Inside The Phillies

Phillies Ace Strangely Not Projected to Join National League in All-Star Game

A Philadelphia Phillies star pitcher has been predicted to not make the National League roster for the All-Star Game.

Kenneth Teape

Mar 4, 2025; Clearwater, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) walks off the field against the New York Yankees in the first inning during spring training at BayCare Ballpark.
Mar 4, 2025; Clearwater, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) walks off the field against the New York Yankees in the first inning during spring training at BayCare Ballpark. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
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The Philadelphia Phillies have a lot of excellent players on their roster, which is loaded with All-Star level talent.

Anchoring their pitching staff is one of the best in baseball, Zack Wheeler.

The runner-up for the National League Cy Young Award in 2024 has been dominant since joining the Phillies as a free agent ahead of the 2020 campaign, departing from the New York Mets.

In five seasons, he has made the All-Star team twice, finishing top 12 in the Cy Young Award voting four times and twice coming in second, and won a Gold Glove Award.

He has been reliable, making 32 starts in three out of the four 162-game campaigns he has been with the team.

Heading into the 2025 season, he looks poised to once again challenge for the Cy Young Award and got off to an excellent start to the campaign as the Opening Day starter against the Washington Nationals.

Wheeler pitched six innings, surrendering only two hits and two walks, resulting in one earned run, to go along with eight strikeouts.

Showing no signs of slowing down, he looks poised to add to his already impressive resume.

But, there is one MLB writer who believes that he is going to be a snub for the 2025 MLB All-Star game.

Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report recently revealed his way-too-early 2025 MLB All-Star roster predictions. Shockingly, Wheeler did not make the cut as one of the nine starting pitchers in the NL.

But, Philadelphia is not without a pitcher on the team.

While Wheeler wasn’t selected, Reuter does believe that his teammate, emerging star Cristopher Sanchez, will be on the NL squad.

After making his first All-Star team in 2024, the talented lefty is a very popular breakout candidate for 2025. If his spring training performance is an indication of things to come, he is on the path to stardom.

An uptick in velocity combined with his stellar control could result in more strikeout numbers. The more production a pitcher has in that regard, the bigger his star will become.

Like Wheeler, he fired a gem of his own in his season debut against the Colorado Rockies, a 6-1 victory. He threw 5.1 innings, allowing four hits with two walks, resulting in one earned run scored to go along with seven strikeouts.

Sanchez being the only All-Star representative from the Phillies on the mound would be a bit shocking after they had five pitchers selected for the NL Team in 2024: Wheeler, Sanchez, Ranger Suarez, Matt Strahm and Jeff Hoffman.

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Kenneth Teape
KENNETH TEAPE

Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.

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