Zack Wheeler was furious Tuesday night — and the Reds suffered the brunt of that wrath.
Wheeler struck out a season-high 14 batters while allowing one run over seven dominant innings in a 4-1 road win over the Reds, and is now 9-1 with a 2.28 ERA, 0.91 WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) and 98 strikeouts in 87 innings in his return from dreaded thoracic outlet surgery (TOS).
That still isn’t enough to make the All-Star team, though, as a new rule protects teams and their players by making pitchers lined up to start on the Sunday before the break ineligible for the All-Star Game two days later — and Wheeler is not pleased with that stipulation.
“It pisses me off. It’s BS.”
Zack Wheeler implies that he’s been told he won’t be an All-Star because his pitching schedule doesn’t align with being able to pitch in the game pic.twitter.com/tJUs6AvjsH
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 8, 2026
“It pisses me off,” Wheeler told reporters after his start. “It’s kind of BS, so. Maybe if I wasn’t necessarily right in there, I wouldn’t be saying this, but I feel like I’ve earned it. And just because I pitch on a certain day … I can’t pitch in the All-Star Game. Or even be there or get the recognition for it.”
Wheeler missed the beginning of the season recovering TOS, but returned at the end of April, ahead of schedule, and has not missed a beat.
The righty has formed perhaps the sports best ace duo alongside lefty Cristopher Sánchez.
Wheeler is lined up to start the Phillies’ first-half finale in Detroit, but he pointed out that he usually throws his bullpens two days after his starts and said he would be able to throw an inning in the All-Star Game.
It is possible that Wheeler gets added to the squad as players opt out of the game, but since he starts Sunday, he wouldn’t be of much use to the NL team as league rules prohibit him from playing in the game.
His agent, B.B. Abbott, previously ripped baseball for Wheeler’s exclusion, particularly since the game is at his home stadium of Citizens Bank Park.
“It’s just tone deaf,” Abbott told The Athletic. “I think the whole thing is tone deaf.”
He added: “Major League baseball knows (about Wheeler’s injury recory). Everybody knows what he’s been through. And to not do what you needed to do to let this guy be honored in his home ballpark, it’s ludicrous.”
The Phillies will still be represented by Sánchez, Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Brandon Marsh and Jhoan Durán,
Wheeler is a three-time All-Star and is one of the only pitchers in baseball history to return to his prior status after undergoing surgery for TOS.
The injury has been a horror story for multiple young pitchers, as it derailed the careers of Matt Harvey, Chris Archer and Stephen Strasburg, among others.
Wheeler appears to be every bit the pitcher he was before and deserves the honor, but barring any interference from the league, the Phillies’ ace won’t be at the Philadelphia-hosted event next week.
