Since signing with the Philadelphia Phillies in December of 2019, Zack Wheeler has provided consistently excellent pitching for the club. He’s collected a few accolades along the way, but one he won’t be able to claim is that of 2026 MLB All-Star. It was the talk of the town after Tuesday’s game, even overshadowing Wheeler’s effort that saw him record 14 strikeouts to tie his career high.
Despite being cool and collected at all times on the mound, Wheeler immediately strikes you as one of those fiery competitors who uses adversity and criticism as fuel. And so maybe we shouldn’t be surprised that he blew away 14 Reds in his first start since All-Star rosters were announced and his name wasn’t called.
What is surprising, however, is how vociferously Wheeler objected to being left off the team, calling out MLB in the process.
Zack Wheeler said it "pisses me off" that he wasn't named an All-Star, and being ruled ineligible to pitch in the game due to his start on Sunday is a "BS rule."
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) July 8, 2026
"You figure they'd have a clue about it by now with how many All-Star Games they've had." pic.twitter.com/gTWLXlxiAF
Zack Wheeler took his All-Star snub personally and called MLB out on it
In much the same way that Cristopher Sánchez was left off the team last year, Wheeler didn’t get an invite this year because he’ll be starting the team’s last game before the All-Star break. Maybe part of his disappointment is not being able to appear as an All-Star before his home fans, but there are other things at play here with Wheeler.
First, the disrespect is real. In 2021, Wheeler paced the majors in innings pitched and led all pitchers in bWAR. Yet, that year’s NL Cy Young went to Corbin Burnes, whom the Brewers sheltered en route to him posting a moderately better ERA (2.43) than Wheeler (2.78). In 2024, it happened again, as Wheeler finished second to Chris Sale in Cy voting. Wheeler again had a heavier workload and a higher bWAR than the man he finished behind in voting. And that doesn’t even account for the fact that Sale let his team down when they needed him the most.
With these near-misses in the rearview, it doesn’t seem like Wheeler will ever get his coveted Cy Young, which is a crying shame. And so you can understand why other recognitions take on increased importance. Wheeler is a three-time All-Star, and deservingly so. But adding a fourth would improve his legacy even more. When you are talking about eventual Hall of Fame eligibility, these things shouldn’t be determining factors for a player's Cooperstown case, but they certainly can’t hurt.
To that end, maybe this is really about Wheeler finishing with a flourish because the end is near. Wheeler wants to win a World Series above all else, but he can see the end of the tunnel and knows that his time to be an All-Star or even pitch at a high level is extremely limited. Wheeler is already on record as saying he will retire at the expiration of his contract following the 2027 season, but his injury last year that robbed him of a chance to pitch in the postseason may have changed his mentality. It remains to be seen.
Critically, with the entire 2027 season very much in limbo thanks to the looming presence of an MLB lockout, Wheeler smartly realizes that there is a nonzero chance that this is his very last season as a major league pitcher. If a whole year is lost, what could a 38-year old Wheeler realistically have left to give in 2028? There truly may be nothing left in the tank by then.
Hopefully no one is out there calling Wheeler selfish for being upset at his All-Star snub, because that’s exactly the kind of mentality you want from your star players. Wheeler pushed himself to come back from a very serious surgery, and he has been excellent. He’s also amazingly injected himself into the Cy Young conversation despite a late start to the season, and he can be forgiven for his irritation at MLB’s red tape and a misinformed All-Star selection process.
As the (metaphorical) chip on Wheeler’s shoulder deepens, it continues to push him to the limit of what he can accomplish on the mound. That bodes well for the Phillies, and it adds to Wheeler’s legacy for once he leaves the game on his own terms.
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