Zack Wheeler was named a top 10 starting pitcher by MLB Network. (Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire)
As MLB Network began announcing its annual offseason “Top 10 Right Now” positional player rankings, Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler was named one of the sport’s 10 best starting pitchers in the network’s first release on Tuesday night.
Wheeler, who had a 3.61 ERA in 32 regular-season starts in 2023 before logging a 1.95 ERA in 27 2/3 dominant playoff innings, was ranked the No. 6 starter heading into the 2024 season. He was the only Phillie on the list, finishing behind Gerrit Cole, Corbin Burnes, Zac Gallen, Justin Verlander and Blake Snell. Spencer Strider, Logan Webb, Max Fried and Sonny Gray rounded out the top 10 behind Wheeler, in that order.
While several of MLB Network‘s selections and just about all of the actual nominal rankings on this list are debatable, Wheeler’s status as one of the game’s elite starters has been undeniable since he came to Philadelphia on a five-year deal ahead of the 2020 season. After a quality first season with the Phillies, his breakout 2021 earned him a runner-up bid for the National League Cy Young Award. Wheeler finished 12th in Cy Young voting in 2020 and sixth place in 2023, while proving himself as a postseason workhorse in each of the last two years.
With a 3.06 ERA in 101 starts as a Phillie, Wheeler is one of the best pitchers in baseball and one of the -most important players on Philadelphia’s roster. And with the 33-year-old entering the final year of his current deal, a potential contract extension could be coming for the Phillies ace.
Alex Coffey of the Philadelphia Inquirer has a series running on Phillies prospects. The first installment is on catcher Eduardo Tait and shortstop Bryan Rincon.
Shōta Imanaga has a deal with the Chicago Cubs, according to multiple reports.
The Chicago Cubs have reached a tentative deal with Japanese pitcher Shota Imanaga. He will undergo a physical in Chicago on Thursday before the deal becomes official.
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