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Phillies’ Zack Wheeler says quiet part out loud about All-Star game’s big problem
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- Phillies’ Zack Wheeler says quiet part out loud about All-Star game’s big problem
Phillies' Zack Wheeler says quiet part out loud about All-Star game's big problem appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler is among the MLB All-Star Game's biggest snubs this year. Wheeler had added motivation in his start on Tuesday against the Cincinnati Reds , as he turned in seven innings of one-run baseball while striking out 14 hitters in a 4-1 Phillies ' victory. One would imagine that Wheeler would be a candidate to be added to the All-Star roster as a replacement. However, that cannot happen as Wheeler is among the pitchers scheduled to pitch the Sunday before Tuesday's All-Star game, meaning he is ineligible to throw in the contest.
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Wheeler is not a fan of the rule, something he explained after Tuesday's game, via Foul Territory.
"I felt like that's kind of a reminder for whoever needs to be reminded," Wheeler said of his stellar start. "It pisses me off, it's kind of BS. Maybe if I wasn't necessarily right in there I wouldn't be saying this, but I feel like I've earned it. Just because I pitch on a certain day doesn't mean that I get… I don't even know the right word. 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. They could have done it a few different ways, maybe put me in, I didn't necessarily have to get chosen right away, I feel like I was right there.
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"So, maybe they put me in, shoot me right back out and put somebody else in. There's certain ways to do it. You figure they would have a clue about it by now with how many All-Star games they've had. I think it's kind of just a BS rule that just because I pitch on a certain day I get punished for it I guess."
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Does MLB have an All-Star game problem?
Wheeler is not the only pitcher impacted by MLB's rule. However, he was not on the initial roster, meaning he will not be selected as an All-Star this season. It's an unfortunate blow for a pitcher who now has a 2.28 ERA.
Meanwhile, starters such as Jacob Misiorowski , Paul Skenes and Shohei Ohtani are not pitching in the game despite being All-Stars. The Dodgers are understandably cautious with Ohtani given his status as a two-way player, and he is still expected to hit in the game . The only reason Misiorowski and Skenes are not pitching in the contest, however, is because they pitch the Sunday before the All-Star game.
Their replacements were already named, and Wheeler was not able to be selected since he also pitches Sunday.
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In all reality, it is a problem MLB should look to fix. Taking care of pitchers has understandably been a priority, as teams don't want their starters to risk injury by throwing without much rest in an exhibition game. However, Misiorowski and Skenes are among the most popular pitchers in the sport. Wheeler is deserving of at least being an All-Star.
MLB insider Bob Nightengale believes the MLB All-Star Game may be dealt a " huge viewership blow " because of the rule.
"Huge blow for All Star viewership not having Jacob Misierowski, Paul Skenes or Shohei Ohtani pitching in the All Star Game. Ohtani will at least be the DH for a couple of at-bats before Kyle Schwarber steps in," Nightengale wrote in a recent post on X, formerly Twitter.
How can MLB fix this problem? It is a difficult situation. The schedule has been set for years, with the Home Run Derby on Monday and the game itself on Tuesday. Perhaps they could move the game to Wednesday, which would give the starters on Sunday an extra day of rest during the week.
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Perhaps there is another solution. Either way, MLB should look to fix this issue. Growing the game is the goal, and the best players need to be on the field to make that happen.
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