Zack Wheeler continues to appear angry about his All-Star snub. And he continues to take his frustrations out on opposing batters
One day after telling reporters he felt “disrespected” when he missed the initial cut for MLB’s All-Star Game, the Philadelphia Phillies’ pitcher threw another gem in a start against the Detroit Tigers
Advertisement
Wheeler struck out 10 batters Sunday to lead the Phillies to a 5-0 win. In six shutout innings, he allowed just two hits and two walks. He left the game after 96 pitches with his team holding a 5-0 lead. He ended his day with a swinging strikeout of Detroit cleanup hitter Riley Greene
Following his 14-strikeout effort against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday and his 10-strikeout performance against the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 1, Wheeler has struck out double-digit batters in three consecutive starts for just the second time in his career
Is All-Star snub fueling Wheeler on the mound?
Sunday’s start took place a day after Wheeler took MLB to task again for leaving him off the All-Star roster and declined an invitation to join the NL team as a replacement. His past two starts have come since he learned he did not make the initial All-Star cut
Advertisement
“They disrespected me, so I’m not going to participate,” Wheeler said Saturday after turning down the league’s invitation to be an All-Star replacement player, per the Athletic’s Charlotte Varnes. “I don’t need a pity party. I don’t need somebody saying, ‘He’s had major surgery. Look at him now.’ I don’t need that
“It was my plan to come back as who I was or even better.”
Wheeler’s All-Star case is awfully strong
A three-time All-Star, Wheeler certainly had a strong case to make the NL roster. In 15 starts this season, Wheeler has a 2.13 ERA and 0.89 WHIP with 108 strikeouts and 22 walks in 93 innings pitched. He finishes the first half with a 10-1 record as a starter. His ERA and WHIP would stand as career lows over the course of a full season
Wheeler has done all of this after recovering from thoracic outlet decompression surgery that required the removal of a rib and cut short his bid for the NL CY Young award last season. He has returned this season as strong as ever at 36 years and was not happy about being left off the NL All-Star roster
“It pisses me off,” Wheeler said Tuesday after striking out 14 Reds batters in a 4-1 Phillies win. “It’s kind of B.S. Maybe if I wasn’t necessarily right in [the All-Star mix], I wouldn’t be saying this. But I feel like I’ve earned it.”
Making matters worse for Wheeler, Tuesday’s All-Star Game will be played in his home stadium, Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park. His teammate, Cristopher Sánchez, will start for the NL in front of the home fans. Wheeler won’t pitch at all
