Zack Wheeler underwent an MRI Thursday that didn’t reveal any structural damage, Phillies interim manager Rob Thomson told NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jim Salisbury and other reporters. Wheeler received the testing after feeling soreness during a catch session, and while the issue seems to be just be elbow inflammation, it does present new questions about when Wheeler will be able to return to the rotation. The right-hander was retroactively placed on the 15-day injured list on August 22, and was expected to miss two starts while recovering from forearm tendinitis.
“It’s feeling better and I’m sure if this was a playoff game, he’d say, ’Give me the ball.’ But he’s still feeling it a little bit so we’re going to wait and re-evaluate on Monday or Tuesday,” Thomson said. The skipper said he isn’t too concerned about Wheeler’s status, but Wheeler won’t be activated from the IL on Tuesday, his first day of eligibility for reinstatement. Wheeler is enjoying another strong season and has been a big part of the Phillies’ success, and the club naturally needs the righty back as soon as possible (health permitting) for the stretch run.
More on other pitching situations around baseball….
- Drew Pomeranz has yet to pitch this season after undergoing flexor tendon surgery in August 2021, and his chances of a return seemingly took a hit when his rehab was shut down due to soreness two weeks ago. However, Padres manager Bob Melvin told reporters (including Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune) that Pomeranz played catch on Friday and is slated to throw later this week. After the shutdown, Pomeranz had a checkup with Dr. Neal ElAttrache but was told that some soreness is a routine part of the recovery process. “There’s still a chance to get [Pomeranz] back here before the season is over,” Melvin said.
- The Cardinals will activate Jack Flaherty off the 60-day IL Monday for a start against the Nationals. Shoulder problems have limited Flaherty to only eight innings over three starts this season, marking his second consecutive injury-marred year. With Flaherty back, Cards manager Oliver Marmol told reporters (including Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch) that Dakota Hudson will move to the bullpen for now, and might not start again until a doubleheader against the Reds on September 17. Despite below-average Statcast metrics almost across the board, Hudson has managed a 4.43 ERA over 126 innings, though his SIERA is a less-favorable 5.11. It doesn’t seem like either Flaherty or Hudson are candidates for starting assignments in the postseason, though their work in September and October will give Marmol and company more to think about in determining roles on playoff rosters.
St Louis should shut Flaherty down for the rest of the season,then have him ready to go for spring training .Instead they’re going to make another Alex Reyes out of him to keep the Dodgers from getting him !
He’s been dominant in most of his rehab starts, it makes zero sense to shut him down.
Duh. That’s Jack’s M.O. dominate in the minors, come back look good for a start or two and then feels more discomfort. Shows everyone he still has it while not pitching for an organization he doesn’t want to be a part. If there is truely no intention of him being a starter in the post season, then the same will repeat and he want be back for long. They probably get bounced in the first round so as a fourth starter he may not even have a chance to start.
That only happened once (earlier this season), and that was partially because they rushed him back after his rehab starts DIDN’T go as well.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals will probably have the advantage in the first round as the likely 3rd Seed facing the 6th Seed with a worse record. If Flaherty does well in September, then he could very well get the nod as the 4th starter over Quintana.
He will have a dazzling contract year
Let him go to the Dodgers and be their problem. He’s not staying in St Louis once he is a free agent and that is GREAT!!
Say that again after he comes back to dominate next season like Tarasenko did for the Blues in his contract year.
I have to agree, count on a great contract year.
I have the same feeling. He’s sandbagging til contract time
Glad you don’t run a baseball team. Why would you shut down potentially your best pitcher in the middle of the playoff chase? To keep the Dodgers from getting him? That makes zero sense
If Jack is worried about it, he will find a way to be shut down.
jack’s toast
Alex Reyes made himself when he literally PUNCHED A BRICK WALL.
And Jack could have alerted SOMEONE his should hurt all last off-season. I know players can’t communicate with teams during the lockout but I refuse to believe an elite professional athlete couldn’t get himself in front of a doctor.
When did he do that? Although he’s had a ton of injury issues in 4 of the last 5 years, I’ve never heard about Reyes having any self-inflicted ones.
It was pre-covid which just seems so long ago but in April 2019 he fought a wall and lost.
usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2019/04/28/cardinals…
Ah, so he did. Still, it was his non-dominant hand and was a drop in the bucket compared to all the other injuries Reyes has had.
Flaherty seems good to go, last time they rushed him back cuase they didn’t have Quintana or Montgomery yet? His fastball velocity is back at its career average, question is will his slider be lights out again?
