Jun 30, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) walks off the field after pitching the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Rob Thomson doesn't usually make baseball predictions. But on Monday he felt confident enough to throw one out into the world.
"I would think that either him or Ranger (Suarez) are going to be (National League) Pitcher of the Month," Thomson said.
The him, (or, as the kids these days would type it, Him) Thomson is referring to is none other than Zack Wheeler, who at this point, he's running out of superlatives to describe without making prognostications.
"What can you say about him," Thomson said. "He's been phenomenal the entire month."
And while that's true, after eight shutout innings and another 10 strikeouts on Monday in a 4-0 win over the San Diego Padres, it's been a heck of a lot longer than one month.
Just goes out every 5th day and tosses a gem like it's nbd pic.twitter.com/KimveJAMrt
But let's start there.
In the month of June, he allowed just two earned runs in 31 innings (0.58 ERA). That's two earned runs in five starts. It's reminiscent of the summer Cliff Lee had in 2011 when he had two different months like that in June and August.
He now leads all pitchers in WAR this season (per Baseball Reference) at 4.4. That's better than Paul Skenes. That's better than Tarik Skubal.
"He competes every single time he's on that bump," said Brandon Marsh. "We feel really good when he's out there."
How can you not? Wheeler improved to 8-3 this year - not that record means anything in baseball anymore, but his eight wins lead the N.L. He has a 2.27 ERA and a 0.907 WHIP. His 136 strikeouts are also tops in National League.
Right now the Phillies starting pitchers are playing a game of "Can you top this?" And it's lead to them having the best ERA in the sport at 3.25.
Zack Wheeler, 97mph Fastball and 83mph Curveball, Overlay pic.twitter.com/VdEk77c2Lc
"We always say it's a friendly competition," Wheeler said. "Ranger went out and did his thing (Sunday) and hopefully (Cristopher Sanchez) outperforms me tomorrow. ... I think that's what drives all of us to be better. We look at each other. We watch each other and just try to learn and be the best we can."
And while all three are likely All Star pitchers, it's Wheeler's consistency, game-in and game out - for six years now - that makes him special.
The Phillies starting pitching has carried them in this roller coaster of a season, and it all starts at the top, with Wheeler.
