4) Zack Wheeler
An annual event it seems, Zack Wheeler is still that grinding ace he has been for the Philadelphia Phillies ever since he left New York. Lugo leads the majors in innings pitched. Wheeler leads the National League with 80.2.
Wheeler’s All-Star bid goes beyond how many innings he has pitched, though. The 7-3 record and 2.23 ERA plus a strikeout rate of 10.2 per 9 put him among the best pitchers in the National League. The most distant of any of these ex-Mets players to actually wear blue and orange, his continued success always hurts the most just because we never got to experience his prime after years of hype.
The only reason Wheeler might not be an All-Star is because the first-place Phillies have so many other choices. If he pitches too close to the game, he might resolve to not show up.
Despite all of the success in Philly, Wheeler has only made one All-Star team. He missed a few starts in 2022 and last year wasn’t nearly as spectacular as he was in 2021 when he first made the midsummer classic.
It’s easy to sometimes forget Wheeler ever did pitch for the Mets simply because of how much of a beast he has become ever since. Just another dozen starts away from matching the number of games played for the Mets as a member of the Phillies, he’s officially going to become one of them by year’s end.