It’s still early enough in the process that neither Wheeler nor the team is outlining any timeline on when the three-time All-Star could potentially return to Philadelphia’s rotation. TOS operations and the associated recovery periods are, as Thomson put it, “new things, and it’s different than a lot of other injuries. So we really can’t pin it down to a day or a week.”
Still, it appears early optimism that Wheeler could be back sometime in the first half of April hasn’t waned. Wheeler was given a generous window of six to eight months after his surgery, so it at least appears he could return sooner than two months. A season-opening IL stint is final, but Thomson said it’s possible Wheeler could pitch in a Spring Training game before camp is over.
The Phillies obviously won’t rush Wheeler’s process, as getting him back to pitching simply isn’t as important as getting him back in good shape, both health-wise and bottom-line. It’s anyone’s guess whether Wheeler will be able to recapture his superstar production levels immediately or even completely, considering how many (but not all) pitchers dealing with thoracic outlet syndrome have never been the same after their surgeries. The fact that Wheeler is feeling normal in his prep work so far is a good sign that the righty can be a force in the rotation again.
In other injury news: Orion Kerkering was sidelined early in Phillies camp with a Grade 1 hamstring injury, but the right-hander is scheduled to have a bullpen session today. Assuming Kerkering doesn’t have any setbacks, he should be on track for Opening Day selection as his arm requires less build for a relief role.
Kerkering will return to a high-leverage assignment in Philadelphia’s bullpen, although the addition of Brad Keller can push Kerkering one step lower on the depth chart. Kerkering’s 2025 season will unfortunately be remembered for his game-ending and series-ending error in Game 4 of the NLDS, but he delivered yet another solid campaign overall, with a 3.30 ERA and a 24.4% strikeout rate over 60 innings. However, that strikeout rate was a drop from his 28.8K% in 2024, and Kerkering’s walk rate skyrocketed.
Bryson Stott is another Phillie looking for more consistency in 2026, but the fact that the second baseman finished on a high note last season gives him plenty of optimism for the season ahead. As Stot said Todd Zolecki of MLB.comSome brutal numbers in the first half prompted Stott to immediately overhaul his approach midseason, with adjustments such as lowering his hands and moving closer to the plate. The left-handed hitter also simplified things by just trying to pull the ball towards him and make solid contact, rather than focusing on trying to hit all the fields.
“If you just make your shot and it’s an outside throw, the ball will go to the left, instead of trying to guide it to the leftStot said.For example, I get an inside heater and I say, ‘Well, I want to hit the ball to get out of this at-bat,’ and then I try to spin the barrel and then I get into trouble. The second half was more about me letting the ball dictate where it was going to go rather than trying to dictate where it was going to go..”
Stott got off to a hot start in April before falling into a deep slump, as he hit just .196/.266/.274 over 243 plate appearances from May 1 through July 22. From there, the swing started to click, as Stott hit .307/.376/.508 over his final 202 PA of the 2025 campaign.
The bulk of Stott’s season-long damage came against right-handed pitchers, as he hit just .225/.287/.228 in 123 PA against lefties. Stott put up at least decent numbers against lefties in his first two MLB seasons, but his fractures have widened over the past two years, jeopardizing his role as Philadelphia’s everyday second baseman. The team’s plan is to give Edmundo Sosa much (if not all) of the playing time at second base when a lefty is on the mound, though Stott believes he can perform well enough against lefties to protect his spot in the lineup.
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