Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler declined a last-minute invitation to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, expressing that he felt disrespected by his initial exclusion from the roster. Wheeler stated he would not be "the fifth option" for the team.
Wheeler's absence from the All-Star roster was initially due to his pitching schedule. He suggested that a "BS rule" regarding pitching days prevented him from being considered for the Midsummer Classic, even though he felt he had earned a spot. "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 said, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia. "I think it's kind of just a BS rule, just because I pitch on a certain day, I get punished for it, I guess."
Despite his frustration with the snub, Wheeler clarified that he does not criticize the All-Star Game itself, calling participation a "privilege." However, he emphasized the importance of the All-Star designation for a player's career and legacy. "Guys do take a lot of pride to having the All-Star next to your name," he added. "And people who build them stuff after your career might look at that, too. For somebody to kind of take that away from me, it doesn’t sit the best."
This season, Wheeler has maintained a 2.28 earned run average over 14 starts for the Phillies, recording 98 strikeouts and a 10.1 strikeout-per-nine-innings ratio.