On Sunday, MLB All-Star Week brought a new event to Philadelphia — MLBx: 3-on-3. The inaugural four-team tournament featured three former Phillies greats: Ryan Howard, Shane Victorino, and Jimmy Rollins. Each served as a captain for a three-person squad. The players donned their past Phillies uniforms.
“Just to see everybody out here, to see this place almost packed,” Victorino said. “I couldn’t ask for anything more from this city. It was the one thing someone always asks: ‘What do you want to see out of this city this weekend?’ I said, ‘I want to see how all the fans are going to show up.’”
The fourth team was led by Atlanta Braves legend and 2026 Hall of Fame inductee Andruw Jones, who was booed heavily by the Philly faithful before the event began.
A professional softball player from the Athletes Unlimited Softball League joined each team alongside a non-baseball celebrity. Notably, former Eagles wideout Terrell Owens played for Team Rollins while current Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata starred for Howard.
Shane Victorino’s team won the inaugural MLBx event.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Three three-inning games — two semifinals and a championship — were played on a miniature diamond setup at center field. Ultimately, it was Team Victorino that came out on top, defeating Team Howard, 48-39.
Rachel Garcia, who plays for the AUSL’s Texas Voltz, was named the event’s most valuable player.
Along with winning the inaugural event, Victorino now has bragging rights over his former teammates.
“Just another thing, another notch,” Victorino said with a laugh. “I got one more ring than them, one more trophy with an ‘X’ on it. I’m gonna give it to them till the day I can’t.”
Before the event began, it was described on the public address as “a Home Run Derby with a twist.”
Each inning saw a player on each team take a two-minute at-bat. Meanwhile, outfielders looked to rob any would-be home runs. Points were awarded primarily from home runs and defensive catches, but a team could also gain an extra point by hitting a ball through a “target zone” above the outfield fence. Additionally, whenever a batter got in a groove, he or she could activate a “hot streak” by pushing a button next to home plate. When activated, home runs counted for two-points a pop.
Ryan Howard at CBP? of course he's hitting dingers 💪
The first game of the tournament saw Team Howard face Team Rollins, meaning the game’s two Eagles — Mailata and Owens — also matched up. In the battle of the Birds, Mailata beat out Owens as Team Howard advanced to the final.
Jordan Mailata switched sports to be part of Team Howard.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
There once was a time where Owens was largely shunned by Philadelphia fans following his dramatic exit from the Eagles in 2005. It appears time has healed those wounds. Owens, who played baseball in high school, received one of the larger rounds of applause when his name was first called over the stadium’s public address.
Former Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens played baseball in high school.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Eagles fan-favorite Mailata, traded in his pads for a baseball jersey, which he noted was much more comfortable. Ultimately, the Australia native did not come away with a win in the championship game. However, he did accomplish his one goal.
“Was I the worst performing person today?” he asked reporters following the event.
One responded “No,” pointing out that Mailata had hit more home runs than the Hall of Fame-bound Jones.
“That was my goal — to not be the worst,” Mailata said. “So I can go home, even though we fell short.”
‘Put softball on the map’
Along with launching a new event, the MLB looked to showcase some of the brightest stars of the AUSL. MLB is a major investor in the startup league.
Fans who stuck around following the Futures Game should now know the names Alyssa Brito and Rachel Garcia.
For Team Howard, Brito slammed 16 home runs during her first at-bat against Team Rollins in the semifinals. Brito, who plays for the AUSL’s Carolina Blaze, scored 24 of her team’s 36 total points in the win.
“Shout out to Brito Bombs, man,” Mailata said, offering a nickname for his teammate. “Shoutout Brito Bombs. … She carried our team today.”
In the next game, Garcia hit the event’s only walk-off home run to lift Team Victorino over Jones’ squad. Garcia carried that momentum into the event’s final matchup, scoring a game-high 18 total at-bat points to secure Team Victorino the championship win.
“Being on this stage has been just very humbling,” Garcia said. “Especially because softball, for us, is just still growing. We’re still trying to get the recognition that we want and we deserve. Just being able to put softball on the map.”
AUSL star Rachel Garcia was named the MVP of the event.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Added Brito: “I think it’s incredible that All Star Weekend wanted us to be in this main event that everyone wanted to come to. It just goes to show that if you give women a platform, we’re going to use it and we’re going to take advantage of it.”
Inside the visitors’ clubhouse in Cincinnati last week, an unknown member of the Phillies joked on the whiteboard on the wall: Should Marsh wear a grill on the All-Star Game red carpet? Yes/No.
The resounding answer, by tally marks, was yes.
But don’t count on it. The poll was just some playful ribbing ahead of Brandon Marsh’s big moment, now that the Phillies outfielder has garnered some national recognition with his first career All-Star selection.
“It’ll be pretty normal. He’s got good style,” Alec Bohm said of what he expects from Marsh’s red carpet debut. “He’s gonna look good.”
It’s been fun for the Phillies to watch Marsh this year, but perhaps no one has enjoyed witnessing his rise more than Bohm and Bryson Stott. The three of them have been close since Marsh was acquired from the Angels at the 2022 trade deadline.
Early on, the group that also included former Phillies Mickey Moniak, Matt Vierling, and Nick Maton became known to the fan base as the “Daycare,” because of their youth and postgame antics.
Brandon Marsh (right), Bryson Stott (center), and Alec Bohm (left) are no longer the Daycare. “Guys get called up now, and they ask us the questions, and we’re not the ones really asking questions anymore,” Stott said.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
But now Bohm is 29, while Marsh and Stott are both 28. They’re not the Daycare anymore; they haven’t been for a while.
“Guys get called up now, and they ask us the questions, and we’re not the ones really asking questions anymore,” Stott said. “But it kind of feels like Marsh was with us during COVID at the alt site, and playing with us in the minor leagues. Just from the first day he came over, it was like he’s been here forever.”
This year feels a little different, though. Not even because of Marsh’s production — if you dig into his stats, you’ll find that the lefty has been a .300 hitter going back to May 2025, after he dug himself out of a brutal slump to start that season. So his .301 batting average and .829 OPS aren’t anything new to those close to him.
It’s different because people on the outside are starting to take note.
Marsh was the top vote-getter among National League outfielders during the final phase of All-Star voting. He was the first Phillie to secure a starting spot in the game, though he has since been joined by Kyle Schwarber and Cristopher Sánchez.
It seems like practically every other day, Marsh is asked to step in front of the cameras postgame to address a clutch hit or big moment he had. He even recently starred in a commercial for Victus’ new cheesesteak bats, which he did in one take. (Stott, who has dabbled in advertisements himself, conceded, “He looked pretty good.”) Suddenly, Marsh has become one of the faces of the 2026 Phillies.
Brandon Marsh is having a career season in 2026, batting .301 at the break with 15 home runs and 46 RBIs.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
“I think out of all the people I’ve played with, nobody deserves the — not that he’s out here playing for attention — but nobody deserves the recognition that he’s gotten more,” Bohm said.
According to Stott, all of this noise makes no difference to Marsh himself.
“You can ask him what’s going on in world news, and he has no idea. So I doubt he cares if people are talking about him or not,” Stott said.
Bohm and Stott agree that Marsh cares more about his teammates’ success than his own. Earlier this year, interim manager Don Mattingly used Edmundo Sosa as a pinch-hitter for Marsh against the Dodgers, despite Marsh’s numbers — even against lefties — being superior on paper. When Sosa ultimately delivered the go-ahead home run, Marsh was the first teammate to embrace him in the dugout.
“Tonight just wasn’t my night,” Marsh said afterward. “It was Sosa’s night.”
That, according to Bohm, is a moment that sums up Marsh as a person.
“He’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had,” Bohm said.
Mindset is a huge part of the success Marsh has sustained since May 2025. He tries to stay consistent every day, not allowing himself to get too high or too low because of his results. It’s an approach that he said he has picked up from Schwarber.
