Zack Wheeler added a new piece of hardware to his trophy case on Wednesday morning after the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) named him the 2026 Players' Choice NL Comeback Player. The 36-year-old righty finished with a 14-5 record, a 3.00 earned run average (ERA), and 193 strikeouts across 162 innings last season. His performance came less than one year after his season abruptly ended due to thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in late August 2025.
The 2026 campaign did not come without its fair share of controversy for the 3-time All-Star, who should easily have been selected for the Mid-Summer Classic at his own ballpark. However, the Phillies ace watched Jesus Luzardo named as an N.L. replacement pitcher since he would be able to pitch in the star-studded contest. Wheeler was unavailable to pitch after blanking Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers in a 5-0 win to close out the first half of the 2026 season on June 12. While he was later invited to participate at Citizens Bank Park during All-Star Weekend, the Phillies ace declined after being disrespected during the selection process.
See people – it always comes back to the same thing on South Broad Street. TRUST THE DANG PROCESS.
Wheeler’s stats after the 2026 All-Star Game mirrored the wobbly, wooden, rollercoaster-style second-half experience of his red pinstripe-wearing teammates. He finished with a 4-4 record and an inflated 7.23 ERA in 13 starts. Despite the even record, Wheeler was still one of the most trusted options in a Phillies rotation that failed to win a turn in the fifth-starter spot for the majority of the summer.
The 36-year-old continues to add to an intriguing Hall of Fame candidacy behind three All-Star selections (which should include at least two more ASG selections, honestly), two All-MLB nods in 2021 and 2025, a Rawlings Gold Glove Award (Pitcher) in 2023, and now his selection as the 2026 Players’ Choice NL Comeback athlete.
Wheeler has one more season remaining on a 3-year, $126 million contract extension signed with the Phillies in March 2024. He is scheduled to earn $42 million next season and will become an unrestricted free agent in 2028 unless he signs another contract with Philadelphia.
Of course, all of those details hinge on Major League Baseball (MLB) and the MLBPA agreeing on a new collective bargaining agreement for next season. The current deal is set to expire on December 1 with no moves by either side to bridge the negotiating gaps. While the situation could be resolved once the 2026 World Series concludes, many in baseball are preparing for baseball’s first potential lockout since a 99-day work stoppage delayed the start of the 2022 campaign.
Keep it locked to Metro Philadelphia as we’ll have plenty of coverage as the league and the Players’ Association head into battle. With some massive topics like a potential salary cap in baseball being discussed, it could be a long winter for baseball fans across North America as they wait to find out if hardball returns with the springtime flowers in 2027.
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