The Phillies cruised through his most recent start throwing, leaving five innings while striking out six and surrendering two runs. The right-hander left the mound without any signs of an injury. Unfortunately, that changed rapidly Saturday when it was determined Wheeler had developed a blood clot in his right shoulder and he was quickly shifted to the 15-day injured list.
The team has simply labeled the injury a blood clot near his throwing shoulder. Blood clots can develop in any of the blood vessels (arteries, veins and capillaries) for a variety of a reasons. Risk factors for athletes can include medication, long distance travel, dehydration and even physical stature. Repetitive overhead motion can also be a risk factor for a condition known as effort thrombosis, clinically known as Paget-Schroetter Syndrome (PSS). In PSS, the subclavian vein is compressed with overhead activities like throwing. Over time a clot (thrombosis) develops. A deep vein thrombosis (DVT) can be life threatening if the clot dislodges and enters other areas of the body, restricting blood flood in its new location.
Fortunately, Wheeler's clot was detected quickly and appears to be confined to his shoulder. He has most likely already started taking blood thinners and now faces decisions on how to move forward. Surgery may be warranted to remove the source of compression, likely his first rib. If surgery is deemed necessary, Wheeler's season is over, but he should be able to return next year. Multiple athletes have returned to action following blood clots, including
The Phillies cruised through his most recent start throwing, leaving five innings while striking out six and surrendering two runs. The right-hander left the mound without any signs of an injury. Unfortunately, that changed rapidly Saturday when it was determined Wheeler had developed a blood clot in his right shoulder and he was quickly shifted to the 15-day injured list.
The team has simply labeled the injury a blood clot near his throwing shoulder. Blood clots can develop in any of the blood vessels (arteries, veins and capillaries) for a variety of a reasons. Risk factors for athletes can include medication, long distance travel, dehydration and even physical stature. Repetitive overhead motion can also be a risk factor for a condition known as effort thrombosis, clinically known as Paget-Schroetter Syndrome (PSS). In PSS, the subclavian vein is compressed with overhead activities like throwing. Over time a clot (thrombosis) develops. A deep vein thrombosis (DVT) can be life threatening if the clot dislodges and enters other areas of the body, restricting blood flood in its new location.
Fortunately, Wheeler's clot was detected quickly and appears to be confined to his shoulder. He has most likely already started taking blood thinners and now faces decisions on how to move forward. Surgery may be warranted to remove the source of compression, likely his first rib. If surgery is deemed necessary, Wheeler's season is over, but he should be able to return next year. Multiple athletes have returned to action following blood clots, including Brandon Ingram and Damian Lillard in the NBA as well as MLB players, Dillon Gee, Alex Cobb and Jeurys Familia. However, recovery is handled very cautiously and remains fluid.
Given the severity of the issue, look for Philadelphia to handle Wheeler's case with extreme care. They have not attached a timeline to his recovery and he is slated to undergo additional testing early in the week. Wheeler's long-term health, not baseball, will be the focus for now.
Aaron Nola has rejoined the Phillies rotation after missing time with a sprained ankle and broken rib. His start Sunday did not go smoothly as he gave up six earned runs over 2.1 innings pitched.
The Houston closer is not expected to pitch again during the regular season after he was diagnosed with a left shoulder capsule sprain. The shoulder capsule is made up of connective tissue, ligaments and tendons that surround the glenohumeral (GH) joint of the shoulder. The capsule is conjoined with the labrum and anchors in multiple locations to the humerus (upper arm bone). The capsule fortifies the shoulder when an athlete attempts violent motions like throwing while also absorbing stress away from the rotator cuff muscle group. Given Hader's explosive delivery, ensuring the capsule is adequately healed is key in protecting the long-term health of his shoulder and elbow. Those in single-season formats can send Hader to the waiver wire. Bryan Abreu has taken over as Houston's primary closer.
Check Swings
Oneil Cruz: Cruz has been placed on the seven-day concussion IL after colliding with a teammate. Like discussed last week with Colton Cowser, completing the league's mandated return-to-play protocol will be required before Cruz can return. Concussion recovery is highly variable, but very few players return after just seven days. Cruz is more like to miss 10 to 14 days but even that is not guaranteed. Remain patient here and hope his symptoms resolve quickly.
Josh Lowe: Oblique tightness limited Lowe over the weekend and kept him out of the lineup. The injury has not been called a strain yet, and Lowe seems confident he can avoid the IL. However, oblique injuries are often very limiting, and expressed optimism doesn't always keep a player off the IL. Look for the situation to become clearer early in the week. Those invested here should have a replacement player readily available.
Marcelo Mayer: The Red Sox infielder is done for the year after he opted for surgery on his nagging wrist injury. The timing of the procedure will minimize the time the associated recovery impacts his preparation for the 2026 season. The initial timeline is three months, suggesting he should be a full participant during spring training. Mayer's injury is to the Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex (TFCC), a cartilage disc located at the base of the pinkie. The TFCC, in conjunction with the ligaments of the pinkie, strengthen and fortify the base of the hand and wrist. The repair should give him full mobility in the area, allowing him to swing and throw without pain.
Jackson Merrill: Merrill was unable to finish Sunday's loss to the Dodgers. He sprained the ankle Friday but had been able to play through the issue. The injury reportedly worsened over the weekend, and the team opted to pull him from the contest. He is day-to-day for now, but don't be surprised if he misses another game or two to rest the ankle.
Austin Riley: The Braves third baseman reported continued discomfort with throwing early last week as he worked his way back from a lingering abdominal injury. Fortunately, the issue has improved, and he was able to participate in baseball-specific activities over the weekend. Riley was able to run the bases, take BP and complete fielding drills on back-to-back days over the weekend. A Monday activation would be a bit surprising, but he's at least trending in the right direction.
Jacob Wilson: The Athletics shortstop has begun a rehab assignment with Triple-A Las Vegas and could return to the big-league lineup this week. Wilson has not played with the A's since suffering a fractured forearm in late July. He finished the weekend 2-for-8 with a double and a run scored.
Wilyer Abreu: The 26-year-old outfielder did not finish Sunday's game against the Marlins after developing tightness in his calf. He is expected to miss at least two games, with a third day of rest coming thanks to a scheduled day off. However, I would liken Abreu's status to Lowe's. Player optimism should be taken with a grain of salt, and more stock should be put into the results of the medical testing. Consider him day-to-day as Boston continues to evaluate the injury over the next few days. Manager Alex Cora will have to shuffle his lineup with Mayer out and Abreu sidelined.
Stay up to date on who is in and who is out with RotoWire's MLB Injury Report!