It helps that this season, Marsh has quieted the discussions of his ability to hit left-handed pitching, and has entrenched himself as an everyday player. If he goes 0-for-4 one day, he knows he will get another at-bat the next, no matter the handedness of the starter.
But even last year when he was still in a platoon, Marsh approached his preparation the same.
“You couldn’t tell if he was in the lineup or really out of the lineup, just based off what his everyday routine was,” Stott said. “You couldn’t tell. He’s doing the same thing, and just does it over and over and over, and it’s just who he is.”
This year, Bohm often is one spot in the batting order behind Marsh against right-handed starters. From his point of view in the on-deck circle, he hasn’t seen any major changes in Marsh’s swing from seasons past. Bohm said he’s been impressed watching Marsh’s two-strike approach, but there’s not much else he can point to as different.
Because Bohm has always seen this potential in Marsh.
“He’s always been a really good player,” he said. “I remember playing against him in the Fall League, and I’m thinking, this dude could hit. He’s a good player.”
Now, the rest of the baseball world is seeing it too.
MLB All-Star Week concludes Tuesday night with the 96th midsummer classic at Citizen’s Bank Park (Fox, 8 p.m.). The Phillies have six players representing the National League, including starting pitcher Cristopher Sànchez.
Kyle Schwarber loses Home Run Derby to Jordan Walker
Phillies pitcher Jhoan Duran embraces teammate Kyle Schwarber during Monday’s derby.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Kyle Schwarber needed to take a breath.
Schwarber went deep seven times in a nine-swing span in the semifinals of Monday night’s Home Run Derby. With three swings left, he needed to regroup.
And so, Schwarber did what any slugger in a hometown Derby would. He took a beat and waved to the Phillies fans in sold-out Citizens Bank Park to make more noise.
Schwarber won the round and nearly the Derby. But the Cardinals’ Jordan Walker, who drew cheers from the 43,863 paying customers after each swing that didn’t result in a homer, smashed four homers in a row in bonus time to eke out a 12-11 victory in the finals.
St. Louis Cardinals Jordan Walker won the Home Run Derby in Philadelphia Monday. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
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Second-round results
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First-round results
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Playoff atmosphere at The Bank thanks to Schwarber
Phillies fans cheer as Phillies Kyle Schwarber advances to the finals of the Home Run Derby.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Willson Contreras last ball at the second round of the Home Run Derby might as well have been the last out of the ninth inning of game seven of the World Series.
The crowd at Citizen Bank were locked in during the Red Sox first baseman head to head competition against Kyle Schwarber for a place in the final round.
Every shallow or foul ball was as met with mocking applauds, and every skipped pitch with roaring boos.
Contreras lost to South Philly’s Schwarbomb machine by one homer, and it was Bedlam at the Bank.
Kyle Schwarber swings his way into the Home Run Derby finals. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Kyle Schwarber will face Jordan Walker in the final round of the Home Run Derby.
Willson Contreras, booed often by the Philly crowd, was only able to hit 8 home runs, one shy of Schwarber’s nine.
Two Phillies players have won the Derby — Bobby Abreu in 2005 and Ryan Howard in 2006.
This is Schwarber’s third appearance in the event. He didn’t make it out of the first round in 2022, and finished second place to then-Washington Nationals slugger Bryce Harper in 2018.
Philly fans bring something new to the Home Run Derby – boos
A fan reacts after catching a home run during Monday night’s Derby. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Fans who traveled to Philadelphia for the Home Run Derby were introduced early to the city’s love language.
Phillies fans responded with deafening boos to the name of every player that isn’t called Bryce Harper or Kyle Schwarber during the pregame show.
And fans of other teams seem to like the passion.
“I think it’s awesome,” Pete Gibson said. “It’s sports. Support your team. Let’s go.”
The 35-year-old tattoo artist traveled from Nashville for the home run derby with his friend, Dave Putman, 33.
For the past five years, the duo has been attending the pre-All-Star game event, and they came up with a tradition. They each spin a wheel to determine what jersey they will wear. And the wheel chose the San Fransisco Giants for Gibson this year. But that didn’t stop him from also rocking a Kansas City Royals cap.
“We support on the head the teams we love, and on the body the teams we randomly draw,” Gibson said.
Carlos Luna, 34, also didn’t mind the boos. The New York Yankees fan came to Philly from the Big Apple, and said he enjoys the sense of rivalry Phillies fans brought to this derby.
“I see how you guys feel,” he said. “I don’t expect anything else.”
Had the derby took place in Yankee stadium, his fellow New Yorkers’ boos would be more targeted — “if it’s a Red Sox player, we probably boo him” — but Luna was okay with the Philadelphia’s blanket boo approach.
Phillies fans’ reputation, it turns out, precedes them. The city was welcoming, and the boos add to fun.
“I love me some overt negativity,” Orioles fan Connor Way, 31 from Maryland, said. “I feel like everyone knows Philly is like that.”
Schwarber hits 10 homers, setting up a showdown with Harper
Kyle Schwarber swings during his Home Run Derby at-bat. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Kyle Schwarber missed on his first five swings and only managed to hit 10 home runs during his first-round Home Run Derby appearance.
That leave Schwarber in fourth place with teammate Bryce Harper coming up to bat. Harper will either advance and knock out Schwarber, or come up short and be eliminated from the competition.
Either way, one Phillies player will make it to the second round.
Jac Calianone hits just 8 homers, but one goes into upper deck
Jac Caglianone watches one of his homers leave Citizens Bank Park.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The Royals’ Jac Caglianone got off to a very slow start, but caught a groove with four straight homers — capped by a 477-foot shot to the third deck — that got the crowd back into it.
Caglione also sent one over the shrubbery in the batters’ eye that got a big cheer. He finished with eight, well behind Contreras and Walker.
Jordan Walker takes a swing during his Derby at-bat.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker got off to a hot start, but appeared to tire as his round went on.
He managed to tie Willson Contreras with his 13th homer with the “magenta ball,” which is used for the final swing of the round, sending it 382 feet into the left field seats.
Kyle Schwarber stands in a boxing ring during player introductions. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
This year’s Home Run Derby jumped to Netflix from ESPN, which had broadcast the event for more than 30 years.
While Barry Bonds and Anthony Rizzo were terrific on Netflix’s pregame show, a few technical glitches and unnecessary cross promotion rubbed some sports media pundits and fans the wrong way.
The most noticeable issue was Netflix turning to Will Ferrell and his costars from The Hawk (coming soon to the streamer) to help introduce the players. Maybe it was funny, but everything they said was drowned out by the crowd during the broadcast.
Will Ferrell introducing Bryce Harper at the #HRDerby:
Maybe I'm way off, but I don't think the Will Ferrell-Luke Wilson thing is working at all. (Honestly, I get the sense that *they* also know it isn't working.)
With Pa. budget approved, Lt. Gov. Davis takes in a ballgame
Pennsylvania Lt. Gov Austin Davis meets with Cowboys Hall of Famer Michael Irvin ahead of the Home Run Derby. Abraham Gutman / staff
The negotiations are over and the state budget is done — so Lt. Gov. Austin Davis is enjoying a change of pace at Citizen Bank Park.
The Democrat is in Philadelphia for the MLB Home Run Derby, the latest major sporting event Pennsylvania has hosted this year, following the NFL draft in Pittsburg and FIFA World Cup games in Philly. And the state’s second top executive has been proud.
“Pennsylvania this year really showed how diverse and how great our commonwealth is,” Davis said. “I think we absolutely rolled out the red carpet to welcome the country and the world.”
Wearing a Pittsburg Pirate’s polo, Davis stood behind home plate before the game to watch batting practice.
He roots for the Phillies — when they don’t play the Pirates, of course — but at the end of the day he’s a “Pittsburg boy through and through” and has to “fly the black and gold.”
