Leading in the final round of the Home Run Derby. His opponent down to one last swing. On the precipice of lifting his tired arms once more to hoist a trophy.
In 2018, it was Bryce Harper who smashed nine home runs in a row in an all-time Derby flourish to vanquish his future Phillies teammate.
So, guess what Schwarber was thinking about Monday night when the Cardinals’ Jordan Walker cut through the boos in sold-out Citizens Bank Park with back-to-back-to-back … to-back homers to walk off the hometown star, 12-11, in a cruel twist to a pulsating Derby final.
“Oh, trust me,” Schwarber said, “yeah, it was definitely popping in your head. Seeing Bryce do what he did in ‘18, and then, obviously what [Walker] was able to do, the run he just had, it’s impressive. I mean, you tip your cap, right?”
What else was there to do?
Schwarber went deep 10 times in 20 swings to survive the first round, unlike Harper, who hit only eight after making a climb-the-ropes, WWE-style entrance upon being introduced by famed 81-year-old ring announcer (and Philadelphian) Michael Buffer. But we’ll come back to that.
In the semifinals, Schwarber edged Willson Contreras, 9-8, with help from a partisan crowd that booed the Red Sox slugger each time he hit a ball over the fence and roared for every non-homer.
Phillies Bryce Harper climbs up the ropes of the boxing ring during his introduction at the MLB Home Run Derby on Monday. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
It set up a showdown with Walker, a 24-year-old former top prospect who has 22 homers for the Cardinals, five fewer than in his first three major league seasons combined.
Schwarber went first and hit 11 balls out on 15 swings, all to the familiar right-field bleachers that he reaches so often during the season with his short left-handed stroke. With Phillies assistant hitting coach Rafael Peña throwing to him, he hit six homers on his first nine swings.
And when he needed a breather, Schwarber stepped out and urged on the 43,863 paying customers.
After 19 swings, Walker trailed 11-8. But the righty-swinging outfielder began peppering the left-field bleachers in bonus time — a 407-footer off the top of the wall here, a 413-foot laser there, a 450-foot missile to tie it up.
“The big one was that one where the ball hits the top of the wall there and snuck over,” Schwarber said. “I was like, oh, that one’s not good for us.”
Walker clinched it with one more mighty swing, shades of Harper in ‘18 and Schwarber in Atlanta last year, when he banged three homers on three swings in the first-ever swing off to decide an All-Star Game that was tied after nine innings.
The Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber reacts as he finishes his turn in the finals of the Home Run Derby.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
“That’s a pretty special thing that he was able to do,” Schwarber said, “to lock it in there for those swings and to get them over.”
Indeed, it was one swing from being one of the more memorable nights for the Phillies in their 22-year-old ballpark, which is hosting its first All-Star Game.
Buffer started the show by bellowing his catchphrase — “Let’s get ready to rumble!” — and introducing the Derby contestants, who met in a wrestling ring behind second base.
Harper took it from there.
The last player announced, “The Showman,” as he’s called by teammates, raised both arms to salute the crowd. Upon reaching the ring, he climbed up, shook the ropes, and shouted, “Let’s go!”
“I mean, Buff’s incredible,” Harper said. “He’s so Vegas, right? Being from Vegas, born and raised, they do a lot of fights out there. That’s a guy that I’ve seen a lot on TV. It was insane to see him announcing our names and to announce my name, as well.”
And climbing the ropes?
“I’ve always wanted to do that, too,” Harper said. “Watching wrestling growing up, Sting was one of my favorites. I liked Goldberg, too. I felt like Kevin Nash in that situation, a little bit of nWo. But that was pretty cool.”
Harper was the last player to hit, roughly one hour after the Derby began. He enlisted Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel to throw to him and appeared to get into a groove late in the first round, with six homers in the span of 11 swings.
On his fourth homer, Harper crushed a ball that seemed to disappear beyond the second deck before touching down on Ashburn Alley, estimated at 482 feet. He hit another homer over the batter’s eye in center field.
“I’ve done that in a game, though,” Harper said. “I hit one, what, 480 or something like that to right-center? So, that one felt pretty good. I just wanted to go out there and have some fun and enjoy the best I can.”
Down 3 homers in the @TMobile#HRDerby Finals Down to his final swing
Beyond that, Harper was a spectator. And he plans to only watch the Derby from now on. After being nudged into his third career Derby, the 33-year-old said he won’t compete in another.
“Yeah, I’m done,” he said. “I mean, it took a lot for me to do it this time. Once you get out there, obviously your adrenaline’s going and stuff. You want to have a chance to win it. But, yeah, I’m done. I’m going to hang it up from the Home Run Derby.”
Schwarber was reminded that next year’s All-Star Game will be held at Wrigley Field, where he began his career with the Cubs. He couldn’t possibly be a three-time runner-up, could he?
“Oh man, you’ve got to give me another year to think about that,” Schwarber said. “I’m just thinking about trying to make it home tonight and having a beer. But we’ll see what happens moving forward.”
For 38 minutes, Mike Trout talked about everything from coming home for his 12th All-Star Game to the best way to order a cheesesteak. But it took all of 70 seconds to get to the good stuff.
Yo, Mike, would you ever want to play for the Phillies?
“I didn’t think I was going to hear this question,” Trout said Monday.
“You know, I hear this a lot,” said Trout, who famously grew up 40 minutes south of Citizens Bank Park in Millville, N.J. “I enjoy coming to Philly. I’m an Angel, obviously. I’ve got a no-trade clause, so it’s ultimately my decision. But like I said, I love Philly.”
OK, let’s get this out of the way: Trout has played all 16 seasons of his Hall of Fame career for the Angels, a franchise in the throes of its 11th consecutive losing season. The best player of the 2010s hasn’t sniffed the playoffs since 2014, a streak that won’t end any time soon if he stays in Anaheim.
