Cristopher Sanchez stood out as one of the most obvious candidates to replace a pitcher unable to participate in the All-Star Game and he received the news Saturday afternoon that he'd be joining seven of his Phillies teammates in Arlington, Texas.
Eight All-Stars, a staggering number that ties the major-league record. It's happened seven other times, with the 2023 Braves the only other team in the last decade to send eight.
The Phillies also set a big-league record with five All-Star pitchers.
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Sanchez, Zack Wheeler, Ranger Suarez, Jeff Hoffman, Matt Strahm, Bryce Harper, Trea Turner and Alec Bohm were all selected.
Wheeler will miss the game because of back spasms but wasn't due to participate anyway because he would have started the final game before the All-Star break.
Suarez will also miss the All-Star Game with lower back tightness. The Phillies do not expect him to miss time out of the break, though they plan to pitch Wheeler and Suarez in their second series back rather than the first.
Suarez was replaced by Max Fried a few hours after Sanchez replaced Chris Sale, who is unavailable because he’s starting Sunday.
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Sanchez's final start of the first half added yet another layer to his ascent over the last 13 months from Triple A depth to No. 2/3 starter. He held a powerful Dodgers lineup to two runs over six innings to lower his ERA to 2.96. Sanchez ranks fourth in the NL in ERA. Wheeler is first at 2.70 and Suarez is third at 2.76.
And, oh yeah, there's Aaron Nola, who's second in the majors with 11 wins and has a 3.38 ERA. He too has to be toward the top of the list of replacements should anyone else bow out.
"I told them that if they put in the guys that I think deserve to go from our club," manager Rob Thomson said earlier this week, "they'd have to put in a 40-man roster for the All-Star Game."
