NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: PHILLIES VS PADRES

October 17, 2022

Zack Wheeler

Petco Park

Philadelphia Phillies

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. Did you have a birthday party for Bryce?

ZACK WHEELER: No, no happy birthday.

Q. Just wondering if looking back in retrospect -- I know you didn't want to take the month off. I know you said at the time you could pitch through it. In retrospect do you think it's helped you now that you're here in October?

ZACK WHEELER: It's hard to say, but I mean, I'm sure it did help. Just basically not wasting pitches, I guess you could say.

Yeah, you can take it or leave it, I guess. It's kind of up in the air.

Q. When Bryce went down, how big of a challenge did you think that would be for the team to overcome?

ZACK WHEELER: It was a big challenge. He's our guy. He's our big bat in the lineup. But other guys were able to step up, not just one particular guy, but a group of guys. They stepped up, and they did it for a long time. That's kind of what got us here.

Q. Following up on that, what do you remember about the clubhouse that night, the mood in there? Were guys concerned? Were they anxious about what was going to happen next? You didn't know how long he was going to be out. What do you remember?

ZACK WHEELER: Yeah, it's probably something that goes through everybody's head when that happens, not just Bryce, but everybody. You never know if it's broke or not and how long they're going to be out, this and that, or if they're going to recover well. Everybody recovers differently. But yeah, it was a bad night here, and luckily we didn't miss him for too long, and he's back.

Q. As loud as all of these playoff environments have been, curious about being able to hear a pitch come and if you or anyone else on the staff has made adjustments to the system.

ZACK WHEELER: Yeah, we did make adjustments. We have like a little tube coming down through a little hole in our hat that goes basically right into our ear. We know these playoff environments get really loud, especially when you're on the road. But I think I used like a 10 volume the other day in Atlanta, and I was just fine hearing it. If I didn't have that little tube, it was probably all the way turned up. Somebody came up with that. I don't know who did, but we started using it.

Q. Aaron is going to face his brother in Game 2, and your brother played. Could you imagine what that would be like at this stage, what he's going through?

ZACK WHEELER: Yeah, I've only seen it a few times. Saw it with Matons earlier, and obviously Nola has done it a couple times now. But doing it on this stage, it's a lot bigger. It's still fun, but it also gets pretty serious.

It's fun to watch it, sort of hit sit back and watch it happen. I'm excited for his parents. It's just a great family overall, and I couldn't be happier for them as a family. It's really cool to watch and see.

Q. It seems like Bohm is a lot more loose and opened up this year, at least with us. I don't know if you've noticed his personality, maybe he's more comfortable with fitting in or anything like that?

ZACK WHEELER: Yeah, I think he's pretty much the same guy, with us at least. Maybe with you guys it's a little different.

He's pretty much the same with us, loose guy, he's just really consistent this year. He's consistent on and off the field. It's nice.

Q. He was sent down when you guys were here last year, didn't come back, and now you guys are back here and he's going to be third baseman for a team in the NLCS. Is that neat to see what he's done?

ZACK WHEELER: Yeah, all year, right, he's been big for us all year. He struggled a little bit there at the beginning, but he played through that and picked himself up, and now look at him. Like you said, he's starting third base for us in a big series here, and he's been really solid for us all year. He's been a big contributor and is pretty solid at third base.

Q. You're a very stoic guy, but I think it's fair to say tomorrow is the biggest start of your life. How do you maintain that stoicism?

ZACK WHEELER: It's just another start. Obviously it's a bigger stage. It's a lot riding on it. But we want to get that first win of the series. It's just another start for me just because you don't try to get too high or too low. You try to stay right there at that level and just think of it as another game, even though there are bigger things going into it, I guess you could say, bigger outcomes.

I just like to keep myself at that certain level so I don't get too high or too low.

Q. Obviously you don't face the Padres a lot, but you have faced Juan Soto a lot. I think he's faced you more than any other pitcher. Just wondered if you could speak to the unique challenge that he is as a player, as a hitter.

ZACK WHEELER: Yeah, he's really good. He will take his walks. He's aggressive at the same time. It's always a battle going up against him, kind of a little chess match because you don't know exactly his game plan, obviously.

But you've just got to attack him. You try to get ahead, just like any other hitter. He's just another guy.

Q. I remember you speaking really highly of Yu Darvish even when you were with the Mets and you guys experienced the Tommy John and everything. And he's 36 now, and you're 32 now. Does he have any kind of influence on you, and if so, in what regard?

ZACK WHEELER: Yeah, I've watched him pitch over the years for sure. Kind of the same repertoire, I guess you could say. He throws a little more off speed than I do, but he's also got a good fastball. And he attacks guys, whether it's a different way than I do or not, but he attacks guys. Just watching him pitch, he's done it for a long time now.

And he's been good for a long time. He's very good at what he does, and he's figured out his little niche, and it's fun to watch him pitch.

Q. How much are you embracing facing him in a big stage like this?

ZACK WHEELER: Yeah, it will be pretty cool. There's a lot to go with him, and I know he's going to bring it, so I've got to bring it, too.