PHILADELPHIA — Since putting on a Phillies uniform for the first time in 2020, there has not been a better pitcher in Major League Baseball than Zack Wheeler.
According to FanGraph’s WAR metric fWar, Wheeler has accumulated 26.8 fWar in his Phillies tenure. The next closest pitcher to the Phillies’ ace is Corbin Burnes with 22.1. You can pick any pitching statistic from his tenure, and chances are, Wheeler leads baseball. The lead in wins, innings pitched, and quality starts all belong to the Fightins’ right-hander.
After another dominant performance against the [Oakland] Athletics, he has now lowered his season earned run average to 2.42. The Phillies’ 4-3 victory helped secure his 6th win of the season, and 8 more strikeouts pushed Wheeler to second in all of Major League Baseball.
Greatness has never been the question when it comes to Zack Wheeler. However, the elusive Cy Young Award has escaped him twice in the past. Will 2025 be the season where he is finally awarded for his brilliance?
The Competition
As expected, the field of potential winners remains strong just 2 months into the season. For Wheeler, he is going to have to continue to pitch well, as others will slowly start to falter in the race.
Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Logan Webb of the San Francisco Giants, Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Jesus Luzardo of the Philadelphia Phillies all remain in the mix through this point of the season.
Skenes was a heavy betting favorite heading into this season. The Phillies saw firsthand just how good the second-year right-hander is, beating Skenes this past Sunday in Philadelphia. The Pirates’ ace tossed a complete game, allowing just 1 run. That 1 run was the difference in the ballgame, as the Phillies rallied behind rookie Mick Abel to win the game 1-0.
Wheeler finished runner-up in the 2024 voting to Atlanta Braves’ starter Chris Sale. Sale, who was dominant in his own right with the Braves last season, has not gotten off to a similar start in 2025. A regression from the reigning Cy Young Award winner eliminates a potential rival for the honor this season.
The case for Wheeler
A lot can happen between May 24th and the end of the baseball season in October. However, the back of a baseball card will tell you that Wheeler is going to continue to pitch at an elite level.
Through 11 starts in 2024, Wheeler held a record of 6-3, an ERA of 2.77, and 71 strikeouts across 61.2 innings pitched. After making his 11th start last night in Sacramento, Wheeler holds a record of 6-1, an ERA of 2.42, and 88 strikeouts in 70.2 innings pitched. He somehow improved upon what was already an elite start from just a year ago.
Past seasons should not factor into the voting, but a level of the human condition might come into play. When the season is all said and done, if the voting comes down to Wheeler and another arm, the fact that he has not yet won the honor could benefit him. Voters who had supported him in the past and even voters who might have gone the other way could turn back to Wheeler as a sign of respect for what he has delivered on the field.
Consistency is key, and there has not been a more consistent pitcher in baseball than Zack Wheeler. If Wheeler continues to pitch like he has through May, he will have a great chance at finally walking home with the Cy Young Award.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
