Zack Wheeler leaves Dodgers game early with lower back pain – NBC Sports Philadelphia

Phillies starter Zack Wheeler, who was in the midst of a two-hit shutout with two outs and no one on base in the fifth inning against the Dodgers on Tuesday night, did not play to start the sixth inning.

The team announced that he had to leave the game with a muscle strain in his lower left back.

The first sign of trouble came when Dodgers third baseman Cavan Biggio hit a solo home run to right-center. That was followed by walks to DH Shohei Ohtani and catcher Will Smith – his only two base on balls of the game – before he got first baseman Freddie Freeman to ground out to end the inning.

Obviously it would be a huge loss if Wheeler were to be forced out for an extended period, especially for a team that already has experienced players Taijuan Walker and Spencer Turnbull on the injured list.

The Phillies have been lucky this year: the injuries to first baseman Bryce Harper, designated hitter Kyler Schwarber, outfielder Brandon Marsh, third baseman Alec Bohm and Suarez turned out to be less serious than initially feared.

Only time will tell if they were able to dodge another bullet.

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