The Phillies won’t lack for All-Stars. Here’s the cases for each candidate, including two intriguing long shots.

Last year, after moving from a temp job in the Phillies’ starting rotation to the bullpen role for which he was acquired, Matt Strahm considered the state of pitching in modern baseball.

His conclusion: Middle relievers are criminally undervalued.

Strahm, a multi-inning middle man for much of his nine major-league seasons, is admittedly biased. But he isn’t wrong. Across the majors in 2023, starters averaged 5.1 innings and 85 pitches, down from 5.9 innings and 95 pitches in 2013 and 6.1 innings and 97 pitches in 1998.

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The flip side to asking less of starters is that teams lean more on their relievers — and not only setup men and closers. Gone is the day when the bullpen was where failed starters went to cling to their roster spots. Most teams carry eight relievers now. Almost all throw smoke, from the middle innings to the ninth. The most electric arms, if not the best, can often be found beyond the outfield fence.

Why is it, then, that All-Star Game rosters still tend to be populated by only starters and closers?

“The stat of ‘GS’ [games started] is valued on its own too much,” Strahm said. “It’s like, OK, what about bulk leverage? What’s the value of that? You have to look at some of these relievers that aren’t getting holds, aren’t getting saves. A guy that comes in in the fourth when the starter gets in trouble and he’s able to pitch to the seventh to keep the team in it and then they come back and tie it, that’s more valuable than a save, in my opinion.

“I just think they need to understand the value of those middle guys. It’s way more valuable now than in years past.”

At the time, Strahm was lobbying only for middle relievers to get more recognition and, in turn, higher pay. A year later, his words hold up as an argument for why he merits a spot on the National League All-Star team.

The Phillies won’t lack for All-Stars. They haven’t had more than two in a season since 2012, when they were represented by Cole Hamels, Carlos Ruiz, and Jonathan Papelbon. This year, they should have at least four, maybe five, which would tie the 2011 team (Roy Halladay, Hamels, Cliff Lee, Plácido Polanco, and Shane Victorino).

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And that doesn’t even count Strahm and fellow reliever Jeff Hoffman, whose 0.67 and 0.90 ERAs through Thursday ranked second and fourth, respectively, among all relievers with at least 25 innings pitched. But neither is the Phillies’ primary closer (José Alvarado led the team with 12 saves entering the weekend). And because every team — yes, even the Marlins — must have an All-Star, candidacies for deserving non-closers on contending clubs tend to fall by the wayside.

So, Strahm and Hoffman can probably go ahead and book a three-day getaway for the third week in July.

But with the fan voting already underway and three weeks remaining until the rosters are announced for the 94th All-Star Game on July 16 in Arlington, Texas, let’s break down the cases for the Phillies’ top candidates, including their lights-out non-closers:

It says it right there in the title: All-Star Game. How is it possible, then, that one of the biggest stars in baseball hasn’t played in the sport’s midseason showcase since ... checks notes ... 2018??

OK, so Harper did win the fan voting among NL designated hitters in 2022 despite breaking his left thumb a few weeks earlier. But after appearing in six All-Star games in seven years with the Nationals, he was shut out in his first five seasons with the Phillies.

The drought almost certainly will end this year.

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Never mind that Harper’s new position is loaded. Entering the weekend, he led National League first basemen in OPS (.919) and slugging (.528), tied for first in homers (15) and RBIs (46), and ranked second in on-base percentage (.391). He also was tied with the Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman in wins above replacement (2.5, according to Baseball Reference).

So, Harper has the credentials to stand on the third-base line when the lineups are introduced at Globe Life Field. But he also has the star power that baseball desperately needs. Last year, the All-Star Game drew a record-low 7.01 million television viewers, according to Sports Media Watch, down from 7.51 million in 2022, 9.28 million in 2017, 11.34 million in 2014, and 14.59 million in 2009.

Harper won’t reverse that trend by himself. But as last weekend’s London Series reinforced, his talent, flair for the dramatic, and fashionable swag (get ready for custom-designed All-Star cleats, bat, and bandanna) are favorable draws for a sport that needs all the attention it can get.

One month ago, Bohm looked like a slam-dunk first-time All-Star. He remains on solid footing, although a 12-for-72 cold spell entering the weekend took away some of the shine.

