Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler to miss next scheduled start with back injury
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Zack Wheeler will not make his scheduled start Sunday in the Philadelphia Phillies' final game before the All-Star break because of low back tightness, manager Rob Thomson said Thursday.
"We're going to be cautious and then we'll line him up coming out of the break," Thomson said. "We haven't lined it up exactly yet, but we'll just make sure we take care of him."
The Phillies are confident skipping Sunday's start will be enough for the 34-year-old to recover.
Philadelphia doesn't have a starting pitcher tabbed yet for Sunday's game against the Oakland Athletics. Thomson said a bullpen game is possible.
"Hopefully, we don't use a whole lot of bullpen on Saturday," Thomson said, "and we can run our guys out there and get them some work going into the break."
Wheeler left his start against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night after 76 pitches and five innings with back tightness.
After Tuesday's game, a 10-1 win over the Dodgers, both Wheeler and Thomson said they expected the Phillies' ace to make his next scheduled start. On Wednesday, Thomson reported Wheeler was still "sore"
Thomson said Thursday he believes Wheeler was feeling better.
Wheeler was named to his second All-Star team this season but will not pitch — he would have missed the game anyway since he was scheduled to start the Phillies' final game before the break.
The righty is 10-4 with a 2.70 ERA in 116 2/3 innings and 19 starts. He joins Aaron Nola and Ranger Suárez with 10 wins before the All-Star break, making it the first time in franchise history a Phillies club has had three pitchers with double-digit wins before the break.
Bryce Harper will return to the Phillies' lineup Thursday night in their series finale against the Dodgers. Harper missed Wednesday's 4-3 win with a bruised glove hand.