The Philadelphia Phillies are the hosts of this year’s MLB All-Star festivities at Citizens Bank Park. They will be very well represented. Here’s a look at the players who could be in play to represent the home team.
Cristopher Sanchez is a lock to be in the All-Star Game in the city of brotherly love. The only question would be whether or not he is the starter. He has a streak of 44.2 innings pitched without allowing an earned run, the most in franchise history. His ERA is 1.47, the lowest in the MLB among qualified pitchers.
Zack Wheeler’s only argument against not making the All-Star Game would be the limited innings. He’s thrown 43.2 innings since coming back from the IL. In those innings, he’s pitched to a 2.27 ERA and a .85 WHIP. Wheeler is back to being the dominant pitcher the Phillies have gotten so used to.
Jhoan Duran has solidified himself as one of the best closers in the MLB, and perhaps the best closer in Phillies history. He’s 12/12 in save opportunities this season and has yet to allow an earned run in those situations. He’s getting better and better as the year goes on; expect him to get selected to the All-Star Game.
Bryce Harper has responded to the offseason comments from Dave Dombrowski, claiming he may not be an elite player anymore. He’s putting up some of his best career numbers and has carried the Phillies offense at times. He’s hitting .261 with a .868 OPS.
Kyle Schwarber has absolutely dominated in his fifth season with the Phillies. He’s up to an MLB high 22 home runs. This is a no-doubter in terms of making the All-Star Game; the Phillies DH is another lock to make the contest. It will be interesting to see if he or Harper participates in the HR derby in their home stadium.
Brandon Marsh has been amazing this season for Philadelphia. He’s transformed into an everyday player and has been a huge piece of the Phillies’ lineup. He’s hitting .317 this season, good enough for third in the MLB. Will that be enough to make the All-Star game? It’ll be close, but for now, he’s left off the roster.
Orion Kerkering has been great in the seventh-inning role since making his season debut. His ERA is 2.53, and he has allowed just four earned runs in his last 24 appearances. He’s been great for Philadelphia, but that may not be enough to put the entire league on notice.
Jesus Luzardo is too inconsistent to make any real noise in the All-Star game conversations. At the peak of his powers, he is one of the best pitchers in the league. During other appearances, he may surrender six runs and not make it out of the third. If he can dial in the inconsistencies, he should have a chance in the future.
The Phillies should see a large number of all-stars for the event in their home stadium. Sanchez, Schwarber, and Duran should be absolute locks to make the game. Harper and Wheeler may have a tougher time getting a spot, but they certainly deserve it.
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