Zack Wheeler is set to miss an extended period of time, which is certainly a painful reality for the Philadelphia Phillies given how well he was pitching. However, an independent report points to a high probability of his return to the mound.
The report comes from a conversation Devan Kaney of 94 WIP Sportsradio had with Dr. Raymond Singer, the Chief of Cardiac Surgery at Jefferson. Dr. Singer indicated that Wheeler’s chance of a return could be as high as 70-80%, putting him in a good position to pitch again for the Phillies.
Although it is an independent report, as Kaney noted that Singer is not Wheeler’s doctor, he is a knowledgeable person on the subject and offered a detailed explanation of what the pitcher’s process will look like.
The Report of Hope for Wheeler
According to Singer, age will be a factor, but his report notes that Wheeler’s recovery time should not exceed a year. He also mentioned the cases of other pitchers who successfully recovered and returned to the mound after similar surgeries.
“The surgery includes removal of the first rib and freeing up of the scar tissue around the thoracic outlet. The thoracic outlet includes three key structures. The axillary/subclavian arteries, the axillary/subclavian veins, and the brachial plexus nerve roots C5-T1.”
“Can Wheeler return to pitching? About 70-80% chance based on studies of pitchers. Venous types (like Wheeler’s) have a better chance of success over the nerve compression types. Average time for recovery is 9-10 months. Wheeler is 35-years-old which of course will factor into his ability to return.”
The report also highlighted several case studies of pitchers who underwent similar procedures, including:
- Josh Beckett returned from TOS surgery in 2013 and famously threw a no-hitter in 2014.
- Matt Harvey, who had TOS surgery in 2016, returned in 2017 but had mixed results—initially strong, later struggled.
- Trevor Rosenthal underwent TOS surgery in 2021 but did not pitch again due to a subsequent hip injury.
- Bennett Sousa (Astros) had TOS surgery in early 2024; by 2025, his recovery looked promising, showing improved slider control and velocity.