​I’ll admit I didn’t get to watch much of this game. I spent the day at my son’s baseball tournament, so I relied on vibes and highlights to gauge what happened. But there was a moment at the tournament that reminded me of something similar with Zack Wheeler. The opposing coach was running a little smack talk about my son’s team, toss­ing around digs about how bad they were. There was a consistent undertone of disrespect from that dugout all day, mocking everything from the pitcher’s performance to the kids at bat, and even the umpire’s seemingly one-sided, forgiving strike zone. It’s a stretch to draw a straight line, but it brought to mind the kind of disrespect Wheeler seemed to sense when he wasn’t selected for the All-Star Game. Reports indicated he was asked to participate but declined, not wanting to be viewed as a fifth choice for anyone. Since that slight last week, Wheeler has appeared to take out his frustration on the competition. Today, six innings of scoreless ball pushed his week’s two starts into a dominance run—both outings scoreless, both impressive. He piled up ten more strikeouts today, and with zero runs allowed, his ERA moved in the opposite direction, continuing to trend downward.
On the offensive side, the team finally got what they needed from J.T. Realmuto, whose bases-clearing double delivered a rare productive moment at the plate for him. That swing provided the kind of timely hit teams crave when they’re chasing a win.
But back to Wheeler. I’m genuinely supportive of his stance on not wanting to return to Philadelphia for Tuesday’s game. Major League Baseball bungled the situation by not allowing him to honor his team in his own city, even though the intentions to fix it were there only after the fact. The league should have addressed this earlier and with more care rather than scrambling to patch things up in real time. They need to get their act together with this All-Star Game, and the process around it deserves better treatment and clarity for the players and the fans alike.
As for my son’s team, they did win that game and went on to win the tournament. It was a memorable day because of the ups and downs, the competitive edge, and the small moments of triumph that make youth sports so meaningful. The tournament concluded with a triumph that underscored the effort and teamwork that defined the few days we spent there, a finish that felt earned and well deserved.