Bryce Harper will return for the Philadelphia Phillies Friday, but Zack Wheeler won’t be on the mound.
Prior to Thursday night’s series finale against the Cincinnati Reds, the Phillies announced that Wheeler has been placed on the 15-day injured list with right forearm tendinitis. The move is retroactive to Aug. 22. Wheeler’s most recent start was on Aug. 20, but the maximum that you can backdate an IL placement is three days.
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said that the team believes that Wheeler will miss Friday and his next scheduled start, but the expectation is that he’ll be able to return in time for the turn through the rotation after that. There are no plans for him to undergo an MRI.
Wheeler led baseball in innings in 2021, tossing 213 1/3 innings in a season where he ultimately finished as the runner-up in National League Cy Young Award voting. He’s thrown 138 innings in 2022.
Bailey Falter is expected to start Friday in his place.