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Dr. Mike breaks down Zach Wheeler's season-ending injury
On Saturday, the Phillies released a statement saying that Wheeler was diagnosed with venous thoracic outlet syndrome and would undergo surgery in the coming weeks.
PHILADELPHIA - The Phillies will continue their playoff push without ace pitcher Zack Wheeler after the right-hander was diagnosed with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome on Saturday.
Wheeler, 35, has been one of the league's best pitchers since arriving in Philadelphia and was the runner-up in last season's National League Cy Young Award voting.
What we know:
Wheeler was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome and will require additional surgery that’s expected to sideline him for six to eight months, the team announced Saturday.
Wheeler had a follow-up evaluation following a procedure Monday to remove a blood clot from his upper right arm. After receiving a second opinion, it was recommended that Wheeler undergo thoracic outlet decompression surgery in the coming weeks. Such a surgery would threaten Wheeler’s ability to start the 2026 season on time.
"It’s disappointing, but everybody knows it’s out of our control," Phillies manager Rob Thomson. "We’re happy he’s going to be healthy, because it’s a very serious thing that he went through."
What they're saying:
Thoracic outlet syndrome is a condition in which bones or muscle press on blood vessels in the upper chest, near the shoulder, causing pain or numbness. Repetitive arm movements are a common cause, making baseball players and swimmers more susceptible, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Decompression surgery involves removing bone or tissue that’s causing the constriction.
Dr. Mike joined Good Day Philadelphia on Monday to discuss Wheeler's diagnosis, adding that research suggests that 80% of pitchers have been able to return.
"What they're probably going to do is probably going to do is remove part of the scaling muscle and perhaps remove the first rib," Dr. Mike opined.
Once the pressure in Wheeler's shoulder is relieved, Dr. Mike believes it should prevent the injury from happening again.
The Associated Press contributed to this report