The 2024 Philadelphia Phillies have a total of nine former All-Stars on the squad to begin the season but have a few candidates still vying for their first Midsummer Classic appearance.
In a roster loaded with superstars, it's not always easy for newcomers or breakout players to earn their due. Many times, they are overshadowed by their teammates and left out of awards or events like the All-Star Game. With Bryce Harper back healthy and veterans J.T. Realmuto, Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, and Nick Castellanos (the Phillies' lone representative last season) always a threat, there could be a lot of Phillies heading to Texas this summer.
This year's MLB All-Star Game will be played on Tuesday, July 16, in Arlington, Texas, at Globe Life Field, the home of the reigning World Series champion Texas Rangers.
All-Star Game selections have had flaws in recent memory, with some huge misses and snubs such as Zack Wheeler in 2022, who had finished the first half with a 2.89 ERA over almost 100 innings. Then there has been some crazy fan intervention, like the debacle that happened in 2016 when the entire Chicago Cubs infield was voted to start the All-Star Game.
The "one player from every team" rule is helpful in these cases. This era of Phillies baseball is much different from the days when players like Odubel Herrera and Dominic Brown were the lone Philadelphia representatives to the Midsummer Classic. Now, to break into the elite All-Star club, first-half performances have to be pretty special.
A handful of Phillies players have had stretches in previous years when they have performed at or above All-Star levels, and other Phillies are poised for a breakout year. The Phillies have several candidates who could earn their first All-Star appearance in 2024, and here are our three picks.