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Orgo-Life the new way to the future Advertising by AdpathwayStarting pitcher Zack Wheeler's shortest start of the season could be a major problem for the Philadelphia Phillies.
On Monday, the three-time All-Star lasted just three innings in an 8-7 loss to the Miami Marlins, who had lost 12 in a row. It was Wheeler's briefest outing since April 17, 2022, when he also recorded nine outs against the Marlins.
Wheeler, 36, entered his 17th start of the season with a 10-2 record and 2.16 ERA — his lowest in 12 MLB seasons — but was dinged for five runs on six hits, including two home runs, in a performance that raises fresh concerns for a rotation that needs Wheeler at his best to be an NL contender.
Troubling Zack Wheeler numbers a problem for Phillies with trade deadline looming
Amid his rough start, several reporters noticed Wheeler's diminished pitch velocity, including The Athletic Phillies beat writer Matt Gelb, NBC Sports Philly's Jim Salisbury and MLB.com's Todd Zolecki.
Phillies have bullpen action in the second inning. The Marlins are hitting Zack Wheeler hard and his stuff is down a tick or two.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) July 27, 2026Zack Wheeler has given four extra base hits and five runs in two innings. Velo is down.
— Jim Salisbury (@JimSalisbury215) July 27, 2026Zack Wheeler is going to start the third inning. He's allowed 5 runs in 2 innings. First time he's allowed 5 runs in a game since May 29, 2025. His stuff has been down all night.
— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) July 27, 2026Per Statcast, Wheeler's pitch velocity was down significantly on all six he threw against Miami, with his fastball decreasing 1.7 mph from 95.2 mph to 93.5. His splitter averaged 86.2 mph, 1.2 mph lower than his season average, and that same story continued with Wheeler's splitter (down 1.6 mph), cutter (-2.1 mph), curveball (-1.3 mph) and sinker (-1.7 mph).
Per Zolecki, the 93.5 mph average four-seamer was Wheeler's "second-lowest ... in any game in his career."
Zack Wheeler's night is finished after three innings. Four-seam fastball averaged 93.5 mph, down 1.7 mph from season average. Second-lowest four-seam average in any game in his career.
— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) July 27, 2026All six of his hits allowed were classified as "hard hits," or batted balls with an exit velocity of at least 95 mph, with left fielder Heriberto Hernandez taking a 93 mph slider left over the upper portion of the strike zone 388 yards to left field in the bottom of the first.
Right fielder Griffin Conine followed with a solo blast an inning later off a 77 mph curveball low in the zone.
Go-ahead Griff pic.twitter.com/RWZWbCVMA0
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) July 27, 2026Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez gave the Marlins a 5-2 lead on a triple four batters later, Wheeler's fourth extra-base hit allowed in his first 10 hitters faced.
Otto's second hit of the night is an RBI triple pic.twitter.com/4QjKtEL6Cc
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) July 27, 2026The miserable outing raised more alarms once Wheeler was pulled after a clean third inning and having thrown only 68 pitches. Gelb noted that "Something was affecting him all night" and "Phillies brash, after huddling in the dugout, made the call" to pull the plug.
It looks like Zack Wheeler is going to be done after three innings. Something was affecting him all night. He threw a 91 mph sinker in the third. Phillies brass, after huddling in dugout, made the call.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) July 27, 2026With the MLB trade deadline set for next Monday (Aug. 3, 6 p.m. ET), Wheeler's start makes acquiring a starting pitcher even more of a need. Depending on whether the concerning start against Miami is a sign of a more serious issue, Philly may have to add more than one. All-Stars Cristopher Sanchez and Jesus Luzardo are dependable at the top of the rotation, but the depth behind the duo without Wheeler at 100 percent is, to put it kindly, non-existent.
With Monday's loss, the Phillies (57-50) are only two games ahead of the Pittsburgh Pirates (55-52) and Arizona Diamondbacks (55-52) for the NL's last wild-card spot, increasing the stakes of this year's deadline. They can't afford to sit idly, especially with Wheeler possibly no longer a sure thing.
Eric Smithling is a writer based in New Orleans, LA, whose byline also appears on Athlon Sports. He has been with Yardbarker since September 2022, primarily covering the NFL and college football, but also the NBA, WNBA, men’s and women’s college basketball, NHL, tennis and golf. He holds a film studies degree from the University of New Orleans
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