Wheeler one blip away from perfect game, leads Phillies to series win over Reds

Wheeler one blip away from perfect game, leads Phillies to series win over Reds originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

We’re running out of ways to describe what Zack Wheeler is doing right now.

The All-Star teams won’t be announced until later Sunday but after the series finale against the Reds, it’d be a shock to pretty much everyone in baseball if Wheeler doesn’t emerge as the National League starting pitcher.

The Phillies’ ace put on quite a show in the club’s 3-1 win that should not only lock him in as the starter for the All-Star Game but keep his name at the top of the Cy Young conversation.

Earlier this week, Wheeler was named the NL Pitcher of the Month for June and is already making his case for July.

With each outing, the 35-year-old continues to find ways to up his performance. While it almost sounds redundant after each start, it can’t be stressed enough that we’re witnessing one of the greatest pitchers in franchise history.

His last five starts:

vs. Cubs: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
vs. Blue Jays: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K
vs. Mets: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 8 K
at Astros: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 8 K
vs. Padres: 8.0 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 K

Which brings us to Sunday afternoon against the Reds.

Wheeler had one blip — a solo home run from former Phillie Austin Hays — in the fifth inning. It was the first hit and baserunner of the day for Cincinnati. … It was also the last.

Wheeler has flirted with a pair of no-hitters in the past, once in Apr. 2024 against the White Sox and another in June 2023 against the Tigers. Both of those performances had a few walks and a batter getting hit by a pitch.

Sunday had one singular blemish. A perfect game tainted with one swing.

It marks Wheeler’s first complete game since Aug. 8, 2021 against the Mets. He struck out 12 along the way.

“After the fourth I thought ‘this has a chance to be a no-hitter or a perfect game.’ I really did,” manager Rob Thomson said. “He was just dominant. Everything working, control, command. Everything was great.

“That was as dominant as you’re going to get other than a perfect game.”

Trea Turner collected a hit in the leadoff spot for all three games in the Reds series (two singles and a double). He’s currently on a six-game hitting streak and continues leading the way as the National League hits leader (109).

Turner’s combination of power and speed creates the perfect storm at the top of the order. And when Turner isn’t able to get the job done? Well, look to the next man up … literally.

Kyle Schwarber also had a solid series against the Reds, with 4 hits and 5 RBI. His double in the fifth scored Brandon Marsh.

Bryson Stott, who has struggled mightily at the plate in recent weeks, cracked a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth to give the Phillies their first lead of the day. It was also the loudest collective sigh of relief the tri-state area has heard in recent years, knowing one of the top performances of Wheeler’s career wouldn’t go to waste.

As “Let’s go Wheeler” chants broke out in the ninth inning when the ace took the mound to finish his outstanding day, everyone took to their feet when realizing what they were collectively witnessing.

Greatness. Complete and utter greatness.