Josh Shapiro’s second-in-command took in the carnival-like ambiance on the field, surrounded by baseball and sports royalty. He stopped Michael Irvin, former-Dallas Cowboys wide receiver, for a photo.
The prolonged budget season was so all consuming, Davis said, he didn’t have the mental space to think too much about who he thinks will win tonight’s Derby.
“It’s just going be a great time, to see so many folks come out tonight and enjoy this great ballpark,” he said
Phillies Bryce Harper (left) walks with his National League All Stars during batting practice Monday. Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerFans reach for a ball hit during batting practice at Citizens Bank Park. Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerKyle Schwarber speaks to reporters Monday afernoonMonica Herndon / Staff PhotographerPhillies interim manager Don Mattingly sports an All-Star cap.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerEagles general manager Howie Roseman takes in the festivities. Alex Coffey /
You can cross at least one name off the Phillies list of potential acquisitions at the trade deadline.
Before Monday’s Home Run Derby, Twins center fielder Byron Buxton made it clear that he would not consider waiving his no-trade clause even for a trade to a contender.
The 32-year-old center fielder has long been mentioned as an ideal trade target for a Phillies team that is in desperate need of right-handed pop. He certainly brings that in abundance, and at a premium position, with 25 home runs in 335 plate appearances thus far this season. But Buxton has been steadfast in his loyalty both to the state of Minnesota and to the organization that drafted him No. 2 overall in 2012.
“I’ve got family,” Buxton explained on Monday. “My family loves Minnesota. I’ve got two kids that grew up there, one of them was born there. It’s a special place not only for me but for my family. You’re not just moving me, you’re moving my whole family and what we have built in Minnesota.”
Buxton also sounded an optimistic note about the Twins, who have outperformed expectations with a 48=49 record despite last season’s firesale that included the trade of closer Jhoan Duran to the Phillies.
“What we have there and what we can accomplish, we’ve got something special going and it’s something I want to be a part of,” Buxton said.
Tigers rookie All Star Kevin McGonigle grew up in Delco and still has a Cole Hamels poster on his wall
Tigers’ Kevin McGonigle speak to reporters Monday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Kevin McGonigle idolized Chase Utley, went to Phillies games with his buddies, and had posters on the wall of his Delaware County bedroom.
“I still have a Cole Hamels poster on my wall,” McGonigle said on the eve of playing in Tuesday’s All Star Game at Citizens Bank Park.
The Phillies could have drafted McGonigle in 2023. They scouted him at Bonner-Prendergast, worked him out at the ballpark, and were well aware of the infielder from Ridley who grew up a diehard. But the Phillies passed on McGonigle and drafted Aidan Miller with the 27th overall pick while McGonigle went No. 37 to Detroit.
Kevin McGonigle is taking batting practice right now at CBP.
McGonigle, 21, is an All Star as a rookie with a .812 OPS while playing shortstop and third base. Miller, 22, has not played this season and underwent a procedure last month to address a recurring back issue. He’s expected to be sidelined until late July or early August.
“I knew the Phillies were coming up to pick but I didn’t get a phone call so I knew that wasn’t going to work out,” McGonigle said. “But it all worked out perfectly, I’d say. I’m in the spot I want to be in: Detroit. The city, the fans, it’s unbelievable with how they’ve treated me so far. Eight more years and hopefully more with that city. I can’t thank that fan base enough.”
McGonigle went to a Phillies playoff game with his family in 2023, a month after he finished his first minor-league season with Detroit. A year earlier, he wore Phillies gear to Red October. But now the fan was employed by another team. He wore neutral colors that night but admitted it took some time to shed his fandom. But he’s not shedding his accent.
“Sometimes, I’ll say ‘Wooder’ and they’ll be like ‘What did you say?,’” McGonigle said. “And I’ll go, ‘I’m sorry. Wah-ter.’ It’s just how I grew up saying it. I’ll say some things differently being from Delaware County and they’ll give me crap about the way I say things. It’s just funny to me. I don’t even realize I say it in a different way. ‘What did you say?’ ‘What do you mean?”
McGonigle hung out Sunday night with his Delco buddies and slept Sunday night in his childhood bedroom, the one with the Hamels poster on the wall. For one day, the trip from Ridley to South Philly was his route to work. Perhaps it could have become his usual trip.
“It took a lot of work to get where I am today,” McGonigle said. “And the main reason is where I’m from. That’s Delco.”
In front of home crowd, Bryce Harper is ready to ‘launch’
Philadelphia Phillies infielder Bryce Harper speaks during the National League Media Availability at Citizens Bank Park on Monday, July 13, 2026 in Philadelphia.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Bryce Harper does not take batting practice outside often, as he prefers to finetune his swing before games in the ballpark’s indoor batting cages. But when he does swing outside, he acts like he’s in a Home Run Derby.
“When I go out for BP, I want to launch,” Harper said Monday, a few hours before he’ll take part in the derby at Citizens Bank Park. “That’s the only time I go out there, is to launch and feel that.”
Harper said he has hit batting practice homers at Citizens Bank Park into the third deck in right field and onto Ashburn Alley. So the Alley is in play on Tuesday?
“For sure,” Harper said.
Harper said Monday night’s event will be his last Home Run Derby, which he won in 2018 in Washington while playing for the Nationals. His opponent that night in the final? Kyle Schwarber, who was then playing for the Cubs.
“I just remember the cinematic movie thing,” Schwarber said. “… That last 45 seconds, he just catches fire and starts peeling them off left and right. You sit back and it’s like you’re watching a movie. It was made to be and it was really cool to see.”
Harper said he stopped regularly taking batting practice outside in 2015 at the suggestion of Matt Williams, who was then Washington’s hitting coach. He can still tell in the indoor cage if he hit a ball hard. But sometimes he does wander outside to put on a show. On Monday, the fans will get a glimpse of it.
“I hope everyone enjoys it,” Harper said. “I hope everyone sees what Philly is all about. Every year we get into the postseason, they see our fans. I think that’s a big look for free agents and possible trade targets and things like that. They see our fan base, the style our fan base has, and how loud it is. It’s just a lot of fun to be a part of.”
Giant blue baseball gloves take over Home Run Derby outfield seats
Don’t adjust your television sets — those are not tiny fans trying to catch home runs in the outfield seats. It’s the giant gloves, courtesy ofd Geico.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
There are going to be some massive gloves fielding home runs in the outfield seats at the Home Run Derby. Geico provided gigantic blue gloves for fans seated across 16 outfield sections at Citizens Bank Park.
But if you’re headed down to the park, don’t go discarding your regular-sized glove just yet. The gloves’ giant size makes them exceedingly hard to close. If you catch a home run inside it, it’ll probably just fall right out — if you can even hold it up.
Chase Utley: If I lived here, I’d work for the Phillies
Chase Utley poses for a selfie with a fan inside Sarcone’s Bakery on Monday.
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 a part of the bakery’s partnership with sports apparel company ’47. The two companies teamed up to host a pop-up inside the bakery. Guests who purchased food received an exclusive Sarcone’s T-shirt and hat, produced by ’47.
After Utley finished up behind Sarcone’s counter, The Inquirer caught up with the former second baseman, who will be inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame next month …
Q: We’re at Sarcones today. You just got done serving and 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 works behind the counter at Sarcone’s Bakery in South Philly.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer
Q: You recently were hired by the Dodgers as the team’s special assistant to the president of baseball operations. Can you talk about 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.
Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper answers questions during All-Star media day at Citizens Bank Park.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Bryce Harper is flanked by Phillies media-relations director Kevin Gregg (left) and agent Scott Boras, who stand poised to pounce in case anyone utters the words “fan” and “duel.”
Bryce Harper joins the chorus of stars pitching LeBron James
Phillies outfield Bryce Harper was the latest Philly star to pitch NBA free agent and future Hall of Famer LeBron James on the idea of bringing his talents to South Philly, joining Saquon Barkley, Jaylen Brown, and others.
