Injury updates: Zack Wheeler to return Saturday in Atlanta
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Phillies Injury Updates
- RHP Zack Wheeler (right shoulder surgery)
- Status: On 15-day IL, returning Saturday
- Phillies starter Zack Wheeler underwent thoracic outlet syndrome decompression surgery in September 2025. He has not pitched in a major league game since Aug. 15. His venous TOS diagnosis was announced on Aug. 23. Wheeler did not pitch in the 2025 postseason.
- As anticipated, Wheeler will return to the Phillies’ rotation during the team’s current road trip — taking the mound Saturday in Atlanta. Wheeler had a 5.85 ERA across five rehab outings (hurt by some bad defense in a couple of them) with 23 strikeouts and five walks. He allowed four runs in four innings his final start, with his fastball sitting in the low 90s. That will be one thing to monitor in his 2026 MLB debut, which will come against a Braves lineup that ranks second in MLB with a .789 team OPS. Whatever version of Wheeler the Phillies get right off the bat, he’ll likely be replacing Taijuan Walker, who has a 9.16 ERA this year. (Last updated on April 21 by Nathan Ackerman)
- INF Aidan Miller (low back soreness)
- Status: Seven-day minor-league injured list
- Miller did not appear in a Grapefruit League game this spring and has started the year on the Triple-A IL.
- Miller is finally swinging a bat, as Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reported on April 9. When asked by Zolecki if Miller received an injection to treat his sore back, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski declined to say, citing HIPAA.
- “We’re just happy with his progress,” Dombrowski told Zolecki in San Francisco. “He’s happy with his progress. We’re with him every single day. We watch him, we treat him. He’s doing good right now. But it’s one of those things. You don’t just go from swinging a bat one day like this, then play in a game today. You’re taking your time.” (Last updated on April 9 by Destiny Lugardo)
- RHP Max Lazar (left oblique strain)
- Status: 15-day injured list
- Lazar left the World Baseball Classic early with an oblique issue and began the year on the big-league IL. — Last updated on March 29 by Ty Daubert
- OF Gabriel Rincones Jr. (knee soreness)
- Status: Seven-day minor-league injured list
- The power-hitting prospect Rincones Jr. also missed the Grapefruit League and has begun the season on the IL. Contreras said he battled through knee issues last year, but a “flare up” has kept him off the field. — Last updated on March 29 by Ty Daubert
- RHP Daniel Robert (cardiac event)
- Status: 60-day minor-league injured list
- Robert suffered a cardiac event on the mound near the end of spring training, triggering his implantable cardioverter defibrillator. He was released from the hospital on the same day. Robert dealt with a previous cardiac event in the fall that required the use of CPR and a defibrillator.
- Robert began to feel better shortly after the event. Thomson said Thursday that Robert is resting at home. — Last updated on March 29 by Ty Daubert