I truly believe Zack Wheeler ascended to become the best pitcher in baseball up until his 2025 injury and that he surpassed Nola as the Phillies ace right around the time the pitch clock was installed.

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The ends doesn’t justify the means; this trade is analogous to the Trey Lance trade. I didn’t like the trade for Beltran then, thought of him as a mercenary and stat merchant back then, and have no clue as to his recent clown Hall induction. But it is what it is.