With just one game remaining in the 2024 regular season, the Philadelphia Phillies are focused on their playoff ambitions, having already secured the second seed in the National League. Despite their loss on Saturday, which prevented them from claiming home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, they are set to enjoy a first-round bye.
Given their journey as a Wild Card team over the past two years, the Phillies should be pleased with their current standing. However, they did conclude their final series with a loss, despite their ace, Zack Wheeler, taking the mound for his last regular-season appearance.
Wheeler aimed to help the Phillies clinch the best overall record in Major League Baseball, which would have guaranteed home-field advantage. He delivered an impressive performance, allowing only two earned runs on three hits over 6.2 innings while striking out 11. Nevertheless, he received a no-decision, ending the season with a 16-7 record and a 2.67 ERA.
Since joining the Phillies, Wheeler has been a standout performer, although it’s unfortunate that he will finish as the runner-up in the Cy Young voting for the second time. He made history on Saturday, becoming the first pitcher in franchise history to achieve 11 consecutive starts with two runs or fewer allowed, as noted by Matt Gelb of The Athletic. This remarkable streak began on August 4, following a rare outing where he gave up seven earned runs to the New York Yankees.
Overall, Wheeler has maintained a 2.94 ERA across 133 starts and 829.1 innings since arriving in Philadelphia before the 2020 season, marking one of the finest tenures in the franchise’s history. His consistent performance has made him the go-to pitcher during the regular season and the playoffs in recent years.
As he concludes his regular-season efforts, Wheeler can now focus on leading the Phillies in the playoffs, where he has excelled with a 2.42 ERA over 11 postseason starts.
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