So what is Harper’s elevator pitch?
“Jaylen Brown, their whole team,” he told the media Monday. “They’ve got an opportunity. They’ve got four guys that are really good, got a great fan base.”
Bryce Harper Makes LeBron James free-agent pitch to come to Philly & Join Sixers
Mike Trout on Phillies: I’m an Angel, but ‘I love this city’
Angels outfielder and Vineland native Mike Trout, who will lead off for the American League at Tuesday night’s MLB All-Star Game, was asked Monday afternoon whether he’d ever like to play for the Phillies.
“I didn’t think I was going to hear this question,” he said sarcastically before continuing. “You know, I hear this a lot. Like I said before, I enjoy coming to Philly. I’m an Angel, obviously. I’ve got a no-trade clause, so it’s all my decision. But, like I said, I love this city.”
Chris Sale calls Zack Wheeler snub a ‘head-scratcher’
Phillies fans — and former players — aren’t alone in wondering why starting pitcher Zack Wheeler, who delivered another gem on Sunday against the Tigers, wasn’t among the players initially selected to represent the National League at this year’s MLB All-Star Game in home ballpark.
Braves starter Chris Sale, a 10-time All-Star and former Cy Young winner, said Monday during media day at Citizens Bank Park that the decision not to pick Wheeler, who ultimately turned down a last-minute invite from MLB, was a “head-scratcher, to say the least.”
Chris Sale says Zack Wheeler not making the All-Star team is a "head-scratcher, to say the least."
"His numbers are better than mine, and I'm sitting here. I'll leave it at that." pic.twitter.com/oKIJ63YoAx
While the 37-year-old Sale is having a All-Star season — 9-6 with a 2.20 ERA, 1.112 WHIP, and 4.68 strikeout/walk ratio — Wheeler has indeed been better, posting a 2.13 ERA, 0.892 WHIP, and a 4.91 SO/BB ratio.
Wheeler’s WAR for pitchers (4.8) is second in the national league to just Cristopher Sànchez.
Kyle Schwarber vs. Bryce Harper: Who wins in a Home Run Derby?
// Timestamp 07/13/26 2:22pm
Kyle Schwarber will lead off for National League; Marsh will bat seventh
Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber will hit leadoff for the National League at Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The starting lineups for Tuesday night’s MLB All-Star Game were revealed by the teams’ respective managers Monday at Citizens Bank Park.
The lineup behind Phillies ace Cristopher Sanchez, who gets the start on the mound for the National League, will begin with his Phillies teammate, designated hitter Kyle Schwarber. Outfielder Brandon Marsh will bat seventh for Dave Roberts’ NL squad. Here’s a look at the full order:
Kyle Schwarber, DH, Phillies
Juan Soto, LF, Mets
Freddie Freeman, 1B, Dodgers
CJ Abrams, SS, Nationals
Max Muncy, 3B, Dodgers
Ozzie Albies, 2B, Braves
Brandon Marsh, RF, Phillies
Andy Pages, CF, Dodgers
Drake Baldwin, C, Braves
Meanwhile, here’s a look at the starting lineup for John Schneider’s American League side, behind starting pitcher Dylan Cease of the Blue Jays:
Bryce Harper, Juan Soto, and Bobby Witt Jr. meet fans in Center City
Bryce Harper’s night may be booked with the Home Run Derby, but the Phillies first baseman spent some time earlier on Monday meeting and taking pictures with fans at an Under Armour pop-up event in Center City.
The company announced on Instagram that Harper, Bobby Witt Jr., and Juan Soto would be making an appearance at the Under Armour Dugout at 1190 Market Street to meet fans. By the time the event got underway around 11:30 a.m., the line extended down the city block.
Bryce Harper, Bobby Witt Jr., and Juan Soto are appearing at the Under Armour Dugout on 12th & Market for a fan meet and greet starting at 11:30. With five minutes until the start, the line currently extends all the way down to 11th & Market. pic.twitter.com/YtU1Zob4AQ
Witt Jr. signed baseballs and took photos before showing off his skills — or rather lack of skill — with a few rounds of Backyard Baseball.
Bobby Witt Jr. is a lot better at Major League Baseball than he is at Backyard Baseball. He put on a show for fans at the Under Armour meet and greet, but his skills were lacking. pic.twitter.com/HKug2HUN6D
And despite being a member of the rival New York Mets, there was love for Soto in Philly too, with fans lining up to take photos with him in front of the Under Armour logo.
Fans in Philly were also showing love to Juan Soto, taking pictures with him at the Under Armour store as well. pic.twitter.com/Z7i241dbxj
Harper and Soto will team up again tomorrow night when they represent the National League and go head-to-head with Witt and the American League in the All-Star Game.
— Mia Messina
// Timestamp 07/13/26 1:33pm
Exclusive All-Star Game merch is big business
Foocoos mini bobble head mystery boxes showcasing the few bobble heads you can open at the All Star Games Media Preview to showcase All-Star Week Events, New Food, and Commemorative Bell at the Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pa., on Wednesday, July 8, 2026.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Take me out to the gift shop.
The MLB All-Star Game has become a temporary retail city built around exclusivity, collectibility, and host-city pride. Fanatics’ 16,000-square-foot flagship at the ticketed All-Star Village at the Convention Center carries more than 400 product styles, while Aramark’s 7,500-square-foot ballpark store (open to the public without a ticket) offers about 400 All-Star items, roughly 75% exclusive.
Across the ballpark, All-Star Village, and MLB’s online stores, fans can choose from about 600 products, from the wild (there’s a sports jacket covered in the logos of all 30 teams) to the Philly-themed (‘47 Sports “Hit That Jawn” T-shirt) to the routine (Foocoos mini bobblehead figures sold in blind boxes) to genuine objets d’art (original 3D pop-art posters by artist Charles Fazzino. And T-shirts and hats and jerseys, of course.
Why buy? The retail analysts we spoke to say it all boils down to one thing: You want to prove you were there.
Bryce Harper responds to Inquirer gambling video investigation
First baseman Bryce Harper is one of the Phillies’ six All-Stars.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Bryce Harper, the Phillies All-Star first basemen, claimed 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 said on his verified Instagram account that he had joined the messaging site Cameo to engage with fans with paid videos but that “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 language about FanDuel.
The Inquirer reported on the video on Thursday. Harper had declined to comment until today. His statement came ahead of Monday night’s 2026 MLB Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park. A media availability is planned for this afternoon.
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
Ryan Howard talks Home Run Derby: I hope someone ‘hits that bell on the fly’
Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard (center) watches as his home run sails out of PNC Park in Pittsburgh during the 2006 Home Run Derby.ASSOCIATED PRESS
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.
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 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.
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 tail wind. 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.
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.
The Schmitter returns to Citizens Bank Park tonight
The Schmitter sandwich displayed at the All Star Games Media Preview to showcase All-Star Week Events, New Food, and Commemorative Bell at the Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pa., on Wednesday, July 8, 2026.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
One of Philadelphia’s signature sandwiches is heading back to Citizens Bank Park after a decade away.
The Schmitter, the classic cheesesteak-salami creation from McNally’s Tavern in Chestnut Hill, will return during the forthcoming Major League Baseball All-Star festivities, Aramark announced as it unveiled a lineup of foods and merchandise at the ballpark Wednesday.
The Schmitter, which has a spot on The Inquirer’s list of 76 essential foods, will be served at Pass & Stow, the sports bar accessible to ticketed fans, throughout All-Star Week. Aramark, the Phillies’ concessionaire, plans to keep it on the ballpark menu through at least the end of the season.
It joins a lineup of fan-voted creations and Philadelphia chef collaborations at Citizens Bank Park, which hosts four days of events starting with the HBCU Swingman Classic on Friday.
Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper will be first Phillies teammates to compete in Home Run Derby
Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber will compete in Monday’s Home Run Derby.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The Phillies haven’t had a Home Run Derby champion since 2006, when Ryan Howard blasted 23 total to take the crown.
This year, at Monday’s competition at Citizens Bank Park, they will have double the chance. Because for the first time in the 41-year history of the Derby, the Phillies have a pair of teammates competing against each other. Kyle Schwarber announced Friday that he would officially be joining Bryce Harper in the event.
“I just wanted to make sure pretty much getting through that series in Cincinnati, make sure everything was good healthwise, and everything’s been trending the right way. So that’s when we pretty much made a decision to do it,” Schwarber said.
Schwarber and Harper have competed in the same Derby before in 2018, although they were representing different teams. With Harper in his final year with the Nationals and Schwarber playing with the Cubs, the future teammates found themselves in the final round together in Washington D.C. Harper bashed 19 homers to narrowly best Schwarber’s 18.
Schwarber hopes that this year ends with another rematch.
“I think it would be awesome, especially in Philadelphia, where our fans obviously are going to get the opportunity to really show out what they’re capable of and what we’ve seen for years and years of just pure electricity,” he said. “So I think it would be a pretty cool ending there if that could happen. But we’ll see what happens.”
One-time Phillies outfield Hunter Pence will be part of Netflix’s broadcast of the Derby
For the first time in more than 30 years, the Home Run Derby has a new broadcast home, and it won’t appear on either broadcast or cable TV.
Instead, it will stream exclusively on Netflix beginning at 8 p.m. Philly time as part of a three-year deal that also included MLB’s opening night back in March and next month’s Field of Dreams game in Dyersville, Iowa between the Phillies and Minnesota Twins.
Calling all the action will be Matt Vasgersian, with Elle Duncan and Lauren Shehadi also leading the coverage. Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols, Anthony Rizzo, CC Sabathia, and former Phillies outfielder Hunter Pence will also provide analysis.
“The Home Run Derby’s always been one of my favorite things as a kid,” Pence said. “I’m going to be in the stands a little bit. I’m going to be in the booth as well… Netflix definitely has some excitement up their sleeve.”
Netflix hasn’t offered many details about its plans for the Derby, but if its opening night telecast is anything to go by, expect a lot of stars. Among them will be former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin, who hosts The White House video podcast for Netflix.
Breakout White Sox rookie Munetaka Murakami was the final player to join the Home Run Derby.Nam Y. Huh
Kyle Schwarber, Phillies
Bryce Harper, Phillies
Jordan Walker, Cardinals
Wilson Contreras, Red Sox
Munetaka Murakami, White Sox
Jac Caglianone, Royals
Ben Rice, Yankees
Junior Caminero, Rays
Not participating for the second straight season is Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso, one of only four players to win multiple Derby championships. Despite a strong first-half, Alonso wasn’t selected to this year’s All-Star Game.
Also not competing is last year’s winner, Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who has struggled this year after being last year’s American League MVP runner-up.
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh wears a large necklace after winning the Derby last year.Lindsey Wasson
This year’s Derby has a different format that previous years.
For starters, there won’t be a timer. Instead, each slugger will get a set number of swings each round — 20 in the first round and 15 in both the second and final rounds.
The last Derby without a clock was 2014.
There’s also a “keep going” rule. If the batter hits a homer on his final attempt, he’ll keeping swinging until he fails to blast out a home run.
“I love it,” said former Phillies outfielder Hunter Pence, who is calling the event on Netflix. “It’s really awesome for TV and healthier for the players. They’re not just having this endurance contest. We get to really feel each swing and each player.”
There also won’t be a bracket for the first round. Instead, the four sluggers will the most homers during the first round will move on to the second. There the competition shifts to head-to-head until a champion is crowned.
Philly road closures due to tonight’s Home Run Derby
Banners for The All Star Game hang at the Citizens Bank Park.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
On Monday, Independence Mall will see road closures starting at 5 a.m. to accommodate building out the MLB Red Carpet Show. Set to be in place through midnight, those closures will impact:
Fifth Street between Market and Chestnut Streets
Ludlow Street between Fourth and Fifth Streets
Randstead Street between Fourth and Fifth Streets
Independence Mall will remain tied up Tuesday for the MLB Red Carpet show itself, with closures again in place from 5 a.m. to midnight. Those closures will affect:
Fifth and Sixth Streets from Arch to Walnut Streets
Market and Chestnut Streets from Fourth to Seventh Streets
Ranstead and Sansom Streets from Sixth to Seventh Streets
Philadelphia police, the city said, may institute additional closures in the interest of public safety.
All roads affected by closures will also be temporary no-parking zones, the city said. If vehicles are parked in those locations during the times they are closed, the vehicles will be moved.
Drivers who may have had their cars moved should contact the police district of the area where their vehicle was parked, the city said.
To accommodate fans heading to Citizens Bank Park, SEPTA will run six additional express trains on the Broad Street Line, also known as the B Line, to NRG Station before and after the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game Monday and Tuesday.
Free rides on the line from NRG Station will also be available at select times during those events. Free rides begin after the second round of the Home Run Derby on Monday, and after the sixth inning of the All-Star Game Tuesday, the city said.
Phillies fans will be seeing double during Monday night’s Home Run Derby (8 p.m., Netflix).
Two Phillies sluggers — Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber — are participating in tonight’s event, the first time Philly teammates will compete in the Derby in its 41-year history. And they’ll do it in front of a hometown crowd at Citizens Bank Park.
It’s a potential rematch of the 2018 Derby finals, when Harper was still with the Washington Nationals and Schwarber was playing for the Chicago Cubs. Harper edged out Schwarber by just one dinger, winning the competition 19 homers to 18.
“I think it would be a pretty cool ending there if that could happen,” Schwarber told reporters. “But we’ll see what happens.”
It’s the first time the Derby has been held at Citizens Bank Park, but not its first time in Philly. Veterans Stadium hosted the event in 1996, which was won by Hall of Famer Barry Bonds, who belted out 17 homers.
Bonds will be back in Philly covering the event for Netflix, which is streaming the Home Run Derby as part of a three-year deal that also included MLB’s opening night back in March and next month’s Field of Dreams game in Dyersville, Iowa between the Phillies and Minnesota Twins.
Former Phillies outfielder Hunter Pence will be part of Netflix’s broadcast of the Home Run Derby.
“The Home Run Derby’s always been one of my favorite things as a kid,” Pence said. “I’m going to be in the stands a little bit. I’m going to be in the booth as well… Netflix definitely has some excitement up their sleeve.”
Netflix is the latest step in Pence’s second career as a broadcaster, which began as a fluke filling in last minute during COVID. He calls about 30 San Francisco Giants games a year as an analyst for NBC Sports Bay Area, and has broadcast games for MLB Network, Apple TV, and ESPN.
“I feel like I always get to come out to Philly,” Pence said. “I love the stadium, I love all the people there. And [John] Kruk comes over and talks to me every time… He makes sure I get the right cheesesteak and the right sandwich.”
Here’s everything you need to know to watch or stream this year’s Home Run Derby:
What time does the Home Run Derby start?
Veteran MLB announcer Matt Vasgersian will lead Netflix’s coverage of the Home Run Derby. MLB Network
The 2026 MLB Home Run Derby is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Eastern and will stream globally live on Netflix. It won’t air on either broadcast or cable TV.
Calling all the action will be Matt Vasgersian, with Elle Duncan and Lauren Shehadi also leading the coverage. In addition to Pence and Bonds, Albert Pujols, Anthony Rizzo, and CC Sabathia will also provide analysis.
Netflix hasn’t offered many details about its plans for the Derby, but if its opening night telecast is anything to go by, expect plenty of cross promotion and a lot of stars. Among them will be former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin, who hosts The White House video podcast for Netflix.
