There are two words Phillies fans are starting to worry about more and more:

precautionary reasons

That’s the answer for why Phillies ace Zack Wheeler will miss his next start on Sunday. His ability to pitch in the All-Star Game was already in doubt, because he was scheduled to pitch Sunday, but now it’s all but certain he won’t be representing the Phillies in-game in Texas next week.

Wheeler left his last start Tuesday against the Dodgers with back spasms. He said after the game that it had been nagging him for a couple of starts. A long fourth inning in which the Phillies scored six runs didn’t help. Neither did the oppressive heat and humidity. With the Phillies comfortably ahead, they decided to pull him and let the back settle down.

Now the Phillies can let him rest for a full two weeks between starts – without an I.L stint – if they want, to ensure he’s in good shape for the second half.


The Phillies won’t announce the order of their rotation after the All-Star Break until sometime next week, but they could push Wheeler back as far as July 23rd and have him only miss the one start on Sunday.

Manager Rob Thomson said there were no additional tests or injections needed for Wheeler, and that he was feeling better Thursday than he did either Tuesday or Wednesday, so for now it seems everything is going to be a Bryson Stott walk-up song (A-O.K.).

However, it’s worth monitoring now as the Phillies are down three guys who started games for them this season.

Spencer Turnbull is out until mid-August with a muscle strain in the back of his shoulder. Taijuan Walker (right index finger irritation) threw a bullpen session Wednesday, and will throw another Saturday, but his return is still a couple weeks away at least. Now Wheeler will miss one start.

The Phillies will probably throw a bullpen game on Sunday against Oakland in place of Wheeler, although there’s a possibility that Michael Mercado is thrust back into the rotation after being sent back to the bullpen this week.

Thomson intimated that the decision for Sunday will be based on how things go on Saturday, a game being started by Lumberton, N.J. and Bishop Eustice’s own Tyler Phillips – his first big league start.

Regardless, as good as things are going for the Phillies – and they have baseball’s best record at 60-32 – there’s no team who wants to get to the All-Star Break sooner right now than the Phils, who will need their pitching to get them where they want to go.