Alongside their three starting position players, four pitchers were selected by a combination of the Player Ballot and the commissioner's office.
Zack Wheeler, Ranger Suárez, Jeff Hoffman, and Matt Strahm will represent the National League. Wheeler, however, who is scheduled to start Tuesday and Sunday, the final game before the break, will likely be replaced.
Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, and Alec Bohm will join the pitching quartet for the Midsummer Classic. This marks a significant achievement for the Phillies, reflecting the strength and depth of their roster this season.
The Phillies could have easily sent more, with Aaron Nola and Cristopher Sánchez also deserving nods. Suárez, Wheeler, and Sánchez are first, third, and fifth in the NL in ERA, respectively. Nola, with a 10-4 record and a 3.48 ERA, is tied for third in the majors in wins.
Hoffman has transformed himself into one of the most reliable right-handed relievers in baseball after turning 30, finding success with his fifth organization. Over the last two seasons, he’s racked up eight saves and a 1.21 ERA, striking out 47 and walking eight in 37⅓ innings. Hoffman's ERA in 92 appearances as a Phillie is a stellar 1.91.
As the Phillies' most important free agent after the season, retaining him will be a priority, though it could command $11-12 million per year.
For Suárez, Hoffman, and Strahm, it's their first All-Star selection. Wheeler, who recorded the final out for the National League in the 2021 ASG, earns his second nod.
Strahm has been nearly as dominant as Hoffman, posting a 1.59 ERA with 45 strikeouts and four walks in 34 innings. He’s made 36 appearances, 32 of which were scoreless. After allowing two runs to the Braves on Opening Day, he’s been lights out, boasting a 1.07 ERA since.
Draft Notes
Looking ahead to the future, MLB Pipeline’s latest mock draft projects the Phillies to land one of college baseball’s most prolific power hitters with the 27th pick: LSU’s Tommy White.
Nicknamed "Tommy Tanks" for his prodigious home run prowess, White burst onto the scene with 27 homers as a freshman at NC State in 2022. After transferring to LSU, he continued to build his legend, finishing his collegiate career with 75 homers, eighth all-time in NCAA Division I history. At 21, White is a feared slugger with a career 1.123 OPS. Of his 279 career hits, 124 went for extra bases, including a triple this season.
White’s accolades are extensive.
As a freshman, he earned First Team All-ACC honors and was a semifinalist for both the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy. His performance didn’t wane after his transfer to LSU. In his debut season with the Tigers, he was named First Team All-SEC and received nominations for the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy again in 2023.
Over his college career, he collected three First Team All-American nods (2023) and three Second Team selections (one in 2023, two in 2024).
The 2024 MLB Draft is set for July 14-16 in Arlington, Texas, coinciding with MLB's All-Star Weekend.
Returning to the Lineup
Kyle Schwarber will be reinstated from the 10-day injured list for the Phils’ next game on Tuesday, and Bryce Harper seems on track to be activated at some point this week.
Both players ran the bases prior to Sunday’s game, with MLB.com reporting that Schwarber has now been running at full intensity for two straight days, with Harper running “either at or close to 100% intensity.”
Schwarber was sidelined with a groin strain and Harper with a hamstring strain, so baserunning is essentially the final step in assessing whether either player is fully ready to return.
While neither injury was thought to be overly serious, it is a great sign for the Phillies that the initial assessment seems to be accurate, so the team won’t have any longer-term concerns about two key members of their everyday lineup.
