Phillies ace Zack Wheeler has declined MLB’s invitation to replace the injured Chase Burns on the NL All-Star roster for the Midsummer Classic. Wheeler felt disrespected, as he was the fifth choice and not selected on the initial ballot, despite posting a dominant 9-1 record.
MLB swiftly named Dodgers ace Justin Wrobleski (10-2) as the replacement for Burns. Wheeler is a three-time All-Star and has consistently posted solid numbers for the Phillies. This year, however, the competition for an All-Star nod was fierce, leading to Wheeler not being named to the team after the ballot voting.
Fans promptly responded to Wheeler rejecting the invitation to participate in the Midsummer Classic. Many criticized the MLB’s decision as superficial and commended the pitcher for standing firm.
Wheeler was presumably snubbed from the NL All-Star team solely because he is scheduled to pitch on Sunday in a regular-season game and the Midsummer Classic is scheduled for Tuesday.
Zack Wheeler Had Refused to Entertain the Comeback Story to Factor in the All-Star Selection
After a blood clot in his right shoulder, Wheeler underwent thoracic outlet surgery last year. He then lost weight, regained strength, and completed rehab, becoming an elite pitcher. This was one of the most inspiring comebacks in MLB.
In an exclusive interview, Wheeler said he did not want his comeback to factor into the All-Star selection, though he respected the event even as he felt wronged. His main disappointment was being omitted despite a solid record.
“I don’t need someone to say that, ‘Oh, he’s had major surgery. Look at him now.’ No, I don’t need that. That’s when I planned to come back as who I was or even better… Guys do take a lot of pride in having “All-Star” next to their name. During your career and after your career. And people who build them stuff after your career might look at that, too. For somebody to kind of take that away from me, it doesn’t sit the best,” Wheeler said.
For now, Wheeler will aim to shift his focus to Sunday’s start in the crucial series finale against the Tigers at Comerica Park, where he will face two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal.
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