Zack Wheeler hit 99 mph as he threw all 11 of his pitches for strikes in the first inning on Saturday, giving a glimpse of his impressive playoff performance.
Wheeler continued to dominate in the NL Division Series opener against his former team, the New York Mets, striking out nine batters and generating an impressive 30 swings-and-misses over 111 pitches in seven shutout innings. It was a masterful display from the two-time All-Star.
“You can’t make mistakes in the playoffs,” Wheeler stated.
He didn’t make many mistakes, allowing only one hit while the Phillies held a slim 1-0 lead when he left the game.
However, after he exited, things quickly went wrong for the Phillies.
It could have been the five-day break for the NL East champions, a time off that also hurt two 100-win Braves teams that the Phillies defeated in the Division Series in previous seasons.
Or perhaps the Mets are just benefiting from a strong late-season run similar to what the Phillies experienced in their past playoff journeys.
Regardless of the reason, the Phillies struggled against Kodai Senga and the four Mets relievers that followed him, silencing Philadelphia’s strong hitters. All-Star relievers Jeff Hoffman and Matt Strahm faltered in the eighth inning, giving up five runs after three straight batters reached base despite being down 0-2 in the count, allowing the Mets to secure a 6-2 win in Game 1.
“It was stunning to see Hoffy and Strahmy give it up like that,” said Phillies manager Rob Thomson. “But that’s baseball sometimes. They haven’t done that since we’ve had them, really.”
Thomson also praised Wheeler for his performance.
The right-hander, who left the Mets in free agency after the 2019 season, caused 14 swings-and-misses in the first three innings and skillfully avoided trouble in the fourth, getting Jose Iglesias to hit into a double play that ended the inning.
“He was pretty nasty,” said Mets manager Carlos Mendoza. “When you’re throwing 98 (mph) and placing your pitches well, up at the top of the zone, in and out, with a sweeper and a split, it’s unbelievable. He was nearly unhittable today. That’s who he is.”
