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Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler missed the first few weeks of the season recovering from thoracic outlet syndrome, but the way he’s looked on the mound, no one could have ever guessed.
The 36-year-old pitches like an All-Star, but he has yet to be named one, and Wheeler believes a “BS rule” is the result.
In 14 starts, Wheeler pitches to a 2.28 ERA (22 earned runs/87.0 innings pitched) and a .908 WHIP. Both would be career bests. Wheeler is just five innings shy of qualifying for the ERA title (one inning per team game played, so essentially 162 innings), but among pitchers with at least 80 innings under his belt, his ERA is the sixth-lowest.
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Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler throws against the Cincinnati Reds in the second inning at Great American Ball Park. (Aaron Doster/Imagn Images)
However, it is not the injury that is preventing the Philadelphia Phillies pitcher from playing the Midsummer Classic on his home field, but rather his pitching program, he said.
“It p—– me off. It’s kind of BS, then. Maybe if I wasn’t necessarily right in there, I wouldn’t say this, but I feel like I’ve earned it, and just because I’m pitching on a certain day, I can’t pitch in the All-Star Game or even be there or have the recognition to tell on Tuesday…” Wheeler.
“I think it’s kind of just a BS rule, just because I pitch on a certain day, I guess I get penalized for it.”
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler throws to the Texas Rangers in the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA MAY HAVE LEAKED SOME MLB ALL-STARS HOURS AHEAD OF THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT
Wheeler threw seven innings of one-run ball while striking out 14 Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday, which would set him up to start Sunday on normal rest, two days before the All-Star Game.
“The second and third day of rest is when I usually throw my bullpen,” Wheeler said, noting that he would have been fine to pitch an inning in the All-Star Game, as most pitchers do anyway.
Pitching charts have determined who is available for the Midsummer Classic, but it is not known if they have strictly determined All-Star selections.
According to a person familiar with the selection process, the majority of All-Star pitching selections are made through a joint process between MLB and the MLB Players Association, in which players and coaches select five starting pitchers in each league before MLB fills several of the remaining roster spots. Jacob Misiorowski, Cristopher Sánchez, Chris Sale, Chase Burns and Paul Skenes were selected through that process.
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) throws a pitch against the New York Mets in the second inning at Citizens Bank Park. (Kyle Ross/Imagn Images)
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Players have been rejected in the past due to MLB’s rule that at least one player from each team must be represented.
The All-Stars were announced earlier this week, but more reserves could be added, with many determined by availability for the game.
