In a Friday night stunner, MLB announced that Milwaukee Brewers flame-throwing rookie Jacob Misiorowski would be the replacement for Chicago Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd, who bowed out of the All-Star Game, on the National League roster. MLB's decision to give the All-Star nod to Misiorowski, whose five career games are the fewest of any All-Star in baseball history, was met with some healthy skepticism from fans and even some pundits.
But it was met with more than skepticism by the Philadelphia Phillies, whose pitching staff boasts two deserving All-Stars in Christopher Sánchez and Ranger Suárez. Sánchez, most notably, ranks fourth in the NL in ERA and WAR in 18 starts, but was not chosen as an All-Star replacement.
His Phillies teammates were not happy about it, to say the least.
"What a joke,” Phillies shortstop Trea Turner, arguably an All-Star snub himself, told The Athletic. "That’s f------ terrible. I mean, that’s terrible, dude."
Outfielder Nick Castellanos was point-blank in his reaction.
"It’s turning into the Savannah Bananas," he bluntly told The Athletic.
Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto was a bit more philosophical, but no less forgiving of MLB in his analysis of the situation.
"That’s just how MLB does it now," he said. "Nothing against the Misiorowski kid. But those two (Sánchez and Suárez) are deserving of being on the team in the first place. There’s no doubt."
Perhaps adding to the frustration is that Phillies ace Zack Wheeler also opted out of the All-Star Game, but neither Sánchez nor Suárez were chosen as his replacement. Complicating matters is the fact that Sánchez, who will start for Philadelphia on Sunday against the San Diego Padres, would be ineligible to pitch in the All-Star Game.
But Turner wasn't willing to accept that as reasoning.
"That’s unacceptable that they can’t name him an All-Star and do the same thing (to replace him)," Turner said. "So the only excuse that that guy’s not in the All-Star Game is that he can’t pitch that day? That’s terrible."
The MLB All-Star Game will take place at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday night.
More MLB on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Phillies Tee Off on MLB After Jacob Misiorowski's All-Star Nod Over Philly Pitchers.
