Zack Wheeler checked off another box toward his return to the Phillies’ rotation. The All-Star right-hander threw a bullpen on Thursday at the team’s BayCare Ballpark spring training home in Clearwater, Fla. It was his first bullpen off a mound since undergoing thoracic outlet decompression surg ery in September. “It’s another accomplishment in your rehab,” Wheeler told reporters on Friday. Phillies manager Rob Thomson said the bullpen could mark the start of a six week ramp-up to rejoin the big league rotation. A six-week ramp-up would put Wheeler’s timeline sometime around the second week in April. “He’s worked awfully hard,” Thomson said. “That’s the key to it. Since he’s putting in the hard work, (I’m) not really (surprised). He’s worked harder than he’s ever worked in the offseason. It’s a really good sign. He’s strong, the shoulder is stronger than it ever has been.” Wheeler indicated he operated at 80-85 percent during a 21-ptich session limited to fastballs. “I didn’t know how to feel, or know what I was going to feel like,” Wheeler said. “It felt good, felt smooth, natural.” Wheeler called this the next phase in his recovery. “The first one is throwing a baseball and the next one is probably throwing the long toss and making sure that feels good,” he said. “Then getting off the mound, getting the game and facing live hitters is probably the next one. You have those check marks along the way and this is one of them.” Wheeler doesn’t know if he’ll get into a spring training game before the team breaks camp and returns north. What the two-time Cy Young Award runner-up wants is to be at full strength when the Phils need him most. “If I’m ready to go, I’m ready to go,” Wheeler said. “I don’t think I have any problem when October comes usually. So, I don’t think this year is different than any other year, trying to preserve.” ...read more read less