's Midsummer Classic, there was no debate Sunday about who the Phillies would like to have on the mound for them in a must-win game.
"After the fourth, I thought, 'This has a chance to be a no-hitter or perfect game.' I really did," Thomson said. "...He was just dominant. I mean, everything working ... control ... command. It was just, everything was great."
