They say you can’t put much into what happens in Spring Training, especially early in the schedule. Players are just getting back to the diamond after a several-month layoff and the adjustment back to playing baseball every day and performing to the highest level is something that takes some working on. Look at Zack Wheeler‘s start to 2023 and the Grapefruit League.
Embed from Getty ImagesWheeler’s first starts of Spring was something that you would want to forget. He did finish 12-7 with a 2.82 ERA in 2022, his WAR was 5.1. Wheeler has only pitched 3.1 innings so far in Spring Training, but he’s given up 7R and 7H and his ERA sits at a lofty 18.90. Despite being the ace of the Phillies staff, his 2023 predictions on Baseball-Reference.com says he should be 11-8 on the season this year.
He isn’t the only ace of a pitching staff to have a rough opening to the Spring Training schedule. Yankees pitcher, Carlos Rodon was roughed up for 5 runs in his debut in Yankee pinstripes. So it doesn’t always start off great. Even Mets pitcher, Max Scherzer, has had some ‘timing’ problems so far on the mound with the new pitch clock in place, he isn’t pitching lights out either, so far he has given up 8H and 8R in his first couple of innings of Spring Training baseball for 2023.
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