And yet, as far as anyone knows, he has never asked to be traded. Not even to his hometown team, which plays across a South Philly parking lot from his beloved Eagles and Sixers.
People who know Trout doubt he ever will. Joe Maddon, his manager for 2½ seasons, said on The Inquirer’s Phillies Extra podcast that Trout might agree to a trade if he’s approached by owner Arte Moreno.
But Moreno is famously opposed to trading stars (see: Shohei Ohtani) — and especially the greatest player in Angels history. It seems doubtful that will change under newly appointed interim general manager John Mozeliak.
So, another trade deadline will come and go Aug. 3 with Trout staying right where he is.
Right?
“Like I said, I’ve got the no-trade clause,“ he said. ”It’s obviously my decision. I’m with the Angels, so that’s where it’s at.”
But Trout also said this: With the All-Star Game in Philly for the first time in 30 years, “this was circled on the list to try to get here.” He built a home for his family near his parents’ house and Trout National golf resort, with a course designed by Tiger Woods, in Millville, and has end-zone seats for Eagles games.
He also said he was happy to see first-time Phillies All-Star Brandon Marsh, his former Angels teammate. “I’ve been texting him all year,” Trout said, “just telling him how proud I am of him.”
Oh, he said this about fans who ask (beg?) him all the time if he’d approve a trade to the Phillies: “I grew up a Phillies fan, Eagles fan, Sixers fan, and I know how passionate they are about the sports teams. I go to Eagles games. I know how I cheer for the Eagles, so it means a lot. Being a fan and just seeing friends and family, I see a lot of Phillies fans when I’m at the Eagles games. I hear about it all the time when I’m there. I appreciate them.”
And Trout, who returned last week from a strained right hamstring, is exactly what the Phillies need: a right-handed hitter with power and on-base ability to hit in the middle of the order and protect Bryce Harper.
Mike Trout has played 16 seasons as an Angel and has a no-trade clause in his contract. Julio Cortez
“I love Mike, man,” Harper said. “We played [Arizona] Fall League together [in 2011]. We became friends. It’s great to see him back and healthy. Obviously it’s been a tough couple years health-wise for him. We all pull for him in the league, just because we know how talented he is and how good he is, any time he’s able to get on a national stage.”
Harper got a slap on the wrist from MLB in 2019 when he lobbied for Trout to join him with the Phillies. He wasn’t making that mistake again.
But Harper did have one prediction: “He’ll probably go deep [in the All-Star Game], I’d imagine, just because that’s who he is. It’s a lot of fun to be able to see a guy like that be able to do it in his hometown of Philly.”
Indeed, Trout will be the first batter of the 96th All-Star Game when he leads off for the American League. He has played only eight games in Citizens Bank Park, probably never in front of a crowd that will be this loud.
Trout said he will have about 20 friends and family members in attendance, including his wife, Jessica, and their two sons. He plans to stick around Wednesday, too, and play Trout National before flying back to Southern California to open the second half.
So, maybe there’s a chance — teeny and tiny, though it may be — that 18 holes in Millville and a six-hour flight back to baseball irrelevance with the sounds of a sold-out Philly crowd ringing in his ears might make Trout rethink that no-trade clause?
“I mean, it’s how I was raised,” Trout said of his loyalty to the Angels. “I was a big [Derek] Jeter fan growing up, you know? Obviously he was with one team his whole career.”
Patrons of Sarcone’s Bakery — the 108-year-old South Philadelphia staple — are accustomed to seeing familiar faces behind the counter. On Monday, guests were served by a new member of the Sarcone’s family: Chase Utley.
The Phillies legend helped serve tomato pie to fans lined up around the corner as part of the bakery’s partnership with sports apparel company ’47. The two companies teamed up to host an exclusive pop-up inside the bakery. Guests who purchased food received an exclusive Sarcone’s T-shirt and hat, produced by ’47.
They also got a chance to meet Utley, which was the main reason many fans flocked to South Philadelphia. Utley was scheduled to appear for one hour, from noon to 1 p.m. However, after seeing the length of the line, he opted to stick around for an additional half hour.
The event will continue on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., but Utley will not attend the second time around. The MLB All-Star Game takes place shortly after at Citizens Bank Park (FOX, 8 p.m.).
After Utley finished up behind Sarcone’s counter, The Inquirer caught up with the former Phil:
Q: We’re at Sarcone’s today. You just got done serving some fans, meeting some fans. Could you tell me a little about that experience?
It’s good to be back in Philadelphia in a historic place like Sarcone’s. It just brings back so many different memories. Interacting with all the fans, talking about some old times, some stories we had over the years was fantastic. I’m happy that Sarcone’s had me out here.
Once or twice a month I’d roll through this area, stop at Sarcone’s [Deli], and grab a pie or a cheesesteak. There was a certain point we would order a bunch for the clubhouse. They’ve done such a good job. The store has been here over 100 years, which is so unbelievable. They run a good ship.
Chase Utley interacts with fan Jess DeStefano during his Monday shift at Sarcone’s Bakery.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer
Q: You starred alongside Mike Schmidt in a hype video released for the All-Star game by the Phillies. Could you tell me about that process?
I mean the city of Philadelphia has treated me so well over the years and being a part of that video with the Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt — best Phillie of all time — was just an honor. I’m humbled to do that. It turned out fantastic.
Q: You were a six-time All-Star yourself. Could you touch on what the honor meant to you, especially early in your career?
It’s a bit of a surreal experience to be honest with you. For that very first All-Star selection, all of a sudden now you’re in a locker room, in a clubhouse with guys that you idolize. And now you can sit next to them and pick their brain and just kind of learn what got them there. At the end of the day, it helps improve your game.
Q: Did you have any time to watch your former teammates — Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, and Shane Victorino — play in yesterday’s MLBx event?
