Wheeler did not factor into the decision Tuesday, allowing six runs on seven hits and three walks over five innings in a 7-6 loss to Atlanta. He struck out four.
Even the 33-year-old ace wasn’t impervious to Atlanta’s vaunted offense, yielding home runs of the solo, two-run and three-run varieties. It was the first time this season that Wheeler has allowed more than two homers in a start. He had been on a roll in his previous three starts, giving up just four earned runs across 19 innings with an awe-inspiring 27:2 K:BB during that stretch. However, Tuesday’s poor performance inflated the righty’s season-long ERA to 3.70, the highest in his four years in Philadelphia. Wheeler currently lines up for a road rematch with Atlanta early next week.