Players in the Home Run Derby
Phillies sluggers Bryce Harper (left) and Kyle Schwarber will compete in the Home Run Derby. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Kyle Schwarber, Phillies
Bryce Harper, Phillies
Jordan Walker, Cardinals
Wilson Contreras, Red Sox
Munetaka Murakami, White Sox
Jac Caglianone, Royals
Ben Rice, Yankees
Junior Caminero, Rays
Not participating for the second straight season is Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso, one of only four players to win multiple Derby championships. Despite a strong first-half, Alonso wasn’t selected to this year’s All-Star Game.
Also not competing is last year’s winner, Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who has struggled this year after being last year’s American League MVP runner-up.
New rules for this year’s Home Run Derby
This year’s Derby has a different format than previous years.
For starters, there won’t be a timer. Instead, each slugger will get a set number of swings each round — 20 in the first round and 15 in both the second and final rounds.
The last Derby without a clock was 2014.
There’s also a “keep going” rule. If the batter hits a homer on his final attempt, he’ll keeping swinging until he fails to blast out a home run.
“I love it,” Pence said. “It’s really awesome for TV and healthier for the players. They’re not just having this endurance contest. We get to really feel each swing and each player.”
There also won’t be a bracket for the first round. Instead, the four sluggers with the most homers during the first round will move on to the second. There the competition shifts to head-to-head until a champion is crowned.
What happens if there’s a tie?
In the opening round, if multiple players hit the same number of home runs, the tiebreaker will go to whomever knocked out the longest home run.
Beyond that, ties will be settled by a three-swing swing-off. There have been just two ties in modern Derby history — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. edged out Joc Pederson in the third tiebreaker in 2019, while Juan Soto topped Shohei Ohtani in the first round of the swing-off in 2021.
A couple of weeks ago, while staying with my father as he navigates the relentless progression of Alzheimer’s, I found myself thinking about something former Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell once said. I’m paraphrasing, but it went something like this: You could be waiting for your car outside the old Le Bec-Fin, standing next to the valet, and if a game was on, someone would inevitably ask, “What’s the score?” Just like that, two strangers from entirely different worlds had something to talk about.
That observation has stayed with me for years because Philadelphia sports have always been one of our city’s great equalizers. We may disagree about politics, science, climate, taxes — just about everything. But ask someone about the Phillies, the Eagles, the Sixers, or the Flyers, and for a few moments we’re on the same team.
But I realized there’s a footnote to Rendell’s point. Philadelphia sports don’t just connect strangers. They reconnect family members with Alzheimer’s.
The author, 10, gets ready to hop on her bike as her father looks on in this photo from 1984.Courtesy of Cyndi Reed Rickards
My father’s ability to stay with a conversation now lasts only a few minutes before the disease pulls him somewhere else. Time together has become a matter of fleeting moments rather than long talks.
Then the Phillies came on with a Pittsburgh Pirates series.
Instead of trying to sustain one long conversation, we simply watched the game unfold. Every pitch offered a new beginning. Every at-bat was another opening. A strikeout. A stolen base. A diving play in the gap.
The author dancing with her father at her wedding.Courtesy of Cyndi Reed Rickards
“What do you think?”
“Can they get out of this inning?”
“Who’s up next?”
“How fast was that pitch?”
Unlike so much that depends on sustained attention or memory, baseball is wonderfully episodic. Each pitch stands on its own. Every inning is a reset. Even when memory fades, the present moment is enough.
Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber at bat against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park on June 29.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The June 29 collapse against the Pirates, blowing a 5-0 lead, was painful for Phillies fans. But as much as that final score stung, it hardly mattered to me, because for nearly two hours, my father was engaged.
We talked. He reacted. He stayed with the game and, more importantly, with me in conversation. We weren’t talking about Alzheimer’s, or doctor’s appointments, or everything that’s been lost. We were just a father and daughter watching the Phillies, the way countless Philadelphia families have done for generations.
I left with a deeper appreciation for what sports can be. More than entertainment, they’re shared rituals. Conversation starters. Bridges across generations and time, they’re one of the few places where a disease that steals memory can’t quite steal the moment.
Sometimes the greatest gift a team gives its fans isn’t a win. It’s a reason to stay connected, one pitch at a time.
Go Phils.
Cyndi Reed Rickards is a former Jersey girl and proud Narberth resident who has remained a devoted Phillies and Eagles fan on both sides of the river. She learned from her dad at an early age that no one does heartbreak like a Philadelphia sports fan — and that Dallas will always suck.
How much does Dave Dombrowski believe in his best acquisition of the offseason?
By several metrics, Jonathan Bowlan has been one of the most productive relievers in the majors over the last 2½ months. Since May 3, he ranks among the top 15 in the majors in the following categories:
Strikeout rate (33.7%, 11th)
Walk rate (4.8%, 15th)
Strikeout/walk ratio (7.00, 8th)
Ground-ball rate (58.3%, 15th)
And then there is the most important category. Heading into Sunday, only three pitchers carried a lower ERA than the 0.86 Bowlan had posted in his last 21 outings: Robert Suarez (Braves), Luke Weaver (Mets), and Mason Miller (Padres).
That trio has logged a ton of high-leverage innings over the years. The question Dombrowski must ask himself: Can Bowlan do the same?
The answer should play a big role in the Phillies’ trade deadline strategy. The back of their bullpen has been leaking some serious oil as of late. Since June 1, Orion Kerkering, Brad Keller, and Jose Alvarado have combined to allow 18 of 42 batters to reach base in high-leverage situations in the seventh, eighth, or ninth inning. Of those 18 baserunners, nine have scored.
At this point, Kerkering shouldn’t be a serious consideration when the Phillies are projecting the top of their postseason depth chart. The 25-year-old righty’s struggles in pressure situations was a recurring theme even before last October’s meltdown in Game 4 at Dodger Stadium. Over the last two regular seasons, Kerkering has 37 strikeouts against 22 walks and hit-by-pitches in high-leverage situations. In the last two weeks, he has entered two late-game situations and then proceeded to walk three batters. There is nothing Kerkering can do between now and the trade deadline that should make the Phillies more comfortable with him high on the pecking order behind Jhoan Duran.
Orion Kerkering shouldn’t be a serious consideration for the top of the Phillies’ postseason depth chart.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Alvarado is fast approaching that point. The veteran lefty entered Sunday having allowed runs in eight of his last 19 outings, and at least two runs in six of them. Only two relievers in the majors had pitched as many innings as him with a higher ERA. The numbers are a little bit confusing. His 28.5 strikeout rate ranks 29th out of 171 qualified relievers. Although his walk rate is slightly worse than league average, it is markedly better than any that he posted during his prime years of 2021-24 (8.9% this season vs. a minimum of 10.5% previously). His fielding independent metrics are better than they’ve been since 2023.
Even taking all of that into consideration, Alvarado is a dramatically different pitcher than he was in 2022 and 2023, when he struck out 37% of his batters with a 2.14 FIP (3.38 this season). It’s fine to consider him a wild card vs. writing him out of the picture completely. But he won’t be anything more than a wild card before the trade deadline.
Keller? Even without the forearm issue, the Phillies haven’t seen much to make them comfortable heading into a postseason as the primary bridge to Duran. Opposing hitters have posted a whopping .856 OPS against him in high-leverage situations. In an ideal world, the 30-year-old is a sixth- or seventh-inning arm come October.
Which brings us back to Bowlan. Acquired in an offseason trade that sent Matt Strahm to Kansas City, Bowlan appears to have elbowed his way into his manager’s circle of trust. On Saturday night, Don Mattingly turned to Bowlan with two on and nobody out in the bottom of the eighth inning to protect a 4-1 lead. After hitting his first batter with a pitch to load the bases, Bowlan got Spencer Torkelson to ground into a double play. He escaped the inning with just the one run scored, walking Riley Greene before getting Eduardo Valencia to ground out.
