Phillies starting pitchers make strong cases for All-Star nods
PHILADELPHIA — As the starting position players for the 95th Major League Baseball All-Star Game were announced on Wednesday night, Cristopher Sánchez was in the midst of yet another impressive outing for the Phillies.
The left-hander pitched seven innings and allowed just one run in a 5-1 win over the Padres in the second game of a doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park. He walked no batters for the fourth start in a row. And he admitted after that performance that he would love to play in the Midsummer Classic on July 15 at Truist Park.
“Something incredible,” Sánchez said of the potential opportunity through a team interpreter. “I dream of being an All-Star every single year.”
The 28-year-old is giving himself a solid shot. After representing the National League as a first-time All-Star last season, Sánchez has, remarkably, gotten better in 2025. Through 17 starts, he has a 2.68 ERA, good for No. 7 in the NL. He’s tied for ninth in the league with 100 2/3 innings pitched, and his 1.13 WHIP ranks 11th in the NL.
The case speaks for itself, even if Sánchez declined to present it.
“That’s out of my reach,” he said. “I just try to do my job. There’s people that have the decision on their hands, so it’s not on me. I can’t control that.”
Sánchez is hardly the only pitcher on the Phillies with an argument to make the All-Star team. Zack Wheeler and Ranger Suárez are currently pitching as well as any other starters in the big leagues. Wheeler has a 2.27 ERA in 107 innings across 17 starts and leads the NL in strikeouts (136) and WHIP (0.91). The lefty Suárez hasn’t pitched enough to qualify for the leaderboards after missing time to begin the season, but he now has a 2.00 ERA in 11 starts and has thrown at least seven innings seven times, doing so in all of his last five appearances.
Powered by that trio, Philadelphia’s starting pitching has carried the club to a 51-36 record and first place in the NL East. Wheeler, Sánchez and Suárez have been the backbone of a rotation that leads the majors in innings (491) and the NL in ERA (3.30). Those three have helped the Phillies work around Aaron Nola’s injury issues, a pair of extreme blowup starts from Jesús Luzardo — who has been mostly very effective otherwise — and some regression from rookie Mick Abel.
Their manager, Rob Thomson, would be caught off guard if Wheeler, Sánchez and Suárez were not rewarded with All-Star nods for their efforts.
“It’d be surprising to me,” Thomson said. “And Luzardo as well. Other than those couple of starts, he’s been fantastic. So we’ll see where it goes.”
Of course, there will always be the possibility of snubs or disappointments. There are constraints on the rosters, and each team must have a representative. With the number of talented pitchers around right now, not everyone can make it when the rest of the All-Stars get announced this upcoming Sunday at 5 p.m. Eastern.
But each of Wheeler, Sánchez and Suárez — three All-Stars last season — have given themselves a real chance. Shortstop Trea Turner and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber should also be in the mix for selection on the hitters’ side.
In Thomson’s view, his whole starting staff has produced well enough to deserve to be in the All-Star Game. He’ll know which names will actually be chosen soon.
“The entire rotation, in theory,” Thomson said. “We’re not going to, I’m sure. It’s hard to say.”