The torture for Mets fans of lamenting what could’ve been with Zack Wheeler will end no later than 2027.
A former Mets player, now competing with the Phillies, has announced plans to retire after his contract ends in 2 ½ more seasons, as reported by The Athletic. His decision is primarily driven by a desire to dedicate more time to his four children.
But will plans change if the Phillies ace keeps pitching like a Cy Young candidate who would be worthy of another big free-agent contract?
“Doesn’t matter. No,” Wheeler said. “It’ll be easy to walk away.”
Wheeler, 35, will be past his 37th birthday by then, but he only seems to be getting better with age.
He has finished in the top six in National League Cy Young voting three times in the last four years, including second last season.
In six seasons with the Phillies, Wheeler is 65-34 with a 2.93 ERA, including 6-2 with a 2.85 ERA in 13 starts in 2025.
Rarely do athletes in their peak walk away from millions.
“He can say that all he wants,” expressed catcher J.T. Realmuto. “I can’t fathom him excelling for another two years and then walking away. He loves the game. … I’m hopeful he’ll continue playing.”
Brought to the Mets as a top prospect in a 2011 trade involving Carlos Beltran to the Giants, Wheeler departed from the team with resentment due to the way his contract negotiations were handled in 2020.
He is 5-5 with a 3.53 ERA in 16 starts against his former team since then.
Wheeler originally signed a five-year, $118 million contract with the Phillies. He signed a three-year, $126 million extension before the 2024 season, which, at that time, gave him the highest average annual value ($42 million) on a contract extension in MLB history.
Wheeler turned out to be the second-best pitcher from the Mets’ once-promising rotation that included Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz. But he has been able to stay healthier than deGrom in recent seasons.
