Inside The Phillies

Phillies Ace Zack Wheeler Will Not Participate in All-Star Game

The Philadelphia Phillies ace is no longer going to be participating in the All-Star Game.
Brad Wakai|
Jun 20, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) looks on against the New York Mets in the second inning at Citizens Bank Park
Jun 20, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) looks on against the New York Mets in the second inning at Citizens Bank Park | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

In this story:

Philadelphia Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies are looking to finish the first half of the season on a high note.

Their West Coast trip continues with a three-game set against the San Diego Padres beginning on Friday, their final series before the All-Star break.

Zack Wheeler was the lone Phillies pitcher named to the All-Star team in the initial selection process, joining Kyle Schwarber as the only two players from Philadelphia's roster to be picked for the Midsummer Classic.

More News: Phillies Should Only Entertain Mick Abel Trade Talks with One Thing in Mind

But now it seems like Schwarber is going to be the lone representative, with Wheeler no longer set to participate in the showcase event.

Taking his place on the team is Adrian Morejon of the Padres.

Wheeler is scheduled to pitch on Saturday against San Diego, which could have played into this decision.

No reason was given about why he's opting to skip the All-Star Game at the time of writing, but the fact that he's slated to have an outing just days before the event seems like the logical reasoning.

More News: Phillies Boss Ready To 'Undo His Offseason Mistakes' With Aggressive Deadline

Phillies fans might be disappointed to not see their ace participate in this event, but they will gladly trade his lone inning in the Midsummer Classic for continued health for the rest of the year as Philadelphia chases a World Series championship.

Cristopher Sanchez is someone who many people in the baseball world feel was snubbed from being named to the National League roster, and the selection of Morejon as Wheeler's replacement does nothing to quell that notion.

More News: Phillies Eyeing These Two Superstar Closers in Potential Blockbuster Trades

However, it should be noted that Sanchez is scheduled to start on Sunday in the finale against the Padres, so even if he was named to the All-Star Game roster, it's likely that he wouldn't have participated either.

But the headline is Wheeler is no longer going to be pitching in this year's All-Star Game despite the expectation that he would have been named the NL's starting pitcher.

For more Phillies news, head over to Phillies On SI.

Published
Brad Wakai
BRAD WAKAI

Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he did work at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad currently is the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continues to cover Penn State athletics. He is also a contributor at FanSided, writing about the Philadelphia 76ers for The Sixers Sense. Brad is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, discussing topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai

Home/News