Former New York Mets pitcher Zack Wheeler had a heck of a showing against his old team Sunday. Wheeler pitched for the Mets (and in their minor-league organization) from 2011-19, but signed with the Philadelphia Phillies as a free agent in December 2019. He came up with an incredible performance for the Phillies against the Mets Sunday, one that made a fair bit of team history:
Phillies 3, Mets 0. Zack Wheeler throws a two-hitter against his former team. The Phillies have won eight straight games for the first time since 2011. They are 59-53.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) August 8, 2021
Zack Wheeler retired 22 consecutive batters after allowing a leadoff hit, before Michael Conforto's walk
Wheeler is the 1st Phillies pitcher to retire 22+ consecutive batters at any point in a game since Roy Halladay in his perfect game on May 29, 2010
h/t @EliasSports
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) August 8, 2021
Zack Wheeler is the 1st Phillies pitcher to retire 22+ consecutive batters after allowing a leadoff hit since Terry Mulholland on Sept. 25, 1990
26 straight retired after Cardinals leadoff batter Bernard Gilkey hit a triple in the top of the first inning
h/t @EliasSports
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) August 8, 2021
Zack Wheeler is the 1st Phillies pitcher with multiple 9-inning shutouts in a season since Cole Hamels had 2 in 2012
Last Phillies pitcher with MORE THAN 2: Cliff Lee with 6 in 2011
The Phillies got 1 such outing total from 2013-20 (Vince Velasquez's 16-K game)
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) August 8, 2021
As Langs noted, this came after the Phillies’ jersey retirement ceremony for another legendary pitcher, Roy Halladay. Here’s more from ESPN’s John Barr on that connection:
Remember when Roy Halladay made complete games seem routine? Zack Wheeler sure did himself proud today, going the distance in a dominant 2-hitter that was Halladayesque, all on a day they retired Halladay’s number. How can you not be romantic about baseball? #34. #Phillies pic.twitter.com/wfdEl181eI
— John Barr (@JohnBarrESPN) August 8, 2021
And Wheeler also threw some of the hardest pitches he’s ever thrown Sunday:
Zack Wheeler threw a 100.3 mph pitch to Pete Alonso, the 2nd-fastest pitch of his career
He threw 100.6 mph on April 12, 2019 to Josh Donaldson (he singled)
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) August 8, 2021
Zack Wheeler has thrown 18 pitches at 99.0+ mph this afternoon
That's 2 more than in any other outing of his career
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) August 8, 2021
This win helped that Phillies’ streak, as noted above, and it also further hurt the Mets. This was the final game in the Phillies’ sweep of a three-game homestand against the Mets, and before that, the Mets lost to the Miami Marlins on Thursday. They’re now 56-55 on the season, behind the Phillies (59-53) and Atlanta Braves (57-55) in the NL East.
[NBC Sports, Sarah Langs on Twitter; photo from Eric Hartline/USA Today Sports]
