The Boston Red Sox didn't exactly make life difficult for Zack Wheeler on Tuesday night—and the numbers tell a story that's hard to ignore.

Wheeler, the Philadelphia Phillies ace, limited Boston to just one run over 7⅓ innings in a 2-1 loss at Fenway Park. It was his fourth start back from thoracic outlet decompression surgery, and he looked every bit the pitcher who once dominated the National League. He needed only 87 pitches to work through a season-high innings total, a masterclass in efficiency.

Here's where it gets historic: Wheeler threw just 16 pitches through the first three innings. According to MLB, that's the fewest pitches any starting pitcher has needed to navigate the opening three frames since 2000. For context, that's less than six pitches per inning—a pace that would make any pitcher's day feel like a light workout.

The Red Sox lineup offered little resistance from the jump. Jarren Duran, Mickey Gasper, and Wilyer Abreu each went down on the second pitch of their at-bats in the first inning. Masataka Yoshida was hit by a pitch to start the second, but Trevor Story quickly erased him with a double play. Ceddanne Rafaela followed with a groundout after chasing a sinker off the plate.

Marcelo Mayer led off the third with a single on the game's first pitch, but Wheeler slammed the door again. Carlos Narváez flied out on the second pitch, and Caleb Durbin grounded into an inning-ending double play on the very first pitch he saw. The pattern was clear: Wheeler was in control, and the Red Sox were chasing.

Boston finally made Wheeler work a bit in the fourth inning—20 pitches against four batters—but any momentum evaporated when Story grounded out on the first pitch of the fifth. The damage was already done.

Wheeler's vintage performance shines a harsh light on the Red Sox's offensive struggles during a disappointing 17-24 start. Consider this: Boston's 8.6 percent walk rate ranks 22nd in baseball, and they didn't draw a single free pass against Wheeler. The Red Sox also lead the American League in ground-ball rate at 46.3 percent—Wheeler induced eight of them on the night.

All seven of Boston's hits were singles, a troubling trend for an offense whose .350 slugging percentage trails every team in baseball except the New York Mets (.343). While the Red Sox have collectively hit just 29 home runs this season, rumored offseason target Kyle Schwarber crushed his 17th long ball on Tuesday night for the Phillies. That kind of comparison stings for a lineup that's desperate for a spark.

For a team that prides itself on timely hitting and putting pressure on opposing pitchers, Tuesday was a stark reminder of how far the Red Sox have to go. Against a pitcher like Wheeler—and with the season slipping away—every pitch counts, and every missed opportunity adds up.