Zack Wheeler Injury: Goes on IL due to blood clot

The Phillies placed Wheeler on the 15-day injured list Saturday after he was diagnosed with a blood clot in his right shoulder.

The issue may partially explain why Wheeler has uncharacteristically struggled of late; over his past six starts, he's posted a 4.54 ERA and 1.25 WHIP. According to Jeff Passan of ESPN.com, a timetable for the right-hander hurler's return is unclear, and how soon Wheeler is able to throw again likely depends on how the blood clots respond to treatment. The IL stint no doubt damages Wheeler's run at the NL Cy Young Award, as he had been a top contender after registering a 2.71 ERA and 0.94 WHIP along with an MLB-leading 195 strikeouts over 24 starts spanning 149.2 innings.