CINCINNATI — He settled himself before throwing the 104th pitch, shrugging his shoulders at the rear of the mound while looking toward his catcher. Then Zack Wheeler threw a splitter that Tyler Stephenson swung over for his 14th strikeout of the night, matching a career high set five years ago.Wheeler is 36 and underwent thoracic outlet decompression surgery last September. Yet here he is — ever an ace, ever the north star for the Phillies. It all feels a little unbelievable. But all of it is tangible, Wheeler dominating under a darkening Cincinnati sky and pitching with the edge of a man with a 2.28 ERA who was not named an All-Star.“I feel like that was a reminder,” Wheeler said, “for whoever needs to be reminded. It pisses me off. It’s kind of BS. Maybe if I wasn’t necessarily right in (the All-Star mix), I wouldn’t be saying this. But I feel like I’ve earned it.”It has been nearly a year since Wheeler was diagnosed with a blood clot in his right shoulder. There were so many questions then — first about his health as a person then as a baseball player; about what it would mean for his pitching long-term; about what it would mean for the Phillies come October. They were all so important then, and yet that moment feels so far away right now.Wheeler underwent surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome last year. (Carolyn Kaster / AP Photo)What feels closer to home now is an All-Star Game in Philadelphia, the summer sun beating down on a crowd dotted with red, white and powder blue. The same crowd that gave Wheeler a raucous ovation when his name was called during NLDS introductions last October, the first Philadelphia fans had seen of him in the month and a half since baseball stopped for the pitcher.“I had expectations when I got hurt,” Wheeler said. “I’m going to be the same guy or even better. I’m going to use this time to get a little bit stronger, maybe just tweak a couple things. That’s what I’ve been able to do. And credit to the coaching staff, the training staff and my family for helping me get through that mentally and physically.”Those are the same people who would be in that All-Star crowd, if not in the dugout, watching Wheeler.Wheeler’s ERA is the third-lowest ERA he’s posted through his first 14 outings in a season. It is sixth-best among pitchers who have thrown at least 70 innings in 2026. Still, it is unlikely he will be named an All-Star replacement, given he is pitching the Sunday before the Midsummer Classic.The league has already replaced multiple National League pitchers who are in line for Sunday starts. With one swap, Wheeler’s teammate, Jesús Luzardo, who owns a 3.75 ERA in 103 1/3 innings this season, was added to the NL roster. It is not an official rule, but starting pitchers throwing two days before the All-Star Game tend to have restrictions of some sort. Wheeler, however, said that would not affect him and he would be willing to pitch on Tuesday.“I feel fine the second and third days (post-start), when I usually throw my bullpen,” Wheeler said. “So, I’ll be fine throwing the inning. But it’s not even an option I guess.”A case for the Cubs to pursue Tarik SkubalEno Sarris and Derek VanRiperJust last season, Phillies teammates contended Cristopher Sanchez should have been named to the All-Star roster, but he was not — in part because he started the Sunday before the game. Now, the Phillies are pleading a pitcher’s case yet again, this time for Wheeler.“We dealt with it last year, dealt with it this year,” Kyle Schwarber said. “When someone’s putting up the numbers (and) deserves it, you want them to just get that nod. … Say someone gets voted in, but they’re not able to participate. But they still get named an All-Star. And you want that for Zack as well because we’re only in this game for so long.”“I was surprised, honestly — just the way he’s thrown the ball,” interim manager Don Mattingly said before Tuesday’s game. “Wheels does not get attention nationally. I think it’s the same old thing where you see guys like Harp. You’re around long enough and you’re good every year. You start to always ask, ‘Who’s the next new thing? What’s the next new thing?’ And those guys get a lot of attention. And they probably deserve it, which is fine. But you start to forget about those guys a little bit because they’re not on the tip of your tongue.”On Tuesday, Wheeler did as All-Stars do. He finished the outing by working his way back into the count against Stephenson, getting him on the splitter — a pitch he leaned on more heavily the third time through the order. He is showing hitters something slightly different every time through — the calling card of any successful pitcher, yes, but a skill even more remarkable and refined after everything Wheeler has been through.“It doesn’t feel like he’s lost a step at all,” catcher J.T. Realmuto said. “Even at times when the velo’s down, it’s like his stuff still plays up. His extension is still good. He mixes so well. He’s gotten even better at his ability to mix with everything he has and throw strikes with all of his pitches across the board — even more so than he would before surgery.”Wheeler’s excellence is as real as ever. But he has been through so much more to simply to get to this point — a procedure, a surgery, an offseason spent rehabbing in Philadelphia, a spring training spent playing catch-up. A moment at Citizens Bank Park next Tuesday would not just be another accolade, but a celebration of all the pain and progress of the past 11 months. Wheeler simply wants a chance to own it, all of it, before the home crowd.Jul 8, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms