Juan Soto Brings 5 Homers Off Aaron Nola as 17-Under Mets Open Phillies Series

Q: Will Zack Wheeler’s protest change how MLB selects its All-Stars?

Probably not immediately, but it has increased pressure on MLB to revisit one specific All-Star rule. Wheeler’s complaint is aimed at the practice that effectively sidelines pitchers who are scheduled to start on the final Sunday before the All-Star Game. After posting ace-level numbers, he felt he was excluded by scheduling rather than merit, then declined a late replacement invitation because he believed MLB treated him as a fallback option. That made his protest more visible than a routine snub. The broader issue is bigger than Wheeler alone. Several top pitchers were unavailable for similar reasons, which undercut the idea that the All-Star Game features the best active roster possible. That is why the controversy matters: it exposes a structural problem in how pitchers are selected and then made available. There is, however, no sign yet of an immediate overhaul to the overall selection system. Starters are still chosen by fan voting, while pitchers and reserves are selected through player ballots and the commissioner’s office. The likely area for change is not the voting format itself, but the rule governing Sunday starters and whether those pitchers can still participate in some limited way. So Wheeler’s protest is unlikely to remake All-Star selection on its own. But it has strengthened the case for MLB to adjust the Sunday-start rule so elite pitchers are not left out because of the calendar.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 16

Five home runs in 45 at-bats against Aaron Nola give Juan Soto a standout track record as the Mets begin a key series in Philadelphia.
Christian Scott starts for New York with a 3.17 ERA and 2.79 road ERA, while Nola enters 3-6 with a 5.75 ERA and has allowed 29 earned runs in 38.1 home innings.
17 games under .500, the Mets need a near-elite second half to revive their playoff hopes, with roughly 70 games left and only Colorado behind them in the Wild Card race.
Philadelphia, by contrast, has surged after its early-season turnaround under manager Don Mattingly and is again positioning itself as a dangerous postseason contender.