What’s the latest on Zack Wheeler?

Recently, trade rumors have been discussed and the name Zack Wheeler came into play. Wheeler underwent the infamous Tommy John Surgery in the Spring, and was said to be out for a twelve month span. Now that he’s recovering, his name has been tossed around.

Even though he hasn’t played for us in a while, there are a few things I know about Zack Wheeler regardless of performance. He tries really hard, gives his best every time he goes out, and knows how to battle. The funny thing is, though, those adjectives can be used to describe a lot of good pitchers, including some on the Mets rotation.

I think (barring any trades) that the Mets rotation will be:

1. deGrom
2. Harvey
3. Syndergaard
4. Matz
5. Wheeler

Looking at that you would think that I don’t believe that Wheeler is a great pitcher, but with this A+ caliber rotation, he fits in perfectly in the five spot, with Jon Niese filling in for him in the early part of the season until his return.

Of course, all of this is in jeopardy if Wheeler can’t come back and succeed. Coming back from Tommy John isn’t a given. Johan Santana, one of the most popular names in Mets history thanks to his no-hitter in 2012,   still hasn’t made it back. However, Wheeler is considerably younger, and a direct comparison wouldn’t be fair. Nevertheless, you can’t help but hold your breath when a key component to a team’s pitching staff comes back.