‘Rehab Ribs Night’: Lehigh Valley gears up for Zack Wheeler appearance, launches lighthearted promotion
ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Beneath the white block letters of the blue nameplate put in place for Zack Wheeler — mislabeled as “Zach” above the locker set up for him — a white No. 45 jersey with an IronPigs mascot logo on the left sleeve hung inside the home clubhouse at Coca-Cola Park on Wednesday.
Wheeler, the veteran ace of the Philadelphia Phillies, has not thrown a pitch in a competitive game since a blood clot was discovered near his right shoulder in August. But he’ll have a locker waiting at Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Saturday as he begins a minor-league rehab assignment. Friday’s Opening Day will no longer be the headliner with Wheeler set to take the mound for the second game against the Toledo Mud Hens on a chilly, late-March afternoon.
“I’m not sure we could have planned that much better, right?” IronPigs general manager Kurt Landes said. “I wish it were 75 degrees and sunny on Saturday, but it’s great for our community and our fans to see that.”
Wheeler, 35, was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome after his medical scare last year and later underwent surgery to correct the issue. His recovery process has moved smoothly, allowing him to start pitching in minor-league games earlier than many would have expected heading into the spring. It’s given the IronPigs organization a unique opportunity in the days leading up to the regular season.
On Wednesday afternoon, the club announced a “Rehab Rib Night” promotion, a nod to the rib that Wheeler had removed during his thoracic outlet decompression procedure. (The pitcher later said that he kept the bone and stored it in his closet.) For $46.41, fans can purchase tickets for Saturday’s game that include all-you-can-eat barbecue ribs, presumably beef or pork instead of from a baseball player, at the Tiki Terrace in left field.
The IronPigs moved forward with the lighthearted promotion rather quickly after Phillies manager Rob Thomson first announced Wheeler’s rehab start on Monday. When an email was sent by the club’s marketing team on Wednesday morning, Landes found out about Rehab Rib Night at the same time as everyone else.
“That’s what Minor League Baseball is about,” Landes said. “We’ve poked fun at ourselves and capitalized on some fun, unique, creative ideas. So I hope fans come out for some ribs on Saturday.”
Wheeler, surely the most talented and accomplished No. 2 starter in IronPigs history, is scheduled to pitch three innings on Saturday. He threw 29 pitches in two innings during a simulated game against minor leaguers on Monday at the Phillies’ Carpenter Complex, but this weekend will provide a more competitive experience. Wheeler, who estimated that he’d need “four-ish” more starts before he’d be ready to return to the big leagues, could end up pitching for Lehigh Valley a few more times, as well.
The high in Allentown on Saturday is 41 degrees, so IronPigs manager Anthony Contreras will check with Wheeler about how he’s feeling, and he expects to get some instructions about how to handle Wheeler from the organization. However it goes, it will be a welcome occasion for the IronPigs to host the three-time All-Star.
“He’s one of the best pitchers in the game,” Contreras said. “Hopefully, the weather holds up on Friday. If not, we’d have Wheeler opening the season for us, which is kind of a cool thing. I’m sure the people here of Lehigh and just this region will love to see Zack Wheeler pitching in this stadium.”