Zack Wheeler’s surgery for venous thoracic outlet syndrome went well, and he’s expected to be ready for the 2026 season. That’s the word from doctors familiar with the procedure that sidelined the Phillies ace for the rest of 2025.
Wheeler was having another Cy Young-caliber year before the condition shut him down. He posted a 10-5 record with a 2.71 ERA and 195 strikeouts that led the majors at the time. The condition causes blood clots in the deep veins of the arms – not something you want to mess around with.
But the surgery appears to have gone as planned.
Dean Donahue, who runs Massachusetts General Hospital’s thoracic outlet syndrome program, sounds optimistic about Wheeler’s recovery timeline. He told The Athletic’s Charlotte Varnes that full recovery is the expectation for patients who undergo this procedure.
“That’s just the expectation for all of us that take care of this. It doesn’t mean it will happen. Obviously, it’s surgery and the human body, and people don’t always recover in a predictable manner. But, by far, the expectation is to be able to return to full function.”
There’s precedent here. Merrill Kelly dealt with the same condition and returned to action six months after his surgery. If Wheeler follows a similar timeline, he’d be back well before spring training starts.
That would put him right back in position to be Philadelphia’s Opening Day starter in 2026. The Phillies have to be relieved – losing Wheeler for an extended period would’ve been a major blow to their rotation plans.
Every recovery is different, but the early signs point toward Wheeler being ready to go when it matters most.
