Overview
- The Philadelphia Phillies closed their nine‑game road trip with a 5-0 win as Zack Wheeler struck out 10 in six scoreless innings and J.T. Realmuto hit a bases‑clearing double, and the club announced Cristopher Sánchez will start the National League in Tuesday’s All‑Star Game.
- Wheeler publicly criticized the All‑Star selection and, according to reporting, declined an offered replacement spot after the initial snub which keeps attention on the Midsummer Classic being played at Citizens Bank Park.
- The Boston Red Sox carried a nine‑game winning streak into the break after a 3-2, 10‑inning comeback over the New York Mets that was extended by a ninth‑inning Francisco Lindor fielding error that allowed Boston to force extras.
- The Mets lost despite rookie Zach Thornton throwing seven strong innings, exposing late‑inning fragility as bullpen miscues and a ninth‑inning error cost them the game and intensified talk of roster moves before Aug. 3.
- Across the league, high‑end starting performances (Wheeler, Sánchez, Hunter Greene) and late‑game bullpen breakdowns (Astros walk‑off, Mets and Houston failures) have sharpened teams’ trade‑deadline priorities and will drive decisions on controllable pitching and late‑inning help.