Zack Wheeler went into Cincinnati, tied his career high with 14 strikeouts, and walked out with a 4-1 Phillies win on Tuesday night, then promptly teed off on Major League Baseball for leaving him off the National League All-Star roster. The seven dominant innings, complete with a career-tying 14 Ks, felt like the kind of show built for the Midsummer Classic, and Wheeler made sure everyone knew exactly how he felt about being snubbed for the July 14 game in Philadelphia.
Wheeler's final line, 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 14 K, pushed his record to 9-1 and was highlighted in game coverage, according to CBS Philadelphia (AP). Kyle Schwarber did his part with a blast for his major-league-leading 31st homer in the victory, and the full strikeout clinic was stitched together in the Phillies' highlight reel on MLB.com. The result sent the Phillies rolling toward the weekend with momentum and made Wheeler's All-Star case a lot tougher to shrug off.
Wheeler Calls The Snub 'BS'
After the game, Wheeler skipped the politeness and went straight to the point, telling NBC Sports Philadelphia, "It pisses me off and it's kind of BS" and calling the outing "a reminder for whoever needs to be reminded," as reported by NBC Sports. He added that he would be willing to throw an inning on two days' rest and had already mentioned the idea to his agent, hoping to keep himself in play for a cameo in front of the home crowd in Philly. The catch is that Wheeler is slated to start Sunday in Detroit, a scheduling snag that usually keeps pitchers off the All-Star stage, per Athlon Sports.
MLB Moves To Fill Roster Spots
Major League Baseball, meanwhile, shuffled the All-Star deck by naming Riley O'Brien, Jesús Luzardo and Braxton Ashcraft as replacements for Paul Skenes, Jacob Misiorowski and Max Meyer in a roster update posted by MLB.com. The changes were a reminder of how availability and Sunday starts can quietly reshape the All-Star roster even after the initial announcements. For Wheeler, it was one more sign that a brilliant start can drive the conversation without necessarily earning him a ticket to the mound next week.
The All-Star Game lands at Citizens Bank Park on July 14, and the hometown setting has only turned up the volume on who should be wearing a National League jersey, according to CBS Philadelphia (AP). Wheeler's remarks, paired with his season-long numbers, have given Phillies fans plenty to argue about as the break approaches, while the club hopes the rotation keeps riding this form into the series with Detroit. Citizens Bank Park, at One Citizens Bank Way in South Philadelphia, will be the center of the baseball universe when the festivities kick off next week.
