Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler underwent a right middle finger resection procedure in Atlanta on Oct. 12, the team announced. He’s expected to be ready for spring training.
Wheeler, 30, was phenomenal in his first year in red pinstripes. He went 4-2 with a career-best 2.92 ERA. He ranked eighth in the National League in quality starts (7) and ninth in innings pitched (71).
He did all this while dealing with a nagging right middle finger nail injury during the latter part of the season. One of his starts had to be pushed back after his right middle finger nail was “very sore” following a freak incident. He never landed on the injured list. Instead, he pitched through the injury with the help of polish used to harden the nail.
At the time, there was a real possibility that Wheeler would have to miss the rest of the season if his nail fell off. He’s had trouble with his right middle finger nail since high school and it’s unclear whether or not the procedure solves the issue permanently.