Phillies’ Zack Wheeler 6-8 Months Out After Thoracic Outlet Surgery

The Philadelphia Phillies just got some tough news. Zack Wheeler, their ace, will miss the rest of the 2025 season with thoracic outlet syndrome.

Wheeler, 35, was in the middle of one of his best years ever. Now he’ll have decompression surgery, after already having a blood clot removed from his upper right arm.

Doctors expect his recovery will keep him out for six to eight months. That puts his availability for the start of 2026 up in the air.

The Phillies, sitting at the top of the NL East, have to scramble now. They’ll need to reshuffle their pitching staff if they want to hang onto their playoff hopes.

Understanding Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

Thoracic outlet syndrome, or TOS, happens when bones or muscles in the upper chest squeeze blood vessels or nerves. That can mean pain, weakness, or numbness in the arm or hand.

For Wheeler, the first sign was a heavy feeling in his shoulder after his August 15 start against the Nationals. The Nationals’ medical staff found a blood clot, which led to his first surgery.

The Link Between the Blood Clot and Surgery

Phillies athletic trainer Paul Buchheit said Wheeler’s thoracic outlet syndrome isn’t actually connected to the shoulder soreness he had earlier in the year. The plan now is decompression surgery to take pressure off the blood vessels in his upper chest and arm.

That kind of surgery has become more common for pitchers in recent seasons. It’s not a guarantee, but it can give them a shot at coming back.

Impact on Wheeler’s Career

Wheeler was on a tear before the injury. He had a 10-5 record, a 2.71 ERA, and a league-leading 195 strikeouts in just 24 starts.

He was right in the Cy Young conversation. Now, though, he has to focus on getting healthy again, and no one’s quite sure exactly when he’ll be back.

Potential Return in 2026

Phillies president Dave Dombrowski says he’s hopeful Wheeler can return early in 2026. Buchheit mentioned Wheeler might start throwing as soon as eight weeks after surgery.

But, let’s be honest, rehab is unpredictable. Wheeler’s 35 now, so age and recovery will both be factors.

Phillies Rotation Without Wheeler

Losing Wheeler definitely shakes up the Phillies’ pitching plans down the stretch. They’re lucky, though—they’ve got some depth.

• Aaron Nola – He’s now the clear leader of the staff.
• Taijuan Walker – Brings some veteran steadiness to the middle of the rotation.
• Cristopher Sánchez – A lefty who’s really coming into his own this year.
• Ranger Suárez – Can handle a bunch of different roles, which helps a lot.
• Jesús Luzardo – Brings some real strikeout potential and upside.
• Andrew Painter – The top prospect who might get his shot sooner than anyone expected.

Playoff Outlook Without Their Ace

The Phillies have a lead in the NL East, so there’s a little breathing room. But let’s not sugarcoat it—losing Wheeler’s innings and dominance is a real problem.

The offense will have to keep things rolling. The rest of the rotation? They’ll need to step up if Philly wants to stay in the hunt.

The Road Ahead

Wheeler’s surgery really shows just how fast a season can flip for both a team and a player. The Phillies now have to keep their postseason hopes alive without their ace, which is going to push the depth of their roster in ways nobody wanted to test.

Wheeler faces months of recovery. He’ll need to rebuild his arm strength and, hopefully, make it back to the mound healthy in 2026.

Honestly, nobody knows exactly when he’ll return. But if Wheeler finds his old form, that could feel like the Phillies picking up a star at midseason in 2026—a huge boost.

Until then, Philadelphia has to rely on the rest of its starters. Maybe they’ll have to get creative with some roster moves if they want to keep chasing a championship.

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Here is the source article for this story: Phillies rocked as star pitcher Zack Wheeler faces six to eight months out