November 06, 2023
Zack Wheeler racked up strikeouts in bunches throughout 2023 and flashed some pretty sharp leather too, the latter of which landed him his first career Gold Glove Award on Sunday night.
The Phillies' top starting pitcher took home the honor at the position for the National League after finishing the regular season with four defensive runs saved and 5.9 wins above replacement, per FanGraphs, beating out a finalist group that also featured Miami's Jesús Luzardo and Wheeler's teammate Taijuan Walker.
As good as gold 🤩
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) November 6, 2023
Congrats to Wheels on taking home his first @RawlingsSports Gold Glove Award! pic.twitter.com/eUwBQJ1akm
The Gold Glove win is not only Wheeler's first, but the first for a Phillies pitcher since Steve Carlton back in 1981, and now just the fifth in the organization all-time across four hurlers – with the other two being Jim Kaat in 1976 and 1977, and Bobby Shantz in 1964.
Second baseman Bryson Stott and catcher J.T. Realmuto were also finalists for Gold Glove Awards in the NL, but lost out to the Cubs' Nico Hoerner and the Diamondbacks' Gabriel Moreno, respectively.
Lefty Ranger Suárez generally has the sharpest glove out of all the Phillies' pitchers and probably would've been in consideration for a Gold Glove himself, but injuries kept him short of the number of innings needed to qualify with only 125 pitched during the regular season.
Wheeler will be back at the top of the Phillies' rotation in 2024, but will do so entering his age-34 season and with another contract looming on the horizon.
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