The Philadelphia Phillies earned a win against the Washington Nationals on Saturday but it was preceded by a brutal loss.

The team will officially be without franchise ace Zack Wheeler for the rest of the season after the pitcher underwent a procedure to remove a blood clot near his shoulder. The team announced that the expected timeline for recovery from that procedure is six to eight months, according to Paul Casella of MLB.com .

But, given Wheeler's veteran status and the mileage on his arm, plus the seriousness of a condition like a blood clot, there have been some questions about whether or not Wheeler would look to return to the mound at all.

"The three-time All-Star is under contract through the 2027 season, but something this serious could cause an athlete and his family to

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