Wheeler (8-6) allowed three earned runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out five across seven innings to take the loss in Game 1 of Thursday's doubleheader against the Nationals.
Wheeler dueled with Max Scherzer throughout the contest, and he held the Nationals to one run through six innings. However, he allowed a leadoff double and then a two-run home run to begin the seventh inning -- ending his outing on a sour note. Even so, Wheeler continues to show the ability to work deep into games, as he's completed seven or more innings in four of his last six starts. For the season, he has a 2.45 ERA with 165 strikeouts across 139.2 innings.