I’ve seen some highlights and some lowlights. But yeah, I talked to Ryan this morning. He said they had had a blast. So good for them. They represented the Phillies pretty well.
Q: Do you think you could still go out there and hit?
I don’t know. I don’t know. Maybe, but maybe not.
Q: You lived in London for four years. Did you become a soccer fan? Are you rooting for England in the World Cup?
We definitely picked up soccer. So I became a soccer fan by being over there. And I mean four amazing teams [are left]. Who knows what’s going to happen? I’m just a fan of the sport in general.
Fans lined up for blocks to see Chase Utley at Sarcone’s. Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer
Q: You played under Don Mattingly with the Dodgers. What can you tell me about Mattingly, and what can you say about his success so far after stepping in for the Phillies?
The Phillies got, I mean, they got off to a rough start, and now some pieces are starting to come together, and they’re playing fantastic baseball. Baseball that we all know that they can play. I played for Don, great human being, obviously amazing player. I think players respect the fact that he had an amazing career.
Q: You recently were hired by the Dodgers as the team’s special assistant to the president of baseball operations. How that’s going so far?
I finished my career in Los Angeles. I live in Los Angeles, and I wanted to still be around baseball, but still be around my family and not travel too much. So it made sense just to get under their hood a little bit and understand what they’re doing. I get to sleep in my bed every single night; it’s a fantastic organization. I love Philadelphia and the Phillies organization. If I lived in Philadelphia, I would do the same thing.
Q: Between the World Cup and MLB All-Star Week, there has been a lot of excitement around Philadelphia. What’s that been like to witness?
This city is incredible. The fact that the World Cup was here and now the All-Star Game. It’s been a busy, busy, busy summer, and I hope it continues.
While baseball’s biggest stars prepare to take the field at Citizens Bank Park for the MLB All-Star Game Tuesday, the next generation of baseball talent delivered its own unforgettable moment Monday.
The Texas Rangers Youth Academy came back from a five-run deficit in the bottom of the seventh inning with Braylon Hubbard’s walk-off hit lifting the Rangers to a 10-9 victory over the Compton Youth Academy in the championship game of the 2026 Commissioner’s Cup at Tommy Lasorda Field at Meiklejohn Stadium at the University of Pennsylvania.
The Rangers trailed 9-4 entering their last at-bat when senior director Juan Garciga challenged his team to believe a comeback was possible. The energy was low, he said, so he had all the players stand on the top step of the dugout.
“I told them I was incredibly proud of them, but I also said ‘Man, wouldn’t it be something if we scored six runs here,’ and then I walked away,” Garciga said.
Players from the Compton Youth Academy and the Texas Rangers Youth Academy play during the Commissioner’s Cup Championship Game at Tommy Lasorda Field on Monday.Allie Ippolito / For The Inquirer
The Rangers did score six runs. For Garciga, winning the game was special, but giving these athletes the experience of coming to Philadelphia during All-Star Weekend and being guests of MLB was the real success.
“For us it is about developing major league citizens,” Garciga said. “Our program is at no cost to the families. We have nothing to gain from wins and losses; all we care about is the success and development of these kids. We want to see them become good people and teach them how to overcome adversity.”
The Commissioner’s Cup brings together 17-and-under teams from the MLB Youth Academies across the country, including Puerto Rico. The academies, which began with the opening of the Compton Youth Academy 20 years ago, are designed to grow baseball and softball while creating opportunities for young athletes in underserved communities. There are now 10 academies across the United States.
The trip to Philadelphia was just as memorable as the baseball for many of the players. It was the first visit to the city for many of the Rangers players, who took in the skyline, experienced the excitement of All-Star week, and had their first Philly cheesesteak at the ballpark.
“The MLB took the funds out and took the time to give us this great experience for every single player here,” Hubbard said. “They gave us the opportunity to create new bonds, make new friends and eat great food.”
Players from the other youth academies who did not advance to the final game filled the stands Monday, cheering for both teams throughout the game.
“The academies as a whole are for people who don’t get many opportunities like other people,” Rangers player Vincent Hood said. “So to come out here and win, it’s not only a step forward for us, but a step forward for the program and people in our area who might not have many opportunities.”
The Compton Youth Academy team before the start of the Commissioner’s Cup Championship Game at Tommy Lasorda Field on Monday.Allie Ippolito / For The Inquirer
The academy has also created lifelong friendships for these players. Arthur Darensburg, who joined the Rangers program last year, said he immediately felt welcomed.
“My first year was last year, and I didn’t know anybody,” Darensburg said. “For them to bring me in as a brother and create this bond is special.”
The Rangers will leave Philadelphia with their second trophy, having also won in 2024.
“Some of these guys have been at the academy since they were 12 years old and have grown there,” Garciga said. “The fact that this group gets to have this big crescendo of a moment in such dramatic fashion is just so special.”
Concluding with a celebratory TikTok dance, the Compton Youth Academy softball team took home the championship of the ninth annual MLB All-Star Jennie Finch Classic.
Eight MLB Youth Academy softball teams from across the country were flown to Philadelphia Thursday to compete in the Jennie Finch Classic, which opened Friday. The weekend of tournaments led to the championship battle at the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Park, between Compton Youth Academy and the Houston Astros Youth Academy, where Compton won, 12-0, after just five innings.
After three years of making it to the championship game only to fall short, Compton Youth Academy players cheered that they finally won it all.
“I feel great, I can breathe now,” Compton center fielder Kaylee Allen said, beaming.
“It was pretty smooth,” Compton teammate Kalin Badgley said. “I feel like we had it from the beginning, and we just balled out and kept the ball rolling.”
