Zack Wheeler just completed one of the greatest months in MLB history for a starting pitcher

Zack Wheeler delivered 31 innings of sheer filth in June, turning the month into his own personal highlight reel.

Zack Wheeler’s June 2025:

5 starts. 31 IP, 20 H, 2 ER, 7 BB, 42 K. 0.58 ERA, 0.87 WHIP

Wheeler gave up two earned runs in the month of June over five starts. He struck out 42 and walked just seven, allowing 20 hits in total.

The key stat here is two earned runs. You could’ve gone on vacation for a week and not missed a single Wheeler run allowed. Ah. And while we’re at it, check that line from his last start.

Zack Wheeler is the Everyman’s Cy Young: 8 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 K

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Zack Wheeler shoves, Phillies blank Padres 4-0 in Harper’s return

The best part is that Zack Wheeler isn’t exactly grinding film in a pitch lab or working out with a personal trainer six times a week. According to The Athletic, the man literally hasn’t worked out since April. His idea of postgame recovery is ordering enough McDonald’s to feed the bullpen and crushing a Diet Coke like it’s a protein shake

Wheeler deserves a Cy Young Award before his career is over at 37. Everything he’s doing is crazy. Especially when you remember that he’s allergic to the gym.

Matt Gelb at The Athletic on Zack Wheeler:

Wheeler, a balding dad who cherishes his baggy shorts, is none of that. As he’s aged, he has all but eliminated in-season workouts. He celebrated 10 years in the majors with postgame McDonald’s for everyone. “He eats like an absolute child,” Realmuto said. Wheeler does not obsess over video or advanced metrics. Other people do that for him. Once inside Wheeler’s circle, the trust is absolute.

The last time Wheeler worked out was the second week of April when the Phillies were in Atlanta. Earlier in his career, with the New York Mets, Wheeler did a lower-body workout the day after a start and an upper-body one on his bullpen day. He was often injured. He went through years of monotonous workouts as he recovered from Tommy John surgery in 2015. He kept a similar routine when he returned to New York’s rotation.

Until he didn’t.

“I don’t know why I stopped doing it,” Wheeler said. “Maybe it’s just because I didn’t want to. Or because I just wanted to switch something up. And I started having more success. If you think about it, man, we’re out there doing our upper-body workout 90 to 100 times — if not more between the bullpen and warm-up pitches. That’s a core workout. That’s a back workout. It’s a shoulder workout.”

It’s honestly absurd how good Wheeler is despite being one of the least obsessive athletes on the planet. The guy’s 35, treats in-season training like the plague, and he’s still leading the league in WAR, wins, and strikeouts. He’s doing all this with a narrative that says, “I’ll throw 98 past you, then go watch cartoons with my kids.”

So, Is This His Cy Year?

Right now, Paul Skenes is the favorite on the books—he’s the golden boy of MLB, has the lowest ERA and WHIP, and looks like he trains in a military bunker. If we’re being honest, Zack Wheeler’s résumé is better and it actually matters. More innings. More strikeouts. More impact on a team that’s actually heading to the playoffs.

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Paul Skenes is going to have his time. He’s a freak. That doesn’t mean shit when Zack Wheeler is putting up these numbers, consistently, and has a postseason pedigree to go along with them.

Zack Wheeler has earned this. He’s finished second in Cy Young voting. He’s been snubbed. He’s 35 years old with a dad diet and a Tommy John scar, still blowing hitters away. At some point, the voters have to stop pretending this man isn’t built different.

Don’t forget what 2011 Cliff Lee did. That June was legendary:

42 IP, 1 ER, 0.21 ERA, 0.69 WHIP

Zack Wheeler isn’t quite there, but he’s not far off and unlike the 2011 Phillies, this team still has time to write a better ending.

Zack Wheeler is putting together a Cy Young case that should absolutely be taken seriously. If we’re rewarding performance and not Pilates, then the trophy should be on its way to South Philly.

This guy’s slinging filth on short rest, chugging Diet Cokes, and reminding everyone that sometimes, you don’t need analytics—just an arm, a glove, and some damn conviction.

Give Wheels his flowers.