So the Phillies will soldier on. They will try to win the World Series without their Game 1 starter, their ace, the best pitcher in baseball since joining the Phils prior to the 2020 season. It is impossible to replace someone who has put up a 2.18 ERA in 11 career postseason starts over 70 1/3 innings with a 0.725 WHIP.

You might expect a streak of excellence from Phillies starting pitching if it was led by their dominant ace, Zack Wheeler. You might not expect a streak of excellence from Phillies starting pitching in the absence of their dominant ace,

Zack Wheeler, whose season is over after requiring major surgery for his injury, received a heartfelt message from the Phillies.