It wasn’t exactly the cleanest audition. But maybe that counts for something. This was a big-boy spot. Middle of the order, a trio of young power hitters, two men already on base. To hit a batter and walk a batter and only allow one run at least shows a little bit of intestinal fortitude.
If Mattingly is going to make Bowlan his primary eighth-inning arm for the foreseeable future, then he is doing the right thing. At 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds, the 29-year-old righty sure looks the part. But that is still very much a hypothetical. Bowlan was predominantly a middle-innings guy during his three years in Kansas City. He isn’t a classic strikeout arm, whatever the overall numbers say this year. He has seven of them in 28 high-leverage plate appearances this season, compared with four walks. Again, though, the sample size is small. The Phillies would be wise to get a longer look at him.
In the meantime, there really isn’t a question about the trade deadline and the bullpen. The Phillies need to do everything they can to address it. A lot of people seem to want to frame it as an either/or, with regard to their clear holes in the outfield and/or from the right side of the plate. That’s not the right way to look at it. After this latest virtuoso performance by the top two pitchers in the Phillies’ rotation, and with Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber hitting like MVP candidates, Dombrowski can’t afford to pick and choose which holes he fills this July. Last year, the Blue Jays acquired Louis Varland and Ty France from the Twins in a deadline deal. The Phillies themselves landed Duran and Harrison Bader. They can and should be thinking quantity.
The real question right now is quality. Do the Phillies need an eighth-inning version of Duran? Or can they get by with a Varland type? A lot depends on how they feel about Bowlan. Because, right now, he looks like the only viable option.
The pandemonium at Veterans Stadium had started to quiet down after the Phillies won the 1980 World Series when John Romagnoli remembered he was wearing an all-access credential. He was caught up in the excitement, Romagnoli said. And he had to see where his pass could take him.
So the 19-year-old walked onto the field, stepped into the dugout, and wandered up the ramp that led to the clubhouse where the Phils were still celebrating their first World Series title.
“There’s Al Meltzer over there and I’m just standing back taking it all in,” Romagnoli said, referencing the longtime Philly TV sportscaster. “I’m just thinking ‘Holy smokes. This is unreal.’ There was a lot of joy just like you see on TV.”
Romagnoli’s father, Lou, was friends with the owners of the Phillies who gave the Romagnoli family tickets to Game 6 against Kansas City. Three years earlier, the Carpenter family arranged for John Romagnoli to rehab at the Vet with Phillies trainer Gus Hoefling after suffering a knee injury as a high school quarterback. Romagnoli befriended some players that summer as guys like Tug McGraw, Mike Schmidt, and Bob Boone encouraged him to keep working.
But they lost touch after his recovery. It was back to high school, Romagnoli said. And then McGraw — the pitcher who fired the strike past Willie Wilson and sent the stadium into a frenzy — spotted Romagnoli in the clubhouse.
“It was an eye lock,” said Romagnoli, now 65 and living in Wilmington. “He said, ‘Oh my gosh. This is for you.’”
McGraw removed his jersey and handed it to the person he used to work out with in the stadium’s weight room. Romagnoli said McGraw encouraged him when he was a teenager and cried when the pitcher gave him his jersey.
“I think he liked me,” Romagnoli said of McGraw, who died in 2004 at 59. “He cared. We had a bond. He’s a special person. It was all just surreal. You’re just in the mix and it’s all happening. You’re kind of stunned just taking it all in.”
Romagnoli kept McGraw’s jersey for years in his dresser drawer, often taking it out to remember that October night when he stepped into the clubhouse. He’s ready now to part with it. The jersey will be auctioned off this week by Hunt Auctions amid the All-Star Game festiviites.
Tug McGraw’s jersey from Game 6 of the 1980 World Series is being auctioned off this week by Hunt Auctions.Hunt Auctions
An online auction closes Monday night followed by a live auction on Tuesday at the All-Star Village at the Convention Center. It is expected to be sold for more than $300,000 and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the ALS Hope Foundation.
“Our family is thrilled that the jersey our dad wore for the final out of the 1980 World Series — the strikeout of Willie Wilson on October 21st at Veterans Stadium — has finally surfaced,” McGraw’s family said in a statement. “For more than four decades there has been mystery around what happened to that jersey, and we are grateful to have the rest of the story. Tug would appreciate the incredible story of its re-emergence more than anyone.”
Romagnoli would sometimes forget to check on the jersey for a few months, causing him to fear that moths ate it or someone stole it. But there it was in a Ziploc bag in his drawer. He used to bring the jersey to his children’s schools for show-and-tell, but the best reactions came when he shared it with people who remembered that night. They couldn’t believe he had McGraw’s jersey. He never thought about how much it was worth.
“It was about the relationship and the feeling of a friendship,” Romagnoli said.
The jersey was authenticated by MeiGray Authentication via photo matching. The company said the jersey “conclusively” matched the one worn by McGraw in Game 6. It was the real thing. But Romagnoli already knew that. It’s time for the jersey to find a new owner. Included with the auction is the credential that Romagnoli wore that night and led him into the clubhouse.
“Life goes on and you want to share it with others. That’s where we are,” he said. “It’s like a Picasso. I don’t think it should sit in somebody’s living room in Texas.”
Here’s a look at the locals who were selected on Day 2:
Fifth Round
Michael Anderson Jr. was selected by the Texas Rangers with the 149th pick in the draft. Anderson, a Drexel Hill native, played high school ball at Bonner-Prendergast before going to University of Rhode Island and then University of Arkansas.
The 6-foot-3 first baseman finished his collegiate career at Penn State, where he posted a record-breaking season for the Nittany Lions, earning him First Team All-Big 10 honors.
His 20 home runs set a program record, as well as his 18 hit-by-pitches. His 141 total bases and .742 slugging percentage were the fourth-most in a season in school history. He was second on the team with a .358 batting average and led the team in RBIs (53), hits (68), and OPS (1.212).
Sixth Round
The Chicago White Sox selected South Jersey’s Alex Weingartner at pick 166.
A two-way player at St. Augustine Prep, Weingartner was drafted as an outfielder but also pitched for the Hermits.
The Penn State pledge was named the 2025-26 Gatorade New Jersey Baseball Player of the Year following his senior season with the Hermits where he batted .495 with a .817 slugging percentage, 36 RBIs, 46 hits, and seven home runs. On the mound, Weingartner had a 6-1 record with a 0.87 ERA in 48.1 innings pitched, recording 81 strikeouts.
The 6-2 outfielder from Berlin was the number one prospect in the state for the class of 2026, according to Perfect Game, and is ranked 75th nationally.
Seventh Round
Yardley’s Joe Tiroly was selected by the San Diego Padres with the 215th pick.
The 6-foot second baseman from University of Virginia was one of just two Cavaliers to play in all 60 games. He led Virginia in hits (76), home runs (16), RBIs (66) and total bases (137) while batting .319.
Joe Tiroly played in all 60 games for Virginia last season.Matthew Hinton
Prior to playing at Virginia, Tiroly was at Rider where he led the team during his sophomore year in hits, doubles, triples, home runs, total bases, and slugging percentage. He also set a single-season record with his 70 RBIs and 66 runs.
Prior to entering college, Tiroly played at Pennsbury High where he was ranked as the No. 15 third baseman in the state.
Eighth round
Central Buck sEast graduate Aiden Weaver was selected 231st overall by the Athletics.
Weaver, a right-handed pitcher from Duke, finished the season with a 6.37 ERA across 65 innings pitched, tallying 87 strikeouts.
The 6-5 senior started in all 14 of his appearances, recording the most innings for the Blue Devils this season, but finished with a 4-9 record.
10th Round
Right-handed pitcher Luc Rising was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels with the 289th pick.
An Exton native, Rising started in 13 of his 16 appearances at Northeastern. The 6-f2 pitcher went 5-5 with a 3.54 ERA and 84 strikeouts, pitching 81.1 innings, including an inning in the CAA championship to help Northeastern secure its second consecutive conference title.
