A reset Phillies rotation gave Zack Wheeler a previously unscheduled extra day of rest Sunday, as his start was pushed back to Monday afternoon in Milwaukee.
Not so coincidentally, that delayed Wheeler start would be against the National League Central Division leading Brewers and their ace, Brandon Woodruff. And when it was over, Wheeler denied that he was being set up for a final month push not only in this series, but also down the road with a late-September series in Atlanta, against the team they’re chasing.
Instead, Wheeler said this was more about getting a little extra rest, which seemed to pay off as he threw six shutout innings, with the Phillies eventually blowing Woodruff off the mound and running away with a 12-0 victory.
The Phillies’ six-home-run offensive explosion aside, Wheeler looked better than he had anytime in the past month. He mixed speeds and all of his pitches, He allowed only five hits while striking out eight Brewers, who even with the loss had an 11-game lead on runner-up Cincinnati in the Central.
Wheeler had tossed a complete game two-hit shutout of the Mets on Aug. 8, but since then lost three straight starts in which he gave up an average of five earned runs per outing. He finally broke the losing string with a 7-4 win last Monday over the Nationals but still allowed four earned runs in six innings.
“Just an extra day or two since this past start definitely helped,” Wheeler said. “I’ve just had a lot of innings, especially after not doing too much last year. We’re trying to be smart about it. The performance kind of showed. I was getting a little fatigued or tired or whatever, the past couple of starts. So just that one extra day or two definitely helps. That’s the goal, to finish strong. Especially where we’re at, just trying to be strong to try to make that playoff push.”
With Atlanta idle, the Phillies pushed to within 1½ games of the East-leading Braves. Wheeler’s league-leading 182.2 innings pitched is a big reason why the club is in the thick of things in September. But as he said, “we’re trying to just dial it back a little.”
Therefore, with the Phillies leading 4-0 at the time, manager Joe Girardi felt six innings and 99 pitches was enough for Wheeler on Monday.
“I thought he threw the ball extremely well,” Girardi said. “He was in command of the strike zone the whole day, and as I’ve said, the last couple of starts there were some plays that we could have made that we didn’t, and that cost some runs for him. I feel good every time he takes the mound, because he’s got really good stuff.”
Girardi said he felt Wheeler could have been up for the challenge of one more inning, but added, “We still have a ways to go (this season). You want to be as fresh as you can be at this time of year.
“We need his ace stuff every time he goes out,” Girardi said, “and that’s not easy for any pitcher. So we’re doing everything we can to give him an opportunity to do that. He’s taken care of himself and he’s worked his tail off to get to this point. He’ll continue to do that but we have to make sure we don’t push him too hard.”
As far as his nearly month-long performance malaise, Wheeler said the fatigue essentially impacted his command rather than velocity.
“Velocity does drop sometimes but most of the time it’s still there,” Wheeler said. “It’s that command that goes first, usually. I could look good out there sometimes but my command is off. So I think it’s smart, what we’re trying to do here.”
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Hector Neris went one sharp seventh inning before the Phillies blew the game open. Matt Moore worked the eighth and ninth in garbage time.
Neris notched career strikeout 500 along the way.
“It’s another great accomplishment in my career,” said Neris. He pitched for a third straight game, and has generally been one of the Phillies’ best relievers since losing his closer’s role in late June.
“Maybe his last eight, nine or 10 appearances, he’s been nasty,” Brad Miller said of Neris. “He’s thrown a ton of heaters. … I feel like every time he’s come out of the ‘pen he’s gotten it done.”
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NOTES >> Of the Phillies’ six homers, one was Jean Segura’s first career grand slam, and two were hit by Miller. … Aaron Nola (7-7, 4.54), generally inconsistent all season, will try to get back on track again Tuesday night against the Brewers’ Eric Lauer (4-5, 3.43).
