Phillies: Zack Wheeler reaches 200 innings for the first time in his career

Phillies ace Zack Wheeler becomes the first MLB pitcher this season to reach 200 innings pitched

In the fifth inning of Friday’s game against the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler reached a new career milestone, throwing 200 innings for the first time in any season of his career.

Wheeler was tied with his career-high of 195 1/3 innings pitched coming into Friday’s game against his former team. His second out of the fifth inning ( 4 2/3 innings), a groundout by Jonathan Villar, made it an even 200.

Wheeler leads all of MLB in innings pitched and strikeouts. He was also the first pitcher to strike out 200 batters, back in late August. As of his 200th inning milestone in the fifth inning, he had struck out six batters, bringing his season total to 231 strikeouts.

Until a rough stretch in August, Wheeler was considered a frontrunner for the NL Cy Young award. He’s still having a career year, though, and he can help his team reach the postseason for the first time since 2011.

Wheeler has had immense success against his former team

Ironically, much of Wheeler’s success has come against his former team. He made his big-league debut with the Mets in 2013, and spent the first five seasons of his career in Queens, compiling a 3.77 ERA over 126 starts, including one complete game and one shutout. He has three complete games and two shutouts for the Phillies this season, leading all MLB pitchers in both categories. One of his complete-game shutouts came against the Mets, a magnificent tribute on the day the Phillies honored the late Roy Halladay.

If Wheeler’s success this season continues for the remainder of the regular season (likely three more starts), he will finish the season with a sub-3 ERA for his second season in a row with the Phillies; he never had an ERA under 3.31 with the Mets.

The Phillies were 74-72 coming into Friday’s opener of the most crucial series of their season. Watching Wheeler’s success with his current team, the Mets have to wonder what could have been.