Shutting him down now makes zero sense and definitely does nothing to stop the Dodgers from bidding on him once he reaches free agency
The Padres are starting to play better, so getting Pomerantz back would be big
I’d be quite concerned if I was PHI fan. Teams rarely spin it pessimistic. They need this man down stretch. And NL needs a high emotion race for last wild cards
The Phillies have been playing like garbage. So there’s plenty to be concerned about even beyond Wheeler.
Another stretch collapse by the Phillies? Milwaukee not playing like they wanna be a playoff team either?
I think they should shut him down for two more weeks and re-evaluate then. The only team with a realistic shot of catching them for the last wild card is Milwaukee and they’ve been even worse than Philly recently.
Flaherty is absolutely in the Cards postseason plans Mark. They have a rotation filled with #3 starters. Jack is the only one right now with real ace potential.
That might be the hope but as you can’t count on Jack right now so I’m sure the coaches will be grateful for whatever they get. If he looks good into October he’ll start in the playoffs.
Playoff rotation most likely to be Waino, Mikolas, Montgomery, and Quintana. Only one I see him replacing is Quintana and that is far from a sure thing.
Mikolas has been pretty shaky since the all star break.
Mikolas has continued to be great except for just 2 starts, one of which was in Coors Field.
What are you talking about?! Mikolas and Wainwright are legitimate #1 and #2 starters this year.
Flaherty could very well surpass Quintana as #4, though.
Just take the rest of the season off Zack. You aren’t missing anything.
The offense and starting pitching seems to have taken off
The cardinals will celebrate winning the weakest division in baseball and get bounced in the first round. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before.
The Cardinals have won multiple WS by winning the weakest division and getting hot in the playoffs. The best regular season team statistically rarely wins the WS.
The AL Central is the weakest division in baseball.
Because two of them are managed by former cardinal managers. Hardly a coincidence
This is a sneaky golden comment
La Russia is out with a heart condition
In 2006, the Cardinals won the weakest division with a regular season record of 83-78.
And won the WS. It’ll be interesting to see 2023 play out with a more balanced schedule.
The Cardinals could be tough in the playoffs with solid D and pitching that knows how to use it. They have a veteran team too.
The same Cardinals that have the top two MVP candidates? The same Cardinals that recently swept the Yankees? The same Cardinals that have the second most WS titles?
Your predictions mean less than nothing.
-Baseball is a team sport. Those cute little MVP awards mean nothing
– how did they do against the rest of the AL east this year? You may want to go have a looksie
-all cardinal fans live in the past. It’s what they do best
It’s not a prediction. Out after the first round. SD or the Phillies will destroy that rotation.
SD and the Phillies?? You must be joking. Those are two horrible teams and the Phillies probably won’t even make the playoffs to begin with. They have only 22 and 23 wins each, respectively, since the All Star break. Yeah, I’m REAL worried about the Padres and Phillies. Bahahahah!!!
Since it’s not FACT, yes, actually it IS a prediction. A really bad one at that.
The Cardinals are easily better than the Phillies or Brewers and somewhat better than the Padres. They could still lose, but they definitely have the advantage in the first round assuming they win the division.
“Having two mvps isnt impressive”
“Howd your team do against the hardest division that every division has been beat up by”
“Your team that has a winning record every single year is focused on the past”
Thats your post and it was stupid
$TL is a lock to win the central
I’m fine with giving Flaherty Hudson’s starts, but they should send Hudson to the minors instead of the pen. He needs to continue starting and hopefully rebuild his confidence. No matter how frustrating Hudson is to watch, he remains a big part of the plan for next season. They need him to get right and he won’t get enough opportunities out of then pen. There’s no way Marmol could trust him right now in a tight situation.
I’m not sure whether Hudson has any minor league options remaining.
I’m not sure if Hudson has minor league options either. But if he accepts the assignment there is no issue. If he can’t see that it is a move in his best interest, he is welcome to rot in the bullpen.
Accepting the assignment is irrelevant (and Hudson doesn’t have enough service time to reject it, anyway) if he’s out of options. He’d still have to pass through waivers, where he’d quickly be scooped up by another team.
The Cardinals need Hudson to improve as a starter because eventually Wainright will retire, Flaherty will either get another injury or leave as a free agent, and because Matz has a history of injuries.
I would absolutely hate seeing Hudson getting called from the pen to come in with a lead in the 5th or 6th inning. Agree on sending him down to AAA.
He’d be more likely to come in before the 5th inning, likely while losing, as a long reliever, anyway.
Well, you called it. Hudson was demoted to AAA for the time being.
And actually pitched pretty well in his first start. Hopefully he regains some confidence and composure.
Pomeranz has been just about to join the Pads ( and save the day) for about 4 months now.
G