Bohm was still leading NL third basemen in hits (72), doubles (23), and RBIs (52) and ranked second in OPS (.797). As the Phillies’ cleanup hitter, he protects Harper in the league’s second-highest scoring offense. And he was hitting .338/.407/.577 with runners in scoring position.

It also helps Bohm’s case that he carried the Phillies from the right side of the plate after Trea Turner strained his hamstring in May and while Nick Castellanos was one of the least productive hitters in the league.

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And it has been a brutal first half for big-name NL third basemen. Nolan Arenado, who has started five of the last six All-Star Games, entered the weekend with a .696 OPS. Manny Machado, relegated to DH’ing while he recovers from offseason elbow surgery, was even worse (.688). Austin Riley missed time with a strained muscle near his rib cage.

But an All-Star appearance for Bohm would be well-deserved, especially after all the questions about his ability to play third base.

“You’ve got to give him credit. The guy has worked,” former Phillies shortstop Larry Bowa said. “Because when he first signed, they asked me [if he could play third base], and I said, ‘I don’t know.’ Because I didn’t. But he’s come a long way.”

Just in case you wondered how Wheeler is regarded around the league, consider the praise he got this week from Red Sox manager Alex Cora.

“In my book,” Cora said, “he’s the best.”

And Cora’s team plays in a division with Yankees ace Gerrit Cole.

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Wheeler is scheduled to start Sunday in a showdown with Orioles ace Corbin Burnes, who edged him out for the Cy Young Award in 2021. Three years later, Wheeler might be the Cy Young front-runner. He leads NL pitchers in opponents’ batting average (.178) and ranks second in WHIP (0.94), third in innings (87⅔), tied for third in strikeouts (95), and fourth in ERA (2.16) and Baseball Reference WAR (2.4).

There isn’t a more complete ace in baseball. Wheeler is a classic power pitcher, with the ability to dial up his fastball to 96-97 mph. But he also can vanquish hitters with secondary pitches, including a sweeper that he developed last season and a splitter that he added in spring training.

“The ability to throw the sinker, the cutter, the four-seamer, throw strikes, control the running game. He’s efficient,” Cora said. “He’s really good.”

When Suárez sidestepped a two-on, none-out threat in the fifth inning last Saturday night in London by striking out Brandon Nimmo on a changeup, then getting ahead of Francisco Lindor with a curveball and inducing a double play with a sinker, it got the attention of former Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright.

“How many weapons can a guy have?” Wainwright said on the Fox telecast.

Indeed, the rest of baseball is realizing what Philadelphia already knows: Suárez isn’t a typical No. 3 starter.

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Suárez takes everything in stride, even a line drive off the left hand in a June 1 start at Citizens Bank Park. If his charmed season flashed before his eyes, he didn’t let on when he playfully engaged reporters after the game.

Good luck, then, getting the lefty to exude excitement over the 10-1 record, 1.81 ERA, and 2.8 WAR that he took into Friday night’s start in Baltimore.

“You always set goals for yourself, and obviously as a pitcher, you want to win as many games as you can possibly do,” Suárez said through a team interpreter. “But on the other hand, I don’t try to pressure myself too much with those things. I’m just trying to celebrate what the team is doing now and enjoying it and seeing what happens.”

Here’s what might happen: Suárez could follow “King Félix” Hernández as the second Venezuelan pitcher to start an All-Star Game.

Harper, Bohm, Wheeler, and Suárez are practically All-Star locks. Aaron Nola may have squandered his chance Thursday night with an eight-run dud at Fenway Park. Bryson Stott likely will fall short at second base to Ketel Marte (Diamondbacks) and Brice Turang (Brewers). Kyle Schwarber has been outproduced at DH by the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani and the Braves’ Marcell Ozuna. J.T. Realmuto is injured.

Let’s talk, though, about Strahm and Hoffman.

It isn’t unprecedented for non-closers to get All-Star recognition, but it is rare. The short list includes Jeff Nelson, Mike Stanton, Tyler Clippard, Pat Neshek, Tony Watson, Darren O’Day, Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller, and most recently, Yennier Cano, among a few others.

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As always, closers will get rewarded, including a few — the Nationals’ Kyle Finnegan and the Marlins’ Tanner Scott, assuming he doesn’t get traded first — on losing teams. Robert Suarez (Padres), Ryan Helsley (Cardinals), and Raisel Iglesias (Braves) have been dominant, too.

It could leave Strahm and Hoffman on the outside, a familiar position for even the best non-closers in baseball.