​ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JUNE 28: Zack Wheeler #45 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on during a game against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Truist Park on June 28, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Brett Davis/Getty Images)Getty ImagesThe Philadelphia Phillies finally secured their postseason berth, but the achievement felt considerably more complicated than many fans expected. After suffering a stunning late-season collapse that nearly erased a four-game lead with five games remaining, Philadelphia turned to franchise ace Zack Wheeler for the final game of the season, facing a must-win scenario that meant he most likely wouldn’t be available for the Wild Card series. The veteran ace delivered, helping the Phillies defeat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 on Sunday and secure the final National League Wild Card spot. Wheeler went six innings, allowing one run on five hits while striking out five.FORBES | By Peter ChawagaCubs Castoff Cut By New Team Immediately After Disastrous OutingPhiladelphia Phillies’ Zack Wheeler Sends Contract Message Amid Harsh Late Season CollapseAs the Phillies prepare for another postseason run, Wheeler’s finale performance offered a reminder of why so much responsibility has been placed on the shoulders of the team’s highest-paid veterans. The Phillies have one of the largest payrolls in the sport and haven’t been shy about handing out blockbuster contracts to the likes of Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner and Aaron Nola. And with the season on the line, Wheeler acknowledged that his own $162 million deal set the expectation that he would deliver when needed.“You know who’s got to step up in big moments,” Wheeler said after the game, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Marcus Hayes. “I mean, that’s why they gave us the contracts that they did. We got to play like it.”Philadelphia had lost four consecutive games entering Sunday and had watched its once-commanding Wild Card position become dangerously uncertain as the team’s other highly paid stars struggled.“Phillies fans that turned Citizens Bank Park into one of the top home-field advantages in baseball instead this week unleashed lusty boos on the slumping stars, and some even wore brown paper bags on their heads,” the Associated Press reported after Saturday’s loss. “With the bats in a deep freeze, it’s pretty much on Wheeler to pitch them into October.”Philadelphia needed its ace to stop the slide and give the offense a chance to breathe, and he did exactly that.FORBES | By Peter ChawagaYankees Legend Quickly Deletes Jab At CC Sabathia Monument Park DecisionPhiladelphia Phillies’ $126 Million Ace Sets Standard For OctoberWheeler’s contract comments put the pressure back where he believes it belongs: on the veteran core that Philadelphia has invested heavily in.Now the Phillies enter October with their season still alive, but with plenty to prove after nearly watching it disappear. Wheeler’s message suggests he