Braves' $72,000,000 star Michael Harris II draws similarities between aces Zack Wheeler and Jacob deGrom: "They kind of have the same stuff"
On October 3, Zack Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies was indeed, wheeling. The 6-foot-4 left hander stymied the Miami Marlins, allowing just one run in over six innings of work, striking out eight to help his team capture the first game of the NL Wild Card Series.
Wheeler, 33, was one of the best arms in the Phillies' rotation this year. In 32 starts, Wheeler went 13-6, striking out 212 batters, and registering an ERA of 3.61 in 192 innings. It only made sense to trot out the big man for the reigning NL champs' first postseason duel.
"Zack Wheeler has been FILTHY tonight" - Phillies Tailgate
After besting the Miami Marlins in the second game, Wheeler and the Phillies advanced to the NLDS. There, they were to take on Ronald Acuna Jr. and the Atlanta Braves, a team considered by many to be the best team in modern history.
The Braves led MLB in virtually every vital hitting category. Not only did they hit far more home runs than anyone else this year, but the Braves clobbered more long ones than all but one team in MLB history. Additionally, the Braves' .501 slugging percentage was higher than any team ever.
After shutting out the Braves in Game 1, the Philadelphia Phillies caused a major upset. In Monday's Game 2, Zack Wheeler will get the ball as his Phillies seek a commanding 2-0 lead. Ahead of the high-stakes affair, one Atlanta Brave gave Wheeler an unforeseen compliment.
Michael Harris II, a Braves outfielder, claimed that Wheeler reminds him of Jacob deGrom, who was one of the best pitchers of the 20th century. A former Rookie of the Year, deGrom won back-to-back Cy Young Awards as a member of the New York Mets, a team both the Braves and Phillies know well, in 2018 and 2019.
"Braves CF Michael Harris II on Zack Wheeler: "Honestly, I like to kind of compare him to [Jacob] deGrom. They kind of have the same stuff, same effectiveness." - Scott Lauber
Although injuries have limited deGrom to just seventeen starts in the past two seasons, the right hander was a potent hurler in his prime. Both Zack Wheeler are 6-foot-4 right handers who throw heat. However, deGrom's career ERA is nearly an entire point lower than Wheeler's.
Zack Wheeler will need to channel his inner Jacob deGrom for Game 2
As Philadelphia Enquirer writer Scott Lauber stated in his original post, Harris II is not the first to make the equation between deGrom and Wheeler. Lauber himself drew comparisons in 2021. However, with the potency of the Atlanta Braves' otherworldy offensive talent set to be on full display in Game 2, anything short of a vintage deGrom performance from Wheeler may not be enough.