Zack Wheeler eyes All-Star start in Atlanta as Phillies rotation skips his hometown

ATLANTA — Zack Wheeler was catching up Saturday with Braves first-base coach Tom Goodwin when it hit them like the thunderbolts overhead the last two nights.

“You’re not pitching here?” Goodwin said.

“No,” Wheeler said. “It’s crazy.”

In Wheeler’s six seasons with the Phillies, they have played 15 series in Atlanta, including the playoffs, with Wheeler making 11 starts. So, it’s rare for a trip to his hometown to not align with his turn in the rotation.

» READ MORE: Bryce Harper: Return to the Phillies lineup next week is ‘definitely in play’

Maybe next month.

The All-Star Game will be played in Atlanta on July 15, and Wheeler is a lock to be named to the National League team. Entering the weekend, he was second in the league in ERA (2.45), WHIP (0.919), strikeouts (126), park-adjusted ERA (173), and wins above replacement for pitchers (3.7, according to Baseball Reference).

It’s possible he will even start the All-Star Game, assuming he doesn’t line up to pitch the Phillies’ last game before the break.

“That’d be cool,” Wheeler said Saturday. “I’d think [Paul] Skenes probably has the edge right now. Just being realistic.”

Maybe. But the Pirates’ 23-year-old phenom started last year’s All-Star Game in Texas.

“Yeah,” Wheeler said. “Maybe I would’ve started last year, but I didn’t go. It’s not the end of the world. But it would be an honor, for sure.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts will lead the NL All-Stars and choose the starting pitcher. Asked if it would carry additional significance to start an All-Star Game in his hometown — Wheeler was literally born a few miles from where Truist Park now stands — the Phillies ace gave what amounted to a verbal shrug.

» READ MORE: Unhappy Max Kepler says he signed with the Phillies to be the everyday left fielder: ‘That’s why I came here’

“This is where I grew up, I watched the Braves, so to be able to throw an All-Star Game here would be special,” Wheeler said. “It would be pretty cool. But it’s not anything more, I would say, just because we play here so often and I’ve been doing it for so long now, coming back and playing here.”

Wheeler would’ve gotten drafted by the Braves out of high school in 2009, but the Giants swooped in and took him with the sixth overall pick, one spot before Atlanta was on the clock.

Ever since, Wheeler has tormented his hometown team. He tossed six scoreless innings in Atlanta in his major league debut on June 18, 2013, for the Mets. He has made 32 career starts against the Braves, posting a 3.29 ERA.

But Wheeler’s two worst starts this season came against the Braves. He allowed five runs in 5⅓ innings April 8 in Atlanta and six runs in 5⅓ innings May 29 at home.

In assessing his season overall, he mentioned allowing one homer in each of his first eight starts (he has given up only two in his last eight starts). Ever the perfectionist, he has been disappointed lately with his command.

“The past two starts I’ve had three walks apiece, and that doesn’t cut it for me,” Wheeler said. “They’ve been decent, but walks killed me back in the day. So, that’s always been kind of a thing in my head — ‘Can’t walk guys.’ It’s just not me these days. Maybe back in the day, but these days I shouldn’t be walking three guys a game.“

» READ MORE: One-stop shopping at the trade deadline: Three teams that could be a match for Phillies’ biggest needs

Bryce Harper faced minor-league pitchers Jack Dallas and Joel Kuhnel on the field before batting practice in what might be the final step before he returns to the lineup next week.

“He was great,” manager Rob Thomson said. “Looked like he’s got his bat speed. Timing looked fine.”

If Harper responds well Sunday, he could be reinstated from the injured list as soon as Monday for the series opener at home against the Padres.

Harper went on the injured list June 7 with pain near the lunate bone at the top of his wrist, characterized by the team as inflammation. Although Harper said the discomfort has subsided, it still hasn’t completely gone away.

“I haven’t swelled up or felt any inflammation or strong pain in there, and I can’t really tell the difference between workout pain or actual pain,” Harper said. “Where it was hurting me really bad, I don’t feel it at all in that spot.

“I’m way farther ahead than I felt like I would be. Definitely way healthier than I was a couple of weeks ago and before that.”

» READ MORE: Otto Kemp is the Phillies’ best option to fill a big need. That means the search likely will go on.

Trea Turner narrowly missed becoming the first player ever to hit for a cycle for the fourth time Friday night when his ninth-inning drive to left field went out of the ballpark. He was a triple short of the cycle.

What if he had intentionally not touched home plate?

Turner thought about it.

“It would have been probably the most selfish thing to do in the history of baseball,” Turner said, laughing.

Aaron Nola (rib fracture) continued his throwing program by extending to 120 feet. He won’t likely rejoin the rotation until early August. ... Top prospect Andrew Painter allowed two runs on five hits and one walk in 4⅓ innings Friday for triple-A Lehigh Valley. He has a 4.24 ERA in nine starts. ... Right-hander Alan Rangel saved the bullpen by tossing five scoreless innings in the rain Friday night. But the Phillies needed a fresh arm, so they optioned Rangel to triple A and recalled right-hander Daniel Robert. ... Ranger Suárez (6-2, 2.08 ERA) is scheduled to start the series finale at 1:35 p.m. Sunday against Braves righty Spencer Strider (3-5, 4.07).