Zack Wheeler happy to be back on the mound after helping Phillies to win
Hear from Zack Wheeler after his first start of the 2026 season, helping lead the Phillies to a 8-5 win over the Braves on Saturday night.
Zack Wheeler happy to be back on the mound after helping Phillies to win originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Video Transcript
It's good to hear that again in the clubhouse, I bet, huh?
Yeah, for sure.
were you sandbagging everybody all along- about your velocity?
Rehab?
No, it's just, that's why you kinda take rehab games with a grain of salt.
you know, once you get up here, it's a different game.
the adrenaline's going, things matter, and, you know, we lost 10 games in a row.
So, yeah, I mean, you just gotta go out there and just do it.
Was that in- That's what I- I'm sorry.
Was that in I mean it, I mean, I, how can it not be?
Was that 10-game winning streak in your head as you- Yeah, for sure took the mound tonight?
Yeah, I, if I lost 10 games in a row and I'm the next guy up, obviously I want to stop it.
So, you know, that's, that's always kind of been my thing over the years, is, if we are in a little slump, I want to be the stopper.
And, even if it's two games in a row, you know, I want to be that guy.
So, you know, I love the, love being in that situation and, you know, take pride in it.
Does it feel easy coming out of your hand in, in, in the first inning?
Yeah.
you know, kind of once I got through the first hitter to, I was like, "All right, we're, we're good," type thing.
Did you look for the velocity?
Yeah, obviously.
Yeah, I mean- It's easy though, it's, it's right behind home, so- Okay.
Nobody You can throw a pitch and it's just right there in front of your face.
So when you looked up and you saw a six, what was your reaction?
Cool.
Cool?
Yeah.
Okay.
What did you like, I mean, what did you like about just the night in general?
Like, what, when you leave tonight, what has you encouraged?
obviously the velo is the biggest thing, right?
it's been missing, but just executing.
I thought I hit my spots pretty much all game.
you know, the one to Riley was a ball off.
It probably needed to be two and a half balls off.
we face each other so much, we know what each other's gonna try to do, so it's just that chess match, and, I just didn't execute that one.
and then, Harris, just got to bounce that curve ball, especially being, 0-2.
How'd you feel after that long fourth inning when you came in?
I mean I was a little tired.
I ain't gonna lie, I was a little tired.
tread water out there.
So, got a little second, second, You like joking and stuff, man.
I was like, "Yeah, whatever."
What, whatever I'm looking for.
but yeah, I mean, the guys gave me a long inning to kinda, you know, cool down and get my second wind, so I was able to go out there for the fifth.
I noticed that your sweeper, it was way up in spin from, you know, prior years.
Is that something that you were working on during your rehab, or is it just- Not necessarily.
I mean, it, it's been looking, it's probably been one of my best pitches, so far in all the games I've been throwing, which is not a surprise, but it's a surprise at the same time.
you know, s- spin, getting back into things is always kind of the last thing to come.
it's just so fine.
So, I mean, I did throw a lot of them in the minor leagues.
They like to call them down there.
So I got a lot of practice with it.
Did, did you take a moment at all to reflect, Zach?
I mean, it's 250 something days.
Yeah.
You went through a lot.
Like, did you take a moment?
Was this, was there anything different or special for you tonight?
yeah, I mean, obviously, you know, you think about this moment.
me, I just want to get it over with and just keep moving on.
you know, just the anxiety of it part.
So, yeah, I'm glad it's done, especially when you come out of the game, kind of, you know, get that weight off your shoulders.
But yeah, I mean, it's just the unknown, right?
Going into it.
you know, you never know.
you just hear a lot of bad stories when stuff happens.
You don't hear a lot of good, so.
but you know, as time went on throughout the off-season, those good stories do come out, so it makes you feel a little better.
but yeah, I mean, you know, I just kept my nose down and, you know, I got to thank everybody, honestly.
I mean, you know, everybody from my wife to my kids, just keeping me happy and, you know, head straight and all that stuff.
And, Paul, I mean, we worked together all off-season.
you know, normally when he probably doesn't come in and he's missing time from his family, means a lot to me, and he helped me grind through that and get me back out there, so.
And then, you know, just the guys, the staff, everybody just, um- If you're making a guess, you know, you're done you know, keeping me feeling welcomed and, you know, feeling important, I guess.
I don't know the right word, but, you know, they're all happy for me after this game, and that means a lot to me, for sure.
Were John and even the kids here tonight?
No, they weren't.
Yeah.
Did, did you find it ironic that your Major League debut was in this, in this, city, and now your second career, if you will, is in this city as well?
Yeah.
I've had a few good moments here.
debut, hundredth win, this game.
So, you know, just kind of happens that way.
But, yeah, I mean, I've always enjoyed pitching here.
It's always a tough lineup over the years.
You know it's gonna be a grind coming in, and, you know, you, you, you gotta be ready to play.
So yeah, I mean, it's always a tough matchup when you come in here, but always enjoy it.
What was it like just post-game to see guys smiling and- Yeah.
You know, the excitement playing?
Yeah, for sure.
I mean, just, you know, all the pitchers were in here, obviously, that have, have already pitched, and, we all, you know, joked around and- Let's throw another one just yelled and stuff like that.
So it was fun.
anytime you win a ball game, it's fun, especially after losing 10. you know, it's not where we want to be at this point in the season, but we are where we are, and now we gotta, you know, win ball games.
you know, we've been looking better over the past few days.
just hasn't went our way.
And finally tonight, you know, Short hit that line drive and- Thank you kind of turned things around for us.
So hopefully stuff like that keeps happening.
Mm-hmm.
And, you know, stuff like that has to happen for you to win ball games sometimes.
It is what it is, but, you know, we're playing, playing well.
we just, we gotta, we gotta be consistent.
And then it wraps it during the rain delay, guys, and like, and then during the workout room, music is blaring and stuff like that.
What were you doing to get your body?
I already got ready, so, had to kind of take a step back.
Just came in here and just relaxed a little bit, and went back in there and, kind of activated again.
Okay.
Yeah.