Charley McKenzie, pitcher for the Houston Astros Youth Academy, during the Jennie Finch Classic Championship Game on Monday. Allie Ippolito / For The Inquirer
The Classic is sponsored by softball icon Jennie Finch, who was in attendance. In between giving players high-fives and fist-bumps, the two-time Olympic gold medalist said she began the Classic as a way to uplift MLB Youth Academy teams with the same opportunities travel softball teams have.
“As the Classic goes on, the talent just continues to get better,” Finch said. “But it’s so much more than that. It’s the intangibles. It’s great seeing Major League Baseball providing an opportunity for softball and having this role in investing in these young softball players, and giving them a place to train, play and strive for their goals.”
MLB founded the Urban Youth Academy as a nonprofit in 2006, beginning in Compton, Calif. Now expanded to nine cities in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, the organization fully funds youth baseball and softball teams. The Jennie Finch Classic and the Baseball Commissioner’s Cup, which also took place as part of the All-Star Game festivities, are open to youth academy players ages 13-17 and are often the highlight of the teams’ season, held in the All-Star host city each year.
“It’s been pretty fun, especially the events,” Allen said. “Meeting new people from all over the country, it’s definitely something that is exciting every year.”
Allen is one of many Youth Academy players planning to continue playing softball in college. The 17-year-old is verbally committed to play at Kansas starting in the fall of 2027.
The Jennie Finch Classic began as a way to uplift MLB Youth Academy teams with the same opportunities travel softball teams have, Finch said.Allie Ippolito / For The Inquirer
The tournament also awarded the Jennie Finch Empowerment Award to catcher of the Houston Astros, Alina Elias, for her leadership on and off the field. The award comes with a $10,000 college scholarship.
“As a male coach we try to be tough, but it truly brings a tear to my eye,” Astros coach Mekele Brown said. “To see something worthwhile actually given to them, and given to the right person. She has a really good heart and genuinely wants to see her teammates win and do well, even in hard losses like today.”
The gratitude on the field was palpable among all the teams. Players from all eight teams were there in support and laughing alongside one another as they took pictures and cheered each other on before heading to the home run derby at Citizens Bank Park.
“It’s huge having the MLB behind these girls,” Compton youth academy coach Hayley Reiner said. “Because now they have a big name behind them. Everybody knows who the MLB is, and now they know who we are.”
In March, Patty Martin and Liz Warren sat in an office at Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast High School, poring over the Detroit Tigers’ 162-game schedule.
It wasn’t how the administrative assistant and math teacher typically spent their lunch breaks. But these were unusual circumstances. The women scanned each date, city, and time, looking for the right confluence of all three.
Former student Kevin McGonigle had just been named to the team’s opening-day roster. Martin and Warren were eager to see the 21-year-old shortstop play, ideally at Citizens Bank Park.
They realized, to their dismay, that this wasn’t going to happen. The Tigers were scheduled to face the Phillies only once in 2026, in Detroit. Undeterred, the Bonner & Prendie staffers continued their search.
Martin circled May 14, a 1:30 p.m. game against the New York Mets. This seemed like the perfect fit; teachers could drive to the stadium, and it was Ascension Day — a Holy Day of Obligation — which the Catholic school occasionally had off.
Only this year, it didn’t. The administrative assistant decided to throw a Hail Mary. That afternoon, Martin emailed a friend who worked for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
“And I said, ‘Do you think maybe somebody would allow us to close school that day?’” she recalled.
The answer was swift and unequivocal.
“‘Nah, don’t think it’s gonna work,’” Martin said. “‘Not gonna work.’ And we kind of knew, in our hearts, that we were shooting for the stars. But hey, it was worth a try.”
The co-workers found an alternative. On the morning of July 1, 55 members of the Bonner & Prendie community — coaches, students, maintenance workers, secretaries, teachers — piled onto a bus bound for the Bronx.
They arrived at Yankee Stadium at 12:45 p.m., donning Kelly green T-shirts with “Friars” on the front and “McGonigle” on the back. New York City was in the midst of a heat wave, but that didn’t seem to matter.
McGonigle greeted the group before the game and rewarded their efforts in the third with a 422-foot home run to right-center field. The Delco contingent went berserk.
“We’re all cheering, and everyone’s like looking at us like, ‘Who are these people?’” said Bonner’s baseball coach, Steve DeBarberie. “They’re wearing Kelly green to a Yankees-Tigers game?”
Added Martin: “We all went wild, of course, because we’re like, ‘He did that for us.’ I’m very certain, he did.”
Ever since McGonigle was drafted by the Tigers in 2023, Delaware County has shown up to support him. When he was in the minor leagues, residents traveled to places like Grand Rapids, Mich., Lakeland, Fla., and Erie, Pa.
The group from Archbishop Prendergast High School that took a bus trip to Yankee Stadium to watch Kevin McGonigle play.Jason Shepherd
They’ve attended spring training games and Arizona Fall League games and even an All-Star Futures Game. A few Bonner alums flew to San Diego in April for McGonigle’s big-league debut. Nearly 300 people made the trip to see him in Baltimore in May.
Some know the shortstop personally, but not all. Yet the Kevin McGonigle Fan Club keeps growing, and on Tuesday night, after years of cross-country travel and hourslong drives, their hometown hero will return to Philadelphia to compete in the 2026 All-Star Game.
It’ll be the first time McGonigle plays at Citizens Bank Park. To local supporters, this is almost too good to be true: an athlete who represents them wholeheartedly, on baseball’s biggest stage, mere minutes away.
“Everyone is so excited, especially for the Philly aspect,” said Warren. “Not only is it amazing that it’s his rookie year, but [also] that he gets to come home.”
Kevin McGonigle starred at Bonner-Prendergast before being selected by the Tigers in the first round of the 2023 MLD draft. Heather Khalifa / Staff Photographer
A kid worth traveling for
Delco has gone to such lengths for a reason. The future All-Star was not the type of ballplayer built in a lab, under the careful guise of top hitting instructors. He did not have endless resources for equipment or travel.
Rather than a baseball hotbed like Florida or Georgia, McGonigle was raised in a working-class home in Aldan. His parents, Kevin George and Tracy, worked opposite shifts at a local water utilities company.
When Tracy was growing up, in Lansdowne, the sport was relatively inexpensive. Kids would share bats and gloves. She’d never heard of anyone driving far to tournaments.
But the mother quickly learned that to capitalize on her son’s talent, she’d have to invest. Kevin George learned this, too. The parents, who divorced when Kevin was young, began saving money where they could.
Sometimes this meant working more. Sometimes it meant cutting back on expenses. Tracy remembers her son and his teammates standing outside a supermarket, or wandering through The Yard Pub in Havertown, selling raffle tickets to pay for travel.
“You scraped it together, you put it away, and you used the credit cards, and you worried about the payment later,” Tracy said. “And I think any parent would do that. You do what you have to do to make your kids happy.”
By middle school, McGonigle was playing for Drexel Hill Little League,St. Bernadette’s CYO,and a local travel ball team. He’d train every day with his father, who had recently purchased a bright blue Jugs pitching machine.
The McGonigles didn’t have much yard space, but one of Kevin George’s teammates, Jac Campbell, did. Kevin George asked Jac’s father, Jim, if they could use his lawn, where he’d set up a makeshift batting cage.
The elder Campbell agreed. Kevin George moved the pitching machine 60 feet away from home plate, and began toying around with it. Before long, the device was spitting out curveballs, change-ups, and sliders.
“It was an expensive machine that threw mid-90s,” said Campbell. “It wasn’t some candy-ass machine that you would set up down at the Little League.”
McGonigle did not like that his parents were financing his passion, and would often tell Tracy he needed to find a job. But with the time constraints of travel baseball, coupled with Bonner-Prendie baseball and his training schedule, it was difficult to get hired.
So, the mother and son came up with an agreement. The future All-Star would clean the bathroom, dust the family room, and do other tasks around the house to earn his keep.
Still, the guilt persisted, especially when it came to daily expenses like gas money. McGonigle hated asking for it. Tracy came up with another idea.
“In my kitchen, I have a little box,” she said. “It’s a wooden box, and on the top it says, ‘Blessed.’ And I said to him, ‘You know what? You don’t have to ask me anymore.’
“I said, ‘I’m just gonna put money in the blessed box. Whatever you need. And then you don’t have to ask me. You don’t even have to feel bad about it.’ And it worked.”
A young Kevin McGonigle swings off a tee is in his backyard in Delco.Tracy McGonigle
McGonigle was painfully aware of his parents’ sacrifice, and determined to make the most of it. By his senior year, MLB scouts were flocking to Bonner-Prendergast for games.
This became somewhat of a spectacle, so the shortstop started leaving class early to take batting practice on his own. His hope was that it would create less of a distraction for his teammates.
“Just so that it didn’t interrupt the routine,” said his former CYO, Little League, and Babe Ruth League coach, Jason Shepherd. “His teammates respected the fact that he thought of them before himself.”
It wasn’t the first time Shepherd had seen the selfless trait from McGonigle. When he was 14, juggling travel ball and Babe Ruth, the high schooler had two tournaments fall on the same weekend.
One was in Tampa, the other in Williamsport, Pa. McGonigle decided he’d play in both. After the game in Florida, he drove through the night to Delaware County with a teammate.
The next morning, McGonigle met Shepherd in his driveway for the three-hour ride to Williamsport.
“Obviously, he was the best player on the team,” Shepherd said. “One of the best players in the state at the time. When we knew we were getting Kevin for the rest of the playoffs, it brought a lot of energy.”
McGonigle has continued to give back to his community since being drafted by the Tigers in the first round in 2023. He’s donated signed bats to Drexel Hill Little League, and has occasionally stopped in during the winter to serve as a volunteer coach.
In 2024, fresh off his first season in the minors, the shortstop donated $40,000 to Bonner & Prendie. To Campbell, it’s gestures like these that compel people to travel so far.
“If he wasn’t a good kid, you wouldn’t have half of that [stuff] going on,” he said. “You know what I mean? The fact that he’s a good kid makes it easier for everyone to want to go see him.”
Justin Shepherd (left), Kevin McGonigle, and Jason Shepherd after McGonigle’s big league debut in San Diego.Jason Shepherd
‘I still miss home’
At times it can seem like the Kevin McGonigle Fan Club has the entire season mapped out. In April, Shepherd and his son, Justin, flew to San Diego for the rookie’s debut, but their flight was delayed a few hours and they missed most of the game.
They ended up staying for the rest of the series, and the following week drove eight hours from Delco to Detroit for his home opener. DeBarberie and four other Bonner coaches met them there.
McGonigle’s best friends, Michael Anderson and Joey DeMucci, visited him in June. Martin will watch McGonigle play in Chicago later this month. Jim and Jac Campbell willbe in Detroit in August,and DeBarberie has plans to drive to Pittsburgh after that.
But the biggest showing to date was over Memorial Day weekend at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Tracy reserved 265 tickets through group sales, and Shepherd coordinated a tailgate at Pickles Pub across the street from the stadium.
“They’re like, ‘Well, do you want us to put McGonigle on a sign?’” Shepherd said. “And I’m like, ‘No, do not make any reference to McGonigle. Just put ‘Delco tailgate.’ People will know where to go.’”
Saturday’s game was rained out, which turned the tailgate into a whole-day affair. The entire top floor of the bar was full of Tigers and Bonner McGonigle jerseys.
Tigers rookie Kevin McGonigle greets family and friends in Blatimore.Tracy McGonigle
It ended up being the highlight of the trip. McGonigle stopped by and stayed with friends and family for two hours, taking photos and catching up.
