Matt Gelb of The Athletic dropped a great story about Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler's unconventional approach to being an elite pitcher. However, there's one part fans probably wish they didn't read, foreshadowing the end of the road for a player who's somehow improving with age.
Gelb doesn't mince words when discussing "Offseason Wheeler," ($) a man who uses his time off to disconnect and focus solely on his family. The Phillies beat writer mentioned that the right-hander is "done with baseball" when his existing three-year, $126 million contract expires following the 2027 MLB campaign. With that in mind, Philadelphia must have contingency plans in place, and do whatever it takes to maximize this current window
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The Phillies must get their ducks in a row with Zack Wheeler being 'done with baseball' after 2027
"[Wheeler] has four kids at home who need a dad," Gelb states. "He stares whenever anyone questions that."
An "unequivocal" Wheeler is determined to retire and transition to his next career as a full-time father in the not-too-distant future, according to Gelb. While two and a half more seasons sounds like a considerable amount of time, life can come at you fast. The 35-year-old will call it quits before you know it; the Phillies ought to be ready when the moment comes.
Nonetheless, from one elder Phillies statesman to another, J.T. Realmuto suggests that Wheeler's talk is cheap. The veteran catcher will believe his batterymate is walking away from the game when he sees it. Given that the latter is still in top-tier form, the former has faith he'll stick around — or is trying to speak it into existence.
Phillies star optimistic Zack Wheeler will continue playing beyond his current contract
"I mean, [Wheeler] can say all he wants," Realmuto said. "I can’t imagine him dominating for two more years and hanging [the cleats] up. He loves it. ... I’m holding out hope that he keeps pitching"
To Realmuto's point, Wheeler has plenty left in the tank if this season is any indication. The two-time All-Star's 0.902 WHIP would mark a career best if it holds, beating his National League-leading 0.955 tally in 2024. Moreover, he boasts a 32 percent strikeout rate, which would also top a previous high from last year.
Yet, regardless of Realmuto's faith, the Phillies should have a Plan B lined up for Wheeler. The dynamic hurler can clearly play beyond his deal if he wants to, though it seems like his mind is all but made up. Wheeler's timeline underscores just how desperate Philly should be to make the most of its current window, one that could be closing much faster than anyone foresaw when they made it all the way to the World Series in 2022.
That run very much felt like the beginning of something. But the last two postseasons have brought diminishing returns, and the team's offense is mired in a dreadful slump right now (although an eight-run outburst in a win on Friday night should help). Philly's position players either got old or regressed all at once, and now they're looking at a supporting cast that doesn't seem good enough to support a rotation that is undoubtedly championship-caliber.
The Phillies still have a solid foundation upon which to build. But as if Trea Turner and Bryce Harper being on the wrong side of 30 didn't underscore this already, the clock is ticking. And it's up to Dave Dombrowski to push all the team's chips into the middle of the table before it's too late.