Former Met Zack Wheeler is having a very strong first season with the Philadelphia Phillies after signing with the club on a five-year, $118 million deal this offseason.

But the Phillies are pushing back Wheeler’s next start due to an unfortunate pants incident.

According to manager Joe Girardi, Wheeler, who was supposed to start against the Miami Marlins on Saturday is now be pushed back to Monday at the earliest due to a problem with a nail on his pitching hand.

And how exactly did this happen? Girardi said that Wheeler hurt his nail while putting on pants.

“It’s very sore,” Girardi told Philadelphia reporters on Thursday night. “You can’t make this up.”

Wheeler has pitched to a 2.47 ERA, posting a 4-0 record with 36 strikeouts and just nine walks. He’s also given the Phillies valuable innings, going at least six innings in six of his eight starts, and the Phillies are 6-2 as a team when he starts.

The Phillies just played the first game of a seven-game set with the Marlins over the span of five days, playing two doubleheaders to make up for earlier postponements.

But if Wheeler does indeed pitch on Monday in the series finale against Miami, that means he won’t pitch in the Mets’ three-game series against Philadelphia beginning on Tuesday, a break for the Mets as they try to fight towards a playoff spot.

Popular in the Community

More from sny