This wasn’t just a kind act on the shortstop’s part. Shepherd and his son visited him last November, while he was playing in the Arizona Fall League. One night, while the former coach was grilling steaks outside, he asked the future All-Star a question.
“I asked him, ‘What’s been the hardest thing so far?’” Shepherd recalled. “And he’s like, ‘Coach Shep, honestly, I still miss home.’ And it just struck me.
“I was expecting, ‘The workouts are hard,’ or, ‘This pitcher was really tough.’ He’s just like, ‘No, I just miss home.’ And I get it. No different than a kid going off to college, far away. Just homesick a little bit.”
Tigers rookie Kevin McGonigle is second in the AL with a .392 on-base percentage at the All-Star break.Lon Horwedel
Childhood bedrooms and mom’s laundry
As McGonigle wrapped up his first-half campaign, it became clear to his mother that the All-Star Game was within reach.
The rookie was near the top of a number of American League leader boards. He has more walks (60) than he did strikeouts (56), and is second among regulars in on-base percentage (.392).
But Tracy didn’t dare broach the subject. She knew her son wouldn’t want her to. So, she was surprised a couple of weeks ago when he brought up the Midsummer Classic on his own.
“He said, ‘Whether I’m in the game or not, I’m staying at home,’” Tracy recalled. “And that’s all he said.”
The shortstop reiterated this stance after the roster was announced.
“I’m coming home,” he told her. “I’m not staying in the hotel.”
Throughout All-Star Week, the eight-year, $150 million man is sharing a bedroom with his brother, Ryan, in Aldan. A signed watercolor of Cole Hamels still hangs on the wall there, alongside some framed USA Baseball jerseys and caps.
Just like any other parent with a 21-year-old sleeping under their roof, Tracy’s maternal instincts routinely kick in.
“He’ll say, ‘Mom, I can do my own laundry,’” she said with a laugh. “And I’m like, ‘But why? I’ll do it. It’s fine.’ When he’s home, in the offseason, he still has a job. He’s at the training facility every single day, all day.
“But yeah, it’s, ‘Who wants dinner? How about I do your laundry?’ He’s just a normal kid.”
Kevin McGonigle with the kids of his former Bonner baseball coaches.Steve DeBarberie
Of course, there are plenty of things that aren’t normal. McGonigle doesn’t borrow cash from the blessings box anymore. He no longer takes swings in the privacy of Campbell’s backyard.
But amid all this change, the Bonner alumnus can always return to a place that is refreshingly static. Full of people who are proud of him, not just for his talent, but also for the unglamorous work behind it.
And if he ever needs a reminder, McGonigle can look for the Kelly green T-shirts, scattered among a sea of Tigers blue; a sign that Delaware County is never too far away.
Bryce Harper, the Phillies’ All-Star first baseman, said on Monday that he was unknowingly working on behalf of FanDuel when he recorded a personalized video for a man with a gambling addiction who had placed millions of dollars in bets on the site.
Harper, in a story on his verified Instagram account, wrote that he thought he was just doing a message on the site Cameo — in which celebrities are paid to record videos for fans — but “what happened here went beyond anything I knew about or approved.”
“I did not know this video would be used for commercial purposes,” Harper wrote. “The request included a short script. I read it in good faith. FanDuel then put its own logo on the video and used it as a gambling promotion. I did not know FanDuel would do this, I did not consent to it, and FanDuel had no right to do it.”
The Inquirer obtained a copy of the 21-second video from November 2024, which is marked with a blue FanDuel logo and shows Harper offering a greeting to the bettor, Terry Thompson, and Thompson’s son, by name.
Harper’s statement also said he has no affiliation with FanDuel and that “Contrary to the Inquirer’s suggestion, I did not know that the Cameo video would be used for a FanDuel VIP promotion.”
However, in the video Harper states that he’s reaching out at the request of Thompson’s VIP manager — “your host Bryttanni at FanDuel.” Harper also posted the Cameo script, which included the same language about FanDuel.
The Inquirer reported on the video on Thursday. Harper had declined to comment until Monday. His statement came ahead of his planned appearance at Monday night’s 2026 MLB Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park.
Beginning in 2020, Thompson wagered $18.5 million with FanDuel and lost $1.5 million, according to a lawsuit that the Public Health Advocacy Institute filed in March in Common Pleas Court in Philadelphia on behalf of Thompson and against FanDuel and DraftKings, to which Thompson also lost money.
Harper says he did not know anything about Thompson.
“Had I known FanDuel’s true intent, I would not have made the video,” Harper wrote on Instagram. “The same is true had I known anything about Terry or his situation, or about any alleged ‘partnership’ between Cameo and FanDuel.”
On the advice of counsel, Harper wrote, he would not comment further. Harper did not discuss the matter further during a media availability Monday.
Cameo notes in its terms of service that celebrities are not required to follow a purchaser’s instructions exactly. Harper, however, mostly stuck to a short script that made clear to Thompson that the Thanksgiving message was arranged by the FanDuel host.
Cameo has not responded to requests for comment.
FanDuel did not respond Monday to Harper’s Instagram post. Last week the company released a statement:
“FanDuel is committed to fostering a culture of responsible gaming and protecting our customers. Unlike illegal offshore sportsbooks, FanDuel employees are trained to recognize and flag signs of problem gambling and offer resources and tools, and we continue to review and strengthen our policies to ensure we have the industry’s strongest consumer protection initiatives.”
The Phillies and Major League Baseball have so far declined to comment on the video.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, which regulates casinos, online gambling and sports wagering, said on Friday that it is examining the video, but a spokesman for the board declined to provide details.
