MLB star Zack Wheeler has more than a scar to show for his traumatic health scare last year.
The Philadelphia Phillies ace, 35, underwent surgery to remove a blood clot from his right shoulder last August, before requiring a second procedure after being diagnosed with venous thoracic outlet syndrome – a compression of a major vein in the arm.
The second procedure required one of Wheeler’s ribs to be removed in order to relieve the pressure on the veins.
As the Phillies reported to camp this week, the pitcher, who missed the rest of the 2025 season revealed that he had kept the rib, leaving it in a closet in his home, according to Lochlahn March of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
While Wheeler is now on the road to recovery, the Phillies do not expect him to be fully fit in time for opening day.
‘He’s doing well,’ Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. ‘I don’t think he’ll be ready for opening day, but it’s not going to be too far behind that.’
MLB star Zack Wheeler kept the rib removed during a surgery he underwent last summer
Wheeler pictured alongside his wife, Dominique, and their three young children
With Wheeler continuing his rehab, Andrew Painter has an enhanced opportunity to earn a spot in the team’s rotation at the start of the season.
The 22-year-old right-hander, one of Philadelphia’s top prospects, went 5-8 with a 5.26 ERA in 26 starts in the minors last year in his return from Tommy John surgery in July 2023.
Wheeler’s health scare rocked the Phillies clubhouse last summer with many of his teammates praying for his recovery.
Fellow pitcher Taijuan Walker said at the time that there was concern in the clubhouse over the right-hander’s wellbeing.
‘It’s obviously scary,’ Walker said, ‘Obviously, we’re praying for him, trying to keep in contact with him. But I know that he knows we’re all here for him.’
Wheeler’s teammate Kyle Schwarber added: ‘It’s a scary situation.
‘Baseball is baseball. When it comes to someone’s health like that, we need him healthy first. He’s got a family, so we want to get him feeling good for them and get him back to speed whenever we can.’
The Philadelphia Phillies ace underwent surgery to remove a blood clot from his right shoulder
From what the Phillies said in the summer, it sounded as if Wheeler is lucky his condition didn’t develop into something even more alarming.
Phillies GM Dave Dombrowski told reporters in August: ‘I commend [head athletic trainer) Paul Buchheit and the doctors for finding this because it could’ve been a much more trying situation than what it is.’
Wheeler has been enjoying a late-career renaissance with the Phillies since December 2019 and is a three-time All-Star, including each of the last two seasons.
The pitcher initially had a start in August pushed back due to shoulder soreness before making two on-schedule appearances. But he noticed a decrease in his velocity and only tossed five innings in a recent appearance against Washington.
