Starting pitcher Zack Wheeler agreed to a five year, $118 million dollar contract with the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday. He choose the Phillies over teams like the New York Mets and the New York Yankees.
Wheeler, now 29, was drafted by the San Francisco Giants with the sixth overall pick in the 2009 amatuer draft. He was traded to the Mets in 2011 and made his debut in 2013.
Wheeler was solid in 2013 and 2014, before missing the next two seasons with a torn ulnar collateral ligament, and underwent Tommy John surgery.
He returned in 2017, and had an ERA of over five in his only poor season. In 2019, his ERA was almost four, throwing 195 innings. He was 11-8 and had a WAR of 4.1.
His career ERA is a nice 3.77 over 126 career starts.
Wheeler now goes to a Philadelphia team trying to make their first postseason since 2011. They have hired a new manager in former Yankee manager Joe Girardi, and are ready for a fresh start after two disappointing years with Gabe Kapler at the helm. Kapler now manages for the Giants.
It’s unfortunate that both the Mets and the Yankees missed out on the Wheeler sweepstakes. The Yankees were looking for a final piece to push them into the World Series, and the Mets were looking to keep their entire starting pitching core together to make it back into the Postseason.
It’s especially disappointing for the Mets. Their fans have undergone a lot of pain over the last few seasons, and the team was finally starting to show postseason potential.
The Mets may now have to join the Yankees in going all in for Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg.