Wheeler and Luzardo Aim for Historic MLB Season

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Aaron Nola‘s and Wheeler‘s current season performance puts them in a historic discussion. Wheeler and Jesús Luzardo have opened the 2025 MLB season with remarkable stats, each averaging over six innings per start with ERA figures of 2.53 and 2.15, respectively.

This achievement is significant because it hasn’t been done by two Phillies teammates since 2015. Back then, Cole Hamels and Aaron Harang posted impressive ERAs in their first 11 starts. Harang’s ERA was 2.02, but few remember his time as a Phillie, especially given the team’s struggles that season.

Wheeler has a current ERA of 2.53, just shy of the 2.50 mark. He and Luzardo’s combined performances have led many to draw comparisons to former Phillies legends Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee, who had a renowned season in 2011.

As of now, Wheeler and Luzardo rank first and second among National League starters in wins above replacement (WAR), according to Baseball-Reference.com. This performance places them in contention for the NL Cy Young Award, which has not seen two Phillies teammates finish in the top five since the legendary Halladay, Lee, and Hamels trio did in 2011.

Current betting odds show Wheeler as a strong candidate, with only two pitchers ahead of him—Paul Skenes of the Pirates and Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Dodgers. Luzardo is also in the mix, currently sixth in odds.

Historic context supports their potential; only three pitchers in Phillies history have recorded 180 innings and an ERA+ of 170 or above: Nola in 2018, Steve Carlton in 1972, and Grover Alexander in 1916. Both Wheeler and Luzardo are on pace to achieve this feat this season.

ERA+ measures a pitcher’s effectiveness relative to the league’s average, where Wheeler’s score sits at 170 and Luzardo’s is at a remarkable 191.

However, staying healthy is the key for maintaining this pace. Last season, Wheeler and Ranger Suárez were in a similar position until injuries derailed their performances. To have a successful season, the team must prioritize the health of its pitchers.

Ultimately, while the comparisons to Halladay and Lee are enticing, team management and fans alike recognize the unique history that those legends created in 2011. The league is watching to see if Wheeler and Luzardo can continue their current pace and potentially reshape Phillies history.