Zack Wheeler Calls Out All-Star Selection Criteria
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler missed the early portion of the baseball season while recovering from thoracic outlet syndrome. His recent performances, however, show no signs of his past health issues. At 36, Wheeler is delivering All-Star level performances on the mound. Surprisingly, he has not been named an All-Star, and he attributes this omission to an unfair rule.
In 14 starts, Wheeler boasts an impressive 2.28 ERA, with 22 earned runs over 87 innings, paired with a 0.908 WHIP. Both figures would represent career highs. Wheeler is nearing the required innings for the ERA title, having only five innings short of the necessary 162. His ERA ranks sixth among those who have pitched at least 80 innings.
Wheeler pointed out that his schedule, not his previous injury, disqualifies him from participating in the All-Star Game. “It p—– me off,” Wheeler expressed, labeling the rule as unjust. He argued that despite the timing of his starts, he deserves recognition for his efforts.
“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 get the recognition for it,” Wheeler told reporters.
This week’s announcement of MLB All-Stars stirred controversy when the City of Philadelphia potentially leaked names ahead of an official statement. Wheeler had thrown seven innings with a single run against the Cincinnati Reds, striking out 14. His subsequent start would align with Sunday’s game, two days before the All-Star event.
Wheeler explained how his routine typically involves bullpen sessions on the second and third days following a start; thus, he would have been ready for a brief All-Star appearance. Despite traditions, MLB’s pitching schedules influence availability for the All-Star Game. However, it’s unclear if scheduling dictates all selections.
The All-Star pitching selections involve collaboration between MLB and the Players Association. Players and coaches choose five pitchers per league, while MLB fulfills additional spots. Notably, Jacob Misiorowski, Cristopher Sánchez, Chris Sale, Chase Burns, and Paul Skenes secured positions through this process.
Past selections have been criticized due to MLB’s requirement to have at least one player from every team. Although All-Star rosters were announced, further reserves might surface, dependent on player availability.