PHILADELPHIA -- Before Opening Day, it would not have been a stretch to think that a bunch of Phillies could make the National League All-Star team.

The Phillies have not had more than one representative at the All-Star Game since 2013, when Cliff Lee and Domonic Brown made the squad. But their 2019 roster included Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto, Aaron Nola, Rhys Hoskins, Andrew McCutchen and Jean Segura. It seemed like they could reach a level not seen since 2011, when the Phillies tied a franchise record with five All-Stars: Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, Shane Victorino, Placido Polanco and Lee.

But who goes this year?

Phillies closer Héctor Neris might be the most likely candidate. He is 1-3 with a 2.48 ERA and 16 saves in 17 opportunities.

“I think he deserves strong consideration,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said before Wednesday night’s game against the Mets at Citizens Bank Park. “I don't know that I have taken the time to rank them out, but I think he deserves strong consideration.”

Hoskins is a possibility. He is batting .270 with 18 home runs, 52 RBIs and a .935 OPS. Unfortunately for him, there are a lot of good first basemen in the NL, including Pete Alonso, Josh Bell, Freddie Freeman and Anthony Rizzo. Hoskins’ 2.1 WAR is 22nd out of 84 NL players with 240 or more plate appearances, according to FanGraphs.

“He is having an All-Star-caliber season for me,” Kapler said.

Cases can be made for catcher Realmuto and right-hander Zach Eflin. Offensively, Realmuto’s numbers might not match up with Milwaukee’s Yasmani Grandal and Chicago’s Willson Contreras, but Realmuto’s combination of offense and defense make him one of the best catchers in baseball. His 2.5 WAR is second among NL catchers. It ranks 16th among 84 NL players.

“Other people don't value defense behind the plate as much as I do,” Kapler said. “But I could make a pretty strong case that J.T. is an All-Star. I think offensive contributions will be heavily weighted, and there are some offensive catchers. But I don't think anybody has made more of an impact than J.T. has behind the plate. Is there a defensive catcher that I am missing that has been better than J.T. around the league?”

Eflin is 7-7 with a 3.26 ERA, which ranks ninth out of 39 qualified starters in baseball.

Stott is close
A source said Wednesday that 2019 first-round Draft pick Bryson Stott is in town to take a physical. The Phillies are expected to announce that they have signed the UNLV shortstop on Thursday.

Reinforcements on the way
Phillies right-hander Tommy Hunter has been on the injured list since the beginning of the season because of a strained right forearm, but he could be activated as early as this weekend in Miami.

“I feel pretty good,” Hunter said. “I probably haven’t thrown enough, which is what everyone is going to speculate or say. But that’s one of those big questions: What is enough? What are you going to throw? How much do you need to throw? What is it? There’s so many questions you can ask. I feel good. I’ve been locating a little bit. I think the ball is coming out pretty good. From that standpoint, I can’t change anything up. It’s just a matter of seeing what the next step is.”

If Hunter is not activated, he will make back-to-back rehab appearances Friday and Saturday with Double-A Reading.

Kapler fined, receives gift
Major League Baseball fined Kapler for kicking dirt at a couple of umpires after he had been ejected from Saturday’s game against the Marlins.

It was the first ejection of Kapler’s managerial career. He got ejected for the second time Tuesday.

But it hasn’t been all bad. Phillies infielder Brad Miller purchased a good-luck bamboo plant for Kapler’s office. Now he just needs to make sure somebody waters it while the team is on the road. Philadelphia starts a nine-game road trip on Friday, leading into the All-Star break.

“It's cool. It's a very nice gift,” Kapler said. “It's one of my favorite gifts. I like having green things around, A. And B, I like things that create a sensory experience, rather than something that you use. You taste, you look at, and you enjoy on a regular basis.”