MLB WORLD SERIES: PHILLIES VS ASTROS

November 4, 2022

Zack Wheeler

Minute Maid Park

Philadelphia Phillies

Workout Day Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We'll get started with questions for Zack.

Q. Just wondering how you felt about your bullpen yesterday and whether you're able to tell during a bullpen whether the extra rest, how much good it did you to have the extra rest.

ZACK WHEELER: Yeah, I think the extra rest always helps. But the bullpen felt good. I think we're on track.

Q. I've asked both managers this question. It's about momentum and if it actually exists in baseball. We like to talk about it a lot, but if any World Series has sort of squashed that theory, maybe it's this one. Just as starting pitcher, do you believe in momentum or do you think it resets day-to-day? How do you view that?

ZACK WHEELER: I think it resets day-to-day. I think everybody probably feels, has their own beliefs I guess they could say. But I think it resets, especially with a starting pitcher. From my standpoint, I'm going out there and pitching my game and starting new. So yeah, from my standpoint, I think it just resets.

Q. I've asked you throughout the year and in previous years about facing a team back-to-back. When you're in a short series like this and you know that the likelihood is that you may have to face them again, how much do you think about that throughout the series in terms of like what you might do differently the next time around?

ZACK WHEELER: I think it's always just making the adjustments that you should be or that you think you should make, but not overcorrecting or over-adjusting at the same time. I'm going to pitch to my strengths and hopefully I command the ball a little bit better this outing and I think that will help.

Q. Just to be clear, so then, do you look back much at what happened in the previous start when you know that the same team is coming up a second time or do you kind of clean the slate? How much kind of going back do you do? How much review do you do of the previous start?

ZACK WHEELER: Yeah, I think you just pitch to your strengths and just make the adjustments that you need to. They're a good team, but hopefully I can command the ball a little bit better this time and hopefully that puts me in a better position.

Q. How much do you relish this opportunity here? The team's down 3-2 in the series putting it on your back to go down there to Houston and get a win and extend this thing.

ZACK WHEELER: Yeah, for sure. I take a lot of pride in that and just try to be a stopper and give our team one more chance after tomorrow. So tomorrow's a must-win and I'll take pride in that. Hopefully I can go out there and give us the best chance.

Q. Is there anything to the fact that you kind of go into this start now knowing it's your last one, you can completely empty the tank, as opposed to knowing there's another start behind it potentially? I don't know how much that factors in.

ZACK WHEELER: Yeah, but, no. I mean, you don't want to go out there and overthrow, you know what I mean? So at the same time, yes, but no. You go out there and give it the best shot, best opportunity or best -- I don't know. I mean, you go out there and give it the best that you can, but at the same time, you don't try to go out there and overthrow and just try to do too much.

Q. Knowing the last two teams in your situation came back to win, does that give you any extra confidence? And has Kyle talked to you at all about what that was like when the Cubs did it and the fact that it was the Astros who didn't do it in 2019? Does any of that help?

ZACK WHEELER: I mean, none of that really matters to me. I'm just trying to go out there and win tomorrow so we can play another day. Hopefully we can win this whole thing. That's our mindset and we got to win tomorrow first. That's our first and foremost right there.