The Inquirer will continue to report on issues related to the growth of gambling addiction — among teens and adults — across Pennsylvania. If you, or someone you know, wants to speak with a reporter, please contact David Gambacorta or William Bender at dgambacorta@inquirer.com and wbender@inquirer.com
On Saturday, former major leaguers C.C. Sabathia, Chris Young, Jason Kendall, Michael Bourn, Nick Swisher, Dellin Betances, and Kenny Lofton, along with nearly 100 volunteers from more than seven different organizations, joined Victorino to add two hours to that effort.
“To have 100-plus volunteers here today digging in the dirt and pulling weeds and making this boys and girls club look that much prettier, it means a lot,” Victorino said.
The Phillies and the rest of MLB have added $5,500,000 into the nationwide effort of trying to reach the goal of 250,000 volunteer hours in honor of the 250th anniversary of America. And now a portion of that has been dedicated to serving children in North Philadelphia.
Nearly two months from the Boys and Girls Club’s 15-year anniversary, Victorino and the community came together to give the club a much-needed refresh. From 10 a.m. to noon, volunteers split into groups working on planting flowers and weeding, painting and refurnishing the teen room, raking new dirt dumped on the baseball field across the street, and picking up trash around the area.
This comes after the announcement on Thursday of the renovation and expansion project at Tree House Books. This project will also be a part of MLB’s legacy initiative and includes an expanded children’s library named after Victorino’s former teammate Ryan Howard and his wife, Christine Howard.
It was MLB’s and the Boys and Girls club’s goal to hit four main points upon the completion of Saturday’s event. These included getting the community partners to help provide a refresh to the club, making sure the environment was given care, committing hours to reach 250,000 hours of service, and to unveil the PHS mobile garden unit, which is another legacy project.
“I really think the community residents are going to see that love is important,” said April Brown, MLB’s senior vice president of social responsibility. “We’re beautifying the outdoor space and enriching the experience for the youth every day.”
And it isn’t just the presentation that made this project special to the volunteers.
“It means a lot,” said volunteer Paige Giunta. “Not only from an attractive standpoint, but also people coming together to do something special for the community.”
Giunta volunteered through Comcast, one of several organizations that partnered with MLB and the Phillies to bring more help to the cause.
“Everybody thinks with the All-Star Game, you’re thinking of the game,” said Michele DeVicaris, the Phillies director of community events and fundraising. “They don’t always know that all these things are also going on. So it’s amazing to bring attention to something like the Boys and Girls Club, like a community event like this, have volunteers come out and be a part of this project.”
The Club opened in September 2011 in Nicetown-Tioga, after a $1 million commitment from the Shane Victorino Foundation. Now almost 15 years later, the former two-time All-Star and World Series champion still cares deeply for the city that once embraced him.
“I love this place,” Victorino said. “It’ll always be my second home, and I will always hopefully have a little love for the city as it does for me.”
Playing Fields, not Killing Fields is an Inquirer collaboration with the Claire Smith Center for Sports Media and The Logan Center for Urban Investigative Reporting, to produce a series examining the current state of Philadelphia’s youth recreation infrastructure and programs. The project will explore the challenges and solutions to sports serving as a viable response to gun violence and an engine to revitalize city neighborhoods.
DETROIT — Warming up in the bullpen pregame, Zack Wheeler did not feel his best.
The Phillies right-hander’s pitches were erratic. He wasn’t himself. Afterward, he grilled his catcher, J.T. Realmuto, asking if he’d noticed anything.
But anyone watching, at home or at Comerica Park, would never have known what had been going through his head minutes before first pitch. Because Wheeler managed to pull off another masterful performance with six scoreless innings in the Phillies’ 5-0 shutout against Detroit.
“That’s what makes him special,” Realmuto said. “Even when he doesn’t have his best stuff, he can still be very effective.”
There was plenty motivating Wheeler to turn in a strong final start before the All-Star break, and not only because it was a heavyweight matchup with two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. After his previous outing, Wheeler had publicly criticized MLB for not including him as an All-Star replacement. When the league later invited him on Friday, he declined, calling the belated offer “pure disrespect.”
He needed to back it up.
Wheeler had the best feel for his splitter, so he leaned on that more than usual. In a normal start, Wheeler uses the pitch at about a 14% clip. Against Detroit, he turned to it 27% of the time, only less than his four-seam. He recorded six of his 10 strikeouts with his split, stifling the Tigers offense to just two hits total — both singles.
J.T. Realmuto celebrates scoring against the Tigers during the third inning on Sunday in Detroit.Paul Sancya
“J.T. did a nice job of just mixing it in and just pitching to that strength today,” Wheeler said.
Realmuto also helped out his pitcher with his offensive performance. He scored a run in the third after getting hit by a pitch, and then delivered a three-run double during the Phillies’ rally in the sixth.
It marked his second straight game with a key RBI double.
“The guys in front of me are just doing a really good job of getting on base and putting a lot of pressure on the pitcher,” Realmuto said. “And then I think when you get in those situations, it’s about trying to do less, really trying to get a pitch over the heart of the plate, especially with runners in scoring position.”
The Phillies worked long at-bats against Skubal, chasing him from the game before he could record an out in the sixth. He needed 27 pitches in the fifth alone, although he managed to strand a pair of runners in scoring position by striking out Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber.
Harper started the sixth-inning rally. He won a 10-pitch battle against Skubal with a single that ticked the lefty’s pitch count up to 93 and ended his day. Alec Bohm kept the line moving with an infield single off reliever Keider Montero, one of three the Phillies legged out on Sunday.
Montero then intentionally walked Brandon Marsh after falling behind 3-0, loading the bases and setting the table for Realmuto’s heroics. He was then driven in by Stott, who hustled out an infield single, to cap a four-run outburst.
J.T. Realmuto hits a three-run double against the Tigers during the sixth inning on Sunday.Paul Sancya
“It just ended up being one of those games that you’re really happy about your club and the way we played, and the small things that we talk about, coming into play,” said interim manager Don Mattingly.
