Zack Wheeler ‘getting after it’ early; Phillies add two veteran hitters to camp

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Zack Wheeler has the same goal every season: win a Cy Young Award.

That particular piece of hardware has remained elusive for the 34-year-old Phillies ace, though Wheeler has come agonizingly close with second-place finishes for the National League award in 2021 and most recently in 2024. Wheeler authored a strong campaign last season with a 16-7 record, a 2.57 ERA, and a career-best .0955 WHIP, but was beaten out in voting by Chris Sale.

The Braves lefty took home the “pitching triple crown” by leading the NL in wins, ERA, and strikeouts in a rebound season that also netted him NL Comeback Player of the Year. Wheeler said on Friday that the final tally didn’t bother him.

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“I think Chris deserved it,” Wheeler said. “I have no ill feelings towards anybody, but I think he deserved it. He had a really good season, so it was kind of hard to beat.”

One edge Wheeler certainly did have over Sale in 2024 was his workload: the 200 innings that Wheeler pitched ranked fourth-most in major league baseball, while Sale tossed 177⅔ innings. But even considering the high usage Wheeler has grown accustomed to during the regular season, that doesn’t mean he takes things easy in the spring. He threw a bullpen session on Friday and looked like his regular self.

“He’s probably had six or seven bullpens up to [Friday], and that’s earlier than normal for him,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “So he’s just getting after it.”

Last spring, Wheeler debuted his splitter, and the year prior unveiled a sweeper at camp. Both offerings have become important components of his arsenal. His sweeper is an extremely effective tool against right-handed hitters, and his split had a 40% whiff rate in 2024, the highest out of any of his pitches.

So far, Wheeler doesn’t have any new tricks up his sleeve.

“We’ll see if we can shake something down there, and maybe throw something to the different side of the plate or something, but nothing crazy this year,” Wheeler said. “Kind of ran out of things to throw.”

When right-hander Joe Ross signed a one-year deal with the Phillies in December, he was looking forward to being on the same side as catcher J.T. Realmuto.

“It’s nice to not see him in the box for once,” said Ross. “ … I think throwing to him [Thursday] was kind of a small sample size of what I can look forward to. I think with receiving, and probably pitch calling I would assume, he’s got to be up there. So we’ll get to work together a lot more through spring training and kind of build that relationship.”

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Ross already has some familiarity with some of his new teammates. He spent the first six seasons of his career with the Washington Nationals, where he played with Trea Turner, Bryce Harper, and Kyle Schwarber. He signed a one-year deal with the Milwaukee Brewers for the 2024 season, where he heard good reports about the Phillies organization from Rhys Hoskins.

The Phillies plan to build Ross up during the spring as a potential starting option in case of injuries. Thomson said he can use Ross in multiple spots since he can come out of the bullpen as a bulk reliever or for a leverage inning.

Ross started 2024 in the Brewers’ starting rotation but moved to the bullpen later in the season shortly after returning from a back injury. As a reliever, Ross found a new gear, posting a 1.67 ERA in 15 appearances compared to a 4.98 ERA as a starter.

“Honestly, whatever they need,” Ross said. “Obviously, I’ve started in the past. Last year I finished the second half or so in the bullpen. We’ve got a lot of arms. I know they traded for Jesús [Luzardo] right over the offseason, kind of around the time that I signed. So whatever we need, that’s kind of just how I approach pitching and how I approached last year as well. It’s kind of like, ‘Hey, whatever you need me to do, I’m happy to be here. I just want to play to win.’ And I think that gives us a great opportunity.”

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The Phillies added infielder Christian Arroyo and outfielder Óscar Mercado as nonroster invitees to spring training. Both are right-handed hitters with major league experience. Arroyo appeared in 11 postseason games for the Red Sox during Boston’s run to the American League Championship Series. Arroyo, 29, spent the 2024 season in the Brewers’ minor league system and hit .222 over 37 games in 2024.

Mercado hit .222 with a .713 OPS in 93 games at triple A between the Padres and Tigers organizations. Mercado, 30, played one game for the Phillies in 2022.