Wheeler has been a 'stopper' for Phillies in 2026
Jason Benetti, John Kruk and John Franco dig into the Mets-Phillies series before highlighting veteran ace Zack Wheeler and his status as Philadelphia's true stopper and one of MLB's "top-10" pitchers this year.
Video Transcript
John Kruk, start with you.
Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, the engines again.
Yeah, it was electrifying last night what those two did on the offensive side of the baseball.
Of course, Bryce Harper, his first cycle of his illustrious career, and he had to finish it with a triple, and he got that last night in his next to last at bat.
But he might have been outdone, which is hard to do, by this man Kyle Schwarber.
Three long home runs for Schwarber, and when those two guys get going, Jason and John, this offense is absolutely lethal.
We saw it.
They forced a position player in to pitch for the Mets.
Other than Zach Short being one, two, three in the eighth inning, the bullpen has actually been great for this Mets team.
I know you love that.
I love it.
When you talk about the bullpen, it goes right to my heart.
The bullpen's been great.
They had, Williams and Weaver had a little hiccup, in April, but they, they've, they, solidified the end of the bullpen.
Brooks Raley, Hazebun, they've all been doing a, such a great job in the bullpen for Carlos Mendoza.
This is a Mets team that needs wins and needs them fast.
They will face Zack Wheeler tonight for the Philadelphia Phillies.
It's the Mets starting lineup.
It's presented by Capital One.
Bo Bichette has been scalding hot in the two spot.
Juan Soto, since he's been back from injury, has done exactly what they've expected from him at the top of the lineup.
But Anthony Rizzo is a multi-time all-star downstairs.
He has faced Zack Wheeler as well.
What's your scout on the Phillies starter tonight, Anthony?
You gotta be ready to go, guys.
If Zack comes at you, he thinks that his stuff is better than anyone standing in the box.
So with guys like that, with aces like that, it's, it's be ready to go.
If they go ball one to you, I'm almost automatically swinging on the second pitch because he's coming at you and he's challenging you every single other pitch and every at bat.
Zack Wheeler, as much as the managerial change gets the headlines, guys, Zack Wheeler, when he came back into this rotation late April, they had lost 10 in a row.
He got them a victory.
He stopped that losing streak, and Zack Wheeler has been one of the top 10 pitchers in all of Major League Baseball this year.
You see the ERA at 2.01, and funny enough, this is his fourth straight Father's Day start on the mound.
But, but John, you've seen him all year.
Zack Wheeler has in so many ways been a stopper for Philadelphia.
Yeah, Jason.
I don't think there's any coincidence that when Zack Wheeler came off the injured list, that's when And the change of manager, Donny Mattingly downplayed that.
But when Zack Wheeler came back, it put everyone in their spot in the rotation.
Now, they're still gonna have to find a fifth starter, but when Zack came back, he did not miss a beat in his should-be Cy Young form of a couple years ago.
ERA of 2.01, and he's even talked about it, how important it is to be that kind of stopper
