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Zack Wheeler Dazzles in One-Hit Complete Game Against the Reds
By Luke Arcaini
Published:
Death, taxes, and Zack Wheeler.
The Phillies ace dazzled on Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park, tossing a 1-hit complete game to lead the Phillies to a 3-1 win against the Reds.
It was a putrid day for the Phillies offense, but Zack Wheeler was so good that it didn’t matter. Wheeler carried a perfect game into the 5th inning. The only hit of the day was an Austin Hays solo home run on a fastball that Wheeler left right over the middle.
I wasn’t lying when I said it was a putrid performance from the Phillies offense. They left 10 runners on base and went 0 for 10 with RISP, 9 of those outs being strikeouts. It was very bad…until Bryson Stott stepped to the plate in the 8th inning with a runner on. Stott, who is slashing .198/.283/.277 over his last 30 games, cranked a 2-run home run off of the scoreboard of the second deck in right field, and that’s all Zack Wheeler needed.
Citizens Bank Park erupted when Zack Wheeler walked out for the 9th inning. 40,000 people were chanting “Let’s Go Wheeler” before every pitch in the inning. It was one of the best crowds I’ve ever heard at the Bank. Wheeler went 1-2-3 in the 9th inning to throw his first complete game since August 8th, 2021.
Rob Thomson, like all of us, is starting to run out of words to describe Zack Wheeler. He said postgame that this is the best outing he’s ever seen Wheeler pitch. Thomson said whether Stott hit that home run in the 8th or not, Wheeler was going back out for the 9th. He talked to Wheeler after the 8th inning, and noted that Wheeler told him he would’ve lied to him even if he didn’t feel 100% because he wanted to finish the game so bad.
9 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 12 Ks. Just an absolutely masterful performance from Zack Wheeler, who’s ERA dropped down to 2.17 in 116 innings in 2025. He’ll make one more start before the All-Star Break, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday against Nick Pivetta and the Padres at Petco Park.
Luke Arcaini writes about the Phillies for Crossing Broad, covers the Phillies for FOX Sports The Gambler, and co-hosts "Phillies Digest" on YouTube. The wave is the worst thing in all of sports. Contact: lukearcaini8@gmail.com