The 2026 MLB All-Star Game is slated to take place next weekend in Philadelphia, and as usual, all of the biggest stars of the spot will descend on one city for the Home Run Derby and arguably North American sports’ best All-Star Game.
While the rosters are once again full of superstars, as always, fans and teams are complaining about plenty of snubs, and this year, with the heightened criticism of the voting once again coming to the fore as a result of some of these snubs, some of which can be considered among the worst in recent big league memory.
Zack Wheeler is the Biggest All-Star Game Snub
GettyZack Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Perhaps the biggest snub of all was Philadelphia Phillies superstar Zack Wheeler, and while he began the year on the Injured List, in 13 starts since returning he has been absolutely dominant, posting an 8-1 record with a 2.36 ERA and 84 strikeouts across 80.0 innings of work.
That lack of a workload has seemingly contributed to him not being named an All-Star, but rightly so, fans have pointed to the Jacob Misiorowski situation from a year ago as a legitimate reason that Wheeler should have at least been named to the roster. On top of that, the game will be taking place in Philadelphia at Citizen’s Bank Park, and with Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, Cristopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo and Jhoan Duran all on the roster, it feels like an even bigger snub for the home crowd.
Zack Wheeler Addresses his Shocking All-Star Snub
There may be another reason for the move from Major League Baseball, and that is that Wheeler will pitch in the days leading into the event, making him ineligible to pitch in the game, but clearly, that explanation hasn’t sat well with the three-time All-Star, as he called it out on Tuesday night.
“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.”
“It pisses me off … it’s kind of BS.”
To some pitchers and players, the All-Star Game and the selection overall may not mean too much, but when the event takes place in a home stadium, it’s clearly something that a star player wants to play in to represent his team on the biggest stage in baseball (outside of the World Series). Sure, it makes sense that if a player can’t pitch in the game, he shouldn’t be on the active roster, but after making the team for the past two years and absolutely dominating over 13 starts this season (with Misiorowski having just five starts last year before being named an All-Star), fans around the game have collectively agreed that this is the worst snub we’ve seen in quite some time.
Unfortunately, there’s nothing that fans can do about it now that the fan voting phase of the All-Star selections has come and gone, and while there’s a chance that the MLB step in to get him a spot on the roster in his home stadium after a dominant 80.0 innings to start 2026, it’s very easy to understand Wheeler’s frustration and clear anger with the situation.
Phillies Star Zack Wheeler Shares Blunt Reaction to All-Star Game Snub