Phillies expect Zack Wheeler to make next start after exiting Dodgers game early with lower back tightness

Maybe it was the long wait in the clubhouse during the Phillies’ six-run fourth inning. Or maybe it was the extreme heat and humidity.

Whatever the case, Zack Wheeler’s back flared Tuesday night.

Neither Wheeler nor manager Rob Thomson was concerned after the game, a 10-1 drubbing of the Dodgers at sold-out Citizens Bank Park. Both said they expect the ace to start Sunday, as scheduled, at home against the Oakland Athletics in the last game before the four-day All-Star break.

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“It just tightened up on me a little bit,” said Wheeler, who exited before the sixth inning. “Just playing it safe and just go from there.”

But Wheeler also conceded that his back has “bothered me here and there a little bit lately.” He thinks he might have tweaked it during a June 27 start at home against the Marlins and has received treatment after each of his last two starts.

The Phillies classified the issue as “left low back tightness.”

“Precautionary,” Thomson said. “We’ll check on him [Wednesday].”

Will he start Sunday?

“I’m assuming he will, yeah,” Thomson said.

Wheeler ranks third in the National League with a 2.70 ERA and second with 116⅔ innings pitched. He’s fourth in the league with 126 strikeouts.

There weren’t overt signs that Wheeler was dealing with a physical issue. His last pitch of the fifth inning registered 96.1 mph and induced a soft groundout from Dodgers star first baseman Freddie Freeman.

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Wheeler allowed three hits in five innings, the lone blemish against him coming on a two-out solo homer by Cavan Biggio in the fifth inning. He threw only 76 pitches and leaned heavily on his heater, which topped out at 97.6 mph.

“Velo was there some, but it wasn’t there some,” Wheeler said. “I feel like I was kind of just cruising, but when I needed to reach back, I could.”

Although Wheeler was selected to the All-Star Game, he’s ineligible to pitch because he’s lined up to start Sunday. He said he hasn’t decided if he will attend the All-Star Game anyway next Tuesday night in Texas. He pitched in the 2021 All-Star Game.

The Phillies have avoided injuries to their top four starting pitchers — Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suárez, and Cristopher Sánchez. With Taijuan Walker (finger) and Spencer Turnbull (shoulder) on the injured list, the No. 5 spot in the rotation has been occupied by rookies Michael Mercado and now Tyler Phillips, who will make his first career start Saturday.

Is there reason to be concerned about Wheeler?

“I don’t know,” he said. “Just got to take it day by day and see how it goes. I plan on making my next start.”