NL DIVISION SERIES: PHILLIES VS BRAVES

October 11, 2022

Zack Wheeler

Truist Park

Philadelphia Phillies

Pregame 1 Press Conference

Q. What kind of challenge is it going to be to face a team that knows you so well and you know them so well? Do you change anything? Keep everything the same?

ZACK WHEELER: I think you try to keep most things the same. You try to pitch to your strengths. Get quick outs, get out of there. And you might have to change some things, but nothing drastic.

Q. And how bad do you feel for David Robertson, with what happened?

ZACK WHEELER: Yeah, that's terrible. It's one of those freak things. And those kind of things happen every once in a while. He's a big part of this team. It stinks that he's not going to be able to be with us for however long it's going to be. But we're going to miss him, and hope the best for him.

Q. We see what David brings on the field. What has he meant in the clubhouse for especially some of those young relievers since he's come back?

ZACK WHEELER: I think you said it right there. He helps out a lot of the young guys out there, whether it be just what's going on in the game, when you should be ready, that type of stuff. I'm not out there, so I don't know the specific stuff that he does. But I'm sure he helps out a lot mentally, and just physically out there.

I think that's one of the reasons why we probably traded for him was because he has that experience, the playoff experience, and he's been around for a long time. And he's had a really good year. Stinks that we can't have him.

Q. Did you ever go to any Braves postseason games as a kid?

ZACK WHEELER: No.

Q. I know we've asked you this a billion times about pitching at home, but did you ever imagine, as a kid, pitching for the Braves or anybody else in Atlanta? Did that ever kind of spark your excitement about baseball or anything like that?

ZACK WHEELER: Not really, honestly. I watched a lot of Braves games. My dad watched them basically every night, I think. I grew up watching them. And I liked the team and all the players and stuff like that.

Just never really thought about playing baseball, honestly, at a big league level. I loved playing baseball when I was little with all my friends and stuff. Never went past that thinking about it.

Started getting a little better as the years went on. And that started kind of coming along. People talking about it and stuff. Started thinking about it then, but it wasn't a thought when I was a little kid.

Q. Five days ago, we talked to you about what it would be like to make your first postseason start and you compared it to things like the Futures Game and other big starts in your career. Now that you've got one under your belt, do you feel any differently going into number two? Like, I'm sure it still doesn't feel like any normal start, but does it feel a little bit less intense than maybe you felt five days ago?

ZACK WHEELER: I don't think so. You're on a big stage. And these games really matter. Every single game matters. So you go out there and do your best. And I think it's going to stay that way throughout the playoffs. All these games matter and they're really big.

Q. Also just on the matter of pitching close to home, I think your first start, career start, was against the Braves. You've pitched against them really your whole career being in the NL East. And now, of course, you face them in the postseason. Is that something that's kind of ironic to you that they've been such a big part of your career being on the other side?

ZACK WHEELER: Yeah, I've been here. I've been to the old stadium. I made my debut over there, like you mentioned. I feel like I've been playing against these guys forever, especially growing up watching them.

It's kind of cool coming back home every once in a while and just playing against these guys. They've got a really good team. It's always a good test when you come in here, hop on the mound. I'm looking forward to it.

Q. On that note, this is a never-ending road trip for you guys. Is there a benefit to go home and get some home cooking, or any benefit in being in your hometown?

ZACK WHEELER: My wife made some dinner last night, so that was nice. We've been on the road forever now, it feels like. We expected that and we're mentally ready for it. And we're just trying to win ballgames, doesn't matter where we are at.

Q. Are you going to have a lot more family and friends here for your start?

ZACK WHEELER: Whoever wants to come can come. I've got my immediate family here. It's been that way ever since I got called up back in the days -- if you want to come, you can come. But my mom and dad, my wife and family are going to get the tickets.

Q. What can you say about Kyle Schwarber, and what has he meant to the clubhouse? Seems like you guys are a tight-knit group. What kind of role has he played in that?

ZACK WHEELER: He's played a big part in it. He's been on winning teams throughout his career. And he's a veteran. And he brings that veteran presence into the locker room. Brings it off the field, on the field, whenever we need some motivation or somebody to kind of step up and maybe say something in the locker room, whatever it may be, he's there.

On bus rides, he's there. He's trying to always get the team together off the field and stuff like that.

I mean, we do have a good group of guys. We're like a brotherhood over here that's a little different than other teams that I've been on. Not saying those teams were bad but this team's just a little different. We all get along really well. We hang out. We're like a bunch of brothers. So it's nice.

Q. Has this crazy long road trip kind of bolstered that brotherhood? I think when you left Sunday from Philly to Chicago, it's been a while.

ZACK WHEELER: It has been a while. But we've gotten together a couple different times and celebrated a couple different times now.

It just adds on to that. We've been going all season together. And just having these good, fun times together, definitely adds to that.