PHILADELPHIA \u2014 Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler underwent a thrombolysis procedure to remove a blood clot in his right upper extremity, the club announced Monday, firmly putting the remainder of his season in doubt.<\/p>\n
While the odds of a return in 2025 are long, the Phillies have yet to eliminate the possibility that Wheeler pitches again this season until more information about his condition is understood, multiple sources familiar with the situation said.<\/p>\n
In a statement, the club said Wheeler\u2019s course of treatment and a potential timeline to return are \u201cto be determined.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t know until we get further information,\u201d manager Rob Thomson said Monday.<\/p>\n
Until then, the Phillies must operate as if Wheeler will not return, a difficult thought for a team with championship aspirations.<\/p>\n
Wheeler is one of the most respected figures inside the clubhouse, a true ace in an era of bullpen baseball. His potential absence creates a massive hole atop the rotation; a greater onus falls to Cristopher S\u00e1nchez, who is a National League Cy Young Award candidate.<\/p>\n
The Phillies will abandon plans to move to a six-man rotation that would have padded everyone\u2019s workloads. Instead, they will stick with a five-man unit. The bullpen, remade with Jhoan Duran at the back, must assume a larger burden. Hard-throwing lefty Jos\u00e9 Alvarado, whose expiring drug suspension makes him ineligible for the postseason, will be activated before Tuesday\u2019s game.<\/p>\n
Without Wheeler, every contribution matters.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs I told everybody, \u2018Just be yourselves,’\u201d Thomson said. \u201cThat\u2019s all we can do. Don\u2019t try to be anybody else because they\u2019re good enough, just the way they are.\u201d<\/p>\n
The rotation, considered this club\u2019s strength, faces an inflection point. But, at the moment, those concerns are not foremost on the minds of Thomson and the rest of the Phillies.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, a lot of people are asking about the pitching staff and the team,\u201d Thomson said. \u201cRight now, my thoughts are just about him. This isn\u2019t like a hamstring or a calf. This is real. This is life. My thoughts are constantly on him and his family.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of Wheeler\u2019s brothers, Jacob, thanked Phillies fans in a social media post.<\/p>\n
\nShoutout to all the Phillies fans & baseball fans who\u2019ve shown their support of my brother & family. So many messages have poured in that I\u2019m not able to get to them all. All have been so supportive and positive. Phillies fans are truly family first and it shows. Thank you\ud83d\ude4f<\/p>\n