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Trea Turner Slams MLB, All-Star Game After Phillies Teammate Gets Snubbed

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matt De Lima | Last updated Jul 12, 2025 11:47 AM ET

The Phillies expected to send a crew to the All-Star Game this year. Instead, it’ll be a party of one: Kyle Schwarber. And that reality isn’t sitting well with anyone in the clubhouse.

After Friday night’s loss to the Padres, the mood shifted from disappointed to outright furious once players learned that Brewers rookie Jacob Misiorowski, who has made just five big-league starts, had been named to the National League All-Star roster.

“What a joke,” Trea Turner said bluntly. “That’s (expletive) terrible. I mean, that’s terrible, dude.”

The frustration is rooted in the snubs. Ranger Suarez owns a 1.94 ERA, and Cristopher Sanchez holds a 2.59 mark, good for fourth-best in the National League (Suarez hasn't pitched enough innings to qualify for the leaderboard).

Both are key reasons why the Phillies sit atop the NL East standings. And Turner himself has turned it on lately, showcasing the form that made him one of baseball’s most dynamic shortstops. Yet none were named All-Stars.

A Brewers rookie with five starts has made the NL All-Star team.

And the Phillies are not happy about it.

“What a joke.”@MattGelb on Kyle Schwarber being the only Phillies player who will actually go to the Midsummer Classic ⤵️https://t.co/tMOb6YWSr7 pic.twitter.com/xbHIIk3TlU
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) July 12, 2025

“That’s just how MLB does it now,” J.T. Realmuto said. “Nothing against the (Jacob) Misiorowski kid. But those two are deserving of being on the team in the first place. There’s no doubt.”

Misiorowski's inclusion in the All-Star Game is frustrating to the Phillies because the rookie pitcher has only made five starts this season. The 23-year-old right-hander has certainly looked incredible (4-1 W-L, 2.81 ERA, 33 K in 25.2 IP and 0.90 WHIP), but it's a matter of what players have done over the entire first half of the season, not just a handful of games.

Turner didn’t hold back when explaining the bigger issue. “It’s not the All-Star Game in the sense that the best players go there,” he said. “It’s whoever sells the most tickets or has been put on social media the most. That’s essentially what it’s turned into.”

Suarez was offered a spot, but only if he agreed to pitch in the game. He declined, citing rest. Sanchez, meanwhile, was ruled ineligible due to a scheduled Sunday start. The Phillies asked if he could still be honored and replaced. The league said no.

“If he’s not an All-Star, then no one is,” Turner said.

The backlash highlights a growing divide between how players and the league view the All-Star Game. The Phillies believe it should reward performance, instead of, in their opinion, the league appearing to be more concerned with buzz and ratings.

Nick Castellanos summed it up with a biting quote: “It’s turning into the Savannah Bananas.”

For a team built on pitching and toughness, the snubs feel personal. And they aren’t letting it go quietly.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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