For the second straight year, Zack Wheeler will be on the bump for the Phillies on Opening Day.
On Monday afternoon, manager Rob Thomson told reporters, including Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, that Wheeler will start on March 27 in D.C. against the Nationals.
The decision comes as no surprise. Wheeler hasn’t just been the Phillies’ ace in recent years. He’s also become one of baseball’s premier starters.
Last year, the right-hander finished second to Atlanta’s Chris Sale in NL Cy Young Award voting. It was the second time in four seasons Wheeler was the runner-up for the award.