It’s not closure, and it’s not certainty, but it’s something close to both. The Phillies and their fans now know why Zack Wheeler won’t pitch for them again this year. Last week he was found to have a blood clot on the right side of his upper body.

Zack Wheeler, whose season is over after requiring major surgery for his injury, received a heartfelt message from the Phillies.

Phillies ace right-hander Zack Wheeler is out for the rest of the season, the team announced Saturday. Wheeler, 35, has been diagnosed with venous thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS), and the recommendation was to undergo thoracic outlet decompression surgery in the coming weeks. Such a procedure typically has a recovery time of six to eight months.