Zack Wheeler thinks Major League Baseball needs to review its selection criteria for the All-Star Game.
The Philadelphia Phillies right-hander was not selected for next week’s Midsummer Classic in Philly despite having outstanding numbers.
The reason, it seems, is that Wheeler is scheduled to start on Sunday in Detroit, making him ineligible to pitch two days later. All-Star rosters were announced last Saturday.
“There’s certain ways to do it and you’d figure they would have a clue about it right now (with) how many all-star games they’ve had,” Wheeler, 36, told reporters Tuesday. “I think it’s kind of just a BS rule where just because I pitched a certain day, I get punished for it.”
Wheeler is 9-1 on the season with a 2.28 ERA after allowing one run and striking out a career-high 14 while not issuing a walk in seven innings in a win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday.
A three-time all-star, Wheeler returned in late April this year after a blood clot was discovered near his right shoulder last August, forcing him to get season-ending thoracic outlet decompression surgery.
Wheeler, per MLB.com, said he’d be fine with pitching in the All-Star Game, even though he pitches Sunday. Whether that would be allowed is another story.
“I feel fine the second and third days (after a start), when I usually throw my bullpen,” Wheeler said. “So I’d be fine throwing an inning, but it’s not even an option, I guess.”
The Phillies have six other players in the All-Star Game — Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Cristopher Sánchez, Jhoan Duran, Brandon Marsh and Jesús Luzardo.