Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler voiced strong displeasure with a new Major League Baseball rule that will exclude him from the upcoming All-Star Game, despite a dominant season. Wheeler, who has returned to elite form after thoracic outlet surgery, called the stipulation "BS" and expressed frustration at not receiving recognition for his performance.
Wheeler recorded a season-high 14 strikeouts over seven innings in a recent win against the Cincinnati Reds, improving his record to 9-1 with a 2.28 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP. He has also accumulated 98 strikeouts in 87 innings pitched since his return from surgery in late April, which was ahead of schedule.
The rule in question makes pitchers scheduled to start the Sunday before the All-Star break ineligible to pitch in the game itself, which occurs two days later. Wheeler is slated to start the Phillies' final game before the break on Sunday, which conflicts with the new policy. He asserted that he would be able to pitch an inning in the All-Star Game and typically throws his bullpen sessions two days after his starts, suggesting he could have participated if allowed.
Wheeler's agent, B.B. Abbott, also criticized the rule, calling it "tone deaf" and "ludicrous," particularly as the All-Star Game is being held at the Phillies' home stadium, Citizens Bank Park. Abbott highlighted that MLB is aware of Wheeler's injury recovery and that preventing him from being honored at home is unreasonable.
Despite the exclusion, the Phillies will still be represented at the All-Star Game by Cristopher Sánchez, Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Brandon Marsh, and Jhoan Durán. Wheeler is a three-time All-Star and is noted as one of the few pitchers to regain their previous performance level after TOS surgery, an injury that has historically derailed the careers of pitchers like Matt Harvey, Chris Archer, and Stephen Strasburg.