Following the long half-inning, Wheeler wasn’t as sharp coming out for the sixth. He issued two walks, and went back to his splitter more often to try and get out of it. After taking Riley Greene to a 3-2 count, though, Wheeler turned to his usual bread and butter: his fastball. He beat Greene with a 95.1 mph four-seam to finish his outing.
“We’d thrown him a lot of splits, a lot of off-speed throughout the day. Wheeler’s got such a good fastball,” Realmuto said. “He’s typically a good fastball hitter, but I felt like in that spot he was going to be looking for something softer. And when a guy’s got a fastball as good as Wheeler, you can trust it in those counts.”
After some recent struggles as a collective, the Phillies’ bullpen had a bounce-back performance to close it out. José Alvarado, Orion Kerkering, and Jonathan Bowlan combined to retire nine straight Tigers to seal the shutout.
Mattingly said postgame that righty Brad Keller, who has made just one appearance since returning from right forearm tendinitis on Wednesday, was “a guy we wanted to stay away from today,” but didn’t give specifics on why.
Alvarado’s performance in particular was a good sign after giving up four runs in his previous outing. He recorded two strikeouts in a clean inning, including pinch-hitting righty Eduardo Valencia.
The Phillies head into the break with a 54-43 record and some momentum. They have closed within two games of the Braves in the National League East.
“This for me is probably our best game of the year,” Mattingly said. “I mean, so many things went the way we wanted to go.”
Twenty years ago, Ryan Howard launched baseballs into the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh and won MLB’s annual Home Run Derby.
In some ways, it launched his career.
Howard was the National League’s Rookie of the Year in 2005. But his star turn at the 2006 Derby came in the midst of a season in which he won NL MVP and became the foremost power hitter in the sport for a six-year stretch.
As the All-Star Game returns to Philadelphia for the first time in 30 years, Howard sat down with Phillies Extra, The Inquirer’s baseball podcast, to discuss the Phillies’ first half, his expectations for a Home Run Derby in Citizens Bank Park, and more.
Watch the full interview below and subscribe to the Phillies Extra podcaston Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Q: You played in three All-Star Games in your career. You were the Home Run Derby champ in 2006. When I say All-Star Game, what sticks out to you from your career?
A: When you say All-Star Game, it’s one of those things that when you’re younger, you always strive to want to be a part of. It’s kind of where, it’s the elite of the elite, if you will, and you’re always striving to try to make an All-Star team, and you’re always striving to try to win a championship. So to be able to participate on the All-Star teams and be recognized by the fans and your peers as one of the top players, in the middle of the season, is something that’s always such a great honor to have. And it means you’re doing something right. So you always want to continue to try to do something like that.
Ryan Howard won the 2006 Home Run Derby in Pittsburgh.ASSOCIATED PRESS
Q: How much are you looking forward to seeing what a Home Run Derby in Citizens Bank Park will look like?
A: I’m so excited to see what it’ll look like. This group of guys are just different. It’s a whole different level of strength, and these guys are bigger, stronger, faster. The ball just travels further, so I’m excited to see where the ball lands. Charlie [Manuel] always told Jimmy [Thome] and I that he saw Julio Franco hit a ball in batting practice that hit the bell. Now we’ve said that’s a little suspect, Charlie. There’s got to be like a 35 mph tailwind. He’s got to catch it and do the whole nine, but like it’ll be very interesting. I think somebody could potentially get close to trying to hit that bell, so I would love to see somebody hit a ball that goes up and hits that bell on the fly.
Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber leads baseball with 32 home runs at the break.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
A: Kyle Schwarber is one of the preeminent sluggers of this generation, him and Aaron Judge, and certainly Shohei Ohtani. Is this the year that maybe Schwarber matches or tops your Phillies record 58 home runs in a season?
A: He’s must-watch TV. You don’t want to miss his at-bat because of what he’s able to do with the swing of the bat — the ball comes off his bat different. It’s just so violent, and the swing is so … quick and it’s so violent off the bat that it’s so fun to watch. The ball he hit a few years ago in San Diego, people don’t do that. People don’t hit the ball like that, but Schwarber does. As far as the 58, it’s just a matter of him staying healthy and just continuing to stay consistent and do what he does. He got close last year [with 56]. Right now he’s at [32]. You just want him to stay healthy and be good for the stretch run, and he’s going to get those hot streaks where he’s dropping off like five, six, seven homers in a week, and again it’s like video game-type stuff.
But it’s fun to watch. I like to call it kind of like some blackout moments where you’re like, I don’t even know what’s going on, but I’m not going to fight it. And he gets in those zones where it’s just like it feels like every time the bat comes off your shoulder, damage will be done, and usually it winds up on the other side of the fence.
Q: Did you see this Phillies turnaround coming after the 9-19 start? How do you look at the first half they’ve had?
A: … There’s no level of panic because with the level of quality players on this team and what they’ve done in the years past … I feel like the Phillie franchise, even when I was playing, we’d always get out to slow starts in April. April is not a good month for the Phillies. And the thing is, you can’t win the division in April, but you could lose the division in April. And I think with the talent that this team possessed … you still had [Zack] Wheeler that was out. [Cristopher] Sánchez was doing his thing. It was just a matter of time because they had too much talent, too much veteran presence on this team to do what they were doing, and that’s what happens over the course of the season.
You’re going to have bad stretches, and you’re going to have good stretches. So, hopefully, for them, they got that bad stretch out of the way early, to where you have plenty of time to be able to make up for it, which is what they’ve been able to do and put themselves in a position to make the postseason.
And you just want to continue to try to say, OK, stay above .500 each month. With the caliber of guys that they have, the chemistry that they have, it’s not a surprise that they put themselves back in it. It’s what they do, and you would expect them to be able to go and be in the postseason and try to make a long run in the postseason.
