Zack Wheeler and Kyle Schwarber are All-Stars, but the Phillies see their share of snubs

The word came from Major League Baseball before Sunday’s game, so Rob Thomson called the Phillies together in the clubhouse for a brief announcement.

Zack Wheeler and Kyle Schwarber are All-Stars.

No surprise there, right? Wheeler leads the National League in strikeouts and ranks second in ERA after his one-hit complete game against the Reds. Schwarber is third in the league with 27 homers.

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But Thomson hoped to deliver All-Star news to Cristopher Sánchez, Ranger Suárez, and Trea Turner, too. Instead, they were snubbed in the voting by major league players, managers, and coaches.

“Everybody was very happy for [Wheeler and Schwarber],” Thomson said, “but I told them, too, that I’m a little disappointed. Because we have a bunch of other guys that are deserving to be there.”

Indeed, Wheeler and Schwarber were locks to represent the Phillies on July 15 in Atlanta. The only questions: Will Schwarber will compete in the Home Run Derby? And will Wheeler, born and raised in Atlanta, be the NL’s starting pitcher?

“No, I’m not going to do the Home Run Derby,” said Schwarber, a Derby contestant in 2018 and 2022. “Maybe see what happens next year [in Philadelphia.]”

As for Wheeler, check back in about a week when Dodgers manager Dave Roberts names the NL starter. It figures to be either Wheeler or Pirates phenom Paul Skenes. Wheeler has more strikeouts (148 to 125) and a better WHIP (0.84 to 0.92). Skenes has a slight edge in ERA (1.94 to 2.17).

But as that debate begins, the list of All-Star near misses will be compiled, with Sánchez, Suárez, and especially Turner near the top. They had All-Star-worthy first halves but were shortchanged anyway, in part because of the long-standing rule that every team must be represented.

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Turner, for instance, finished with fewer votes than fellow shortstop Elly De La Cruz (Reds), who will back up starter Francisco Lindor (Mets). And MLB picked outfielder Kyle Stowers as the lone Marlins player to round out the NL roster.

There wasn’t room, then, for a third NL shortstop, even though Turner (.299, 11 homers, 22 steals, .802 OPS) and the Nationals’ CJ Abrams (.285, 12 homers, 19 steals, .838 OPS) had good cases.

Sánchez is tied for seventh in the NL in ERA with Giants lefty Robbie Ray, who made the All-Star team as an MLB pick after the player ballots were tabulated. Freddy Peralta (Brewers) and Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Dodgers) were also selected by MLB.

One potential deciding factor: Sánchez is scheduled to start the final game before the break next Sunday in San Diego, which would leave him unable to pitch in the All-Star Game.

Suárez missed the season’s first six weeks after his back flared up in spring training. But he has a 1.23 ERA in his last 11 starts and a 1.99 mark in 77 innings over 12 starts overall. He’s scheduled to start Friday in San Diego.

At least one NL All-Star pitcher will need to be replaced, with injured Braves lefty Chris Sale making the team.

“Maybe [other Phillies players] will get there with guys not wanting to go or can’t pitch or whatever,” Thomson said. “We’ll see.”

Said Schwarber: “You look around our room, there’s a lot of guys who are deserving. It’s kind of unfortunate. I feel like some guys get left out that are having really good years at their positions. But we know what we have in the room, and we’re grateful for it.”

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Bryce Harper continued to struggle Sunday, going 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts.

Harper, who missed 3½ weeks with an inflamed right wrist, is 3-for-17 with three walks, nine strikeouts, and no extra-base hits in five games since his return. It didn’t help that the Phillies faced tough Reds lefties Andrew Abbott and Nick Lodolo on Friday and Saturday.

“Every time I ask him, he says he’s healthy,” Thomson said. “Now it’s just a matter of getting his timing back, his balance.”

Aaron Nola threw a bullpen session, then traveled to Florida to continue his throwing program at the Phillies’ facility in Clearwater. He will rejoin the team after the All-Star break. Nola, sidelined by a stress fracture in a rib on his right side, is likely to return in August. ... After being designated for assignment, infielder Buddy Kennedy cleared waivers and elected free agency. ... Sánchez (7-2, 2.68 ERA) is slated to start the opener Monday night in San Francisco against Giants righty Landen Roupp (6-5, 3.48).