Luc Rising helped Northeastern win back-to-back conference titles in 2026.Colin E. Braley
Before playing at Northeastern for his senior year, Rising played at the Rochester Institute of Technology where he earned First Team All Liberty League honors and was named a Perfect Game College Baseball League All-Star. Rising played baseball at Downingtown East.
Later in the 10th round, Andrew Gaines was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers with the 311th pick.
A pitcher at St. Joseph’s, the 6-5 senior from Marlton was selected to Atlantic 10 all-conference second team after matching the St. Joe’s single-season save record (10).
The 6-5 right hander finished the season with a 4.99 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 30.2 innings pitched, helping St. Joe’s set a program record for most wins in a season.
Gaines graduated from St. Augustine Prep before going to Iona College. He then transferred to Pitt after two seasons before spending his senior year with the Hawks.
12th Round
Christian Coppola from St. Joe’s was selected by the Phillies with the 369th pick.
A 6-5 right-handed pitcher from Galloway, Atlantic County, Coppola transferred to St. Joe’s this year after spending two seasons at Rutgers and one at Arizona.
Christian Coppola helped St. Joe’s set a program record for wins in a season.Jason E. Miczek
This season, the relief pitcher had a 1.69 ERA in 37.1 innings pitched for the Hawks, earning him American Baseball Coaches Association All-East Regional first team honors.
Coppola played high school ball at Cedar Creek, where he set the school record for single season strikeouts during his senior year.
15th Round
Souderton Area graduate Liam O’Leary went to the Pittsburgh Pirates as the 438th pick overall.
O’Leary, a right-handed pitcher from St. John’s, played previous seasons with Lackawanna Community College and Montgomery County Community College.
This season, the 6-4 junior posted a 3.64 ERA, pitching 108.2 innings after starting in all 17 of his appearances. He added 78 strikeouts to 32 walks to his statline for a 1.23 WHIP and a 8-5 record.
St. Joe’s had its third player drafted in the 17th round, when Duke McCarron went to the Miami Marlins with the 505th pick.
The 6-foot right hander spent his junior year with the Hawks after spending a season at Maryland and one at State College of Florida. He finished this season with a 5.27 ERA after pitching 70 innings, starting all 15 games he appeared in for a 4-3 record.
Duke McCarron spent one season at Maryland before transferring to St. Joe’s.Mike Buscher
McCarron, one of the main arms for St. Joe’s this season, hails from Ventnor, N.J. and played baseball for Ocean City High.
18th Round
Philly’s Mark Quatrani went to the Padres with the 545th pick.
A graduate of the Haverford School and a junior at Notre Dame, Quatrani earned a Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Semifinalist and a second team all-ACC nod after only his first season with the Fighting Irish.
In his 53 games started, the 5-11 catcher posted the best batting average on the team, with a .376, also leading in hits (80), RBIs (66), and slugging percentage (.643). Quatrani was second on the team in home runs (15) and total bases (137). Defensively, he caught 14 runners out during the season.
19th Round
The Phillies had another local selection with the 579th pick, drafting Braeden Lipoff from Gloucester Catholic.
The 5-11 catcher batted .459 during his senior year with the Rams and is the 18th-ranked catcher nationally for the Class of 2026, according to Perfect Game. A native of Woolwich, Gloucester County, he ranks second for catchers in his class from the state.
The East Carolina recruit was also a two-time all-state honoree and played a role behind the plate in three of Gloucester Catholic’s four consecutive state titles.
20th Round
Late in the final round of the draft, Lafayette’s Tristan Helmick was drafted by the Cleveland Guardians at 602nd overall.
In his third season with the Leopards, Helmick had 11 appearances on the mound, all of them starts, owning a 5.78 ERA, 62 strikeouts, and a 1.48 WHIP with 62.1 innings pitched.
Tristan Helmick posted a 1.48 WHIP last season.Greg M. Cooper
The 6-6 right hander, originally from Fort Washington attended La Salle College High, where he was first team all-catholic and first team all-county, finishing his senior year with a 2.30 ERA and 6-1 record with 48.1 innings pitched.
The penultimate pick of the draft belonged to the Toronto Blue Jays, who selected Eddie Rosado Jr. from Holy Ghost Prep.
The 6-foot left-handed batter led Holy Ghost Prep in batting average (.463), OPS (1.545), hits (37), runs (44), and home runs (8), also setting the school career hit record with 111.
The outfielder from Bristol is committed to St. Joe’s and was ranked second in the state nationally for outfielders in his class by Perfect Game. He was also named to the 2026 Class 4A all-state team.
In six drafts since Brian Barber was hired to head up the amateur scouting department, the Phillies’ best pick so far came in the fifth round: Orion Kerkering in 2022.
They were shopping for another steal Sunday.
One day after using their first pick — No. 36 overall — to take a big swing for Tyler Spangler, a high school shortstop who didn’t play this season because of a back injury, the Phillies completed the draft with one pick in each of the final 16 rounds.
If there was a theme, 18 of their 21 picks were college players. Barber said the college-heavy emphasis was due in large part to having the fifth-lowest bonus pool ($7.773 million) from which to sign players. And they will spend a chunk of that money to lure Spangler away from Stanford.
“Once you do the Tyler Spanglers of the world, and then trying to work off of your budget pool that you have, you’re just not going to be able to sign too many high school players,” Barber said. “Those two don’t match up very well, to be honest with you.”
A roundup of the Phillies’ Day 2 selections:
Round 5
Will Gasparino, OF, UCLA
A teammate of No. 1 overall pick Roch Cholowsky, the 21-year-old broke out this season with 20 homers and a 1.071 OPS. At 6-foot-6, Gasparino figures to bring right-handed power into a system that needs it.
“It’s a tremendous body,” Barber said. “It’s large, it’s athletic. He’s always had the huge tools. He can really play center field. He can run, he can throw, and he can hit the ball a long way. And his game has come a long way in the last, I’ll say, 12 to 18 months.
“As far as trying to translate some of those raw tools into skills now, it’s just a guy that we’re excited to try to see that progress continue because we know he has the pure ability to be an impact player in the big leagues.”
Gasparino is also from a baseball family. His dad, Billy, ran the Dodgers’ draft room for five years as amateur scouting director before moving to the major league side as vice president of baseball operations.
The Phillies drafted catching depth in North Carolina’s Macon Winslow.Ben McKeown
Round 6
Macon Winslow, C, North Carolina
Because of the time it takes to develop in the minors, teams hardly ever draft for need at the major league level. Still, the Phillies passed on multiple chances on Day 1 to add organizational catching depth behind 36-year-old J.T. Realmuto.
Winslow, 21, transferred from Duke and had a strong start to his junior year before fracturing a hand and shifting into a DH role. He’s expected to remain behind the plate in pro ball.
Led by analyst David Slusser, the Phillies identified qualities in Rhudy’s fastball that they believe will make it a major league pitch. Barber cited Rhudy’s low arm slot and “vertical rise” in spin and movement that creates swings-and-misses.
Rhudy, like Sheerin, was a reliever in college, closing out games for Tennessee with a fastball-slider combination.
“I happened to see him at the SEC Tournament when he was more in the 94- to 96-mph range and hitters have no chance against it,” Barber said, noting that Rhudy was 91-92 mph earlier in the year. “We’re hoping to see that velocity continue to rise along with the innate qualities that he has with it and for that pitch to continue to work.”
Louisville pitcher Wyatt DanilowiczMichael Wyke
Round 8
Wyatt Danilowicz, LHP, Louisville
In continuing their run on college pitchers, the Phillies snatched a lefty. Danilowicz, 22, was a reliever for two years at Louisville before moving to the rotation and posting a 6.00 ERA in 14 starts.
Round 9
Cooper Consiglio, LHP, North Carolina State
After a tough sophomore year in the bullpen, the 20-year-old’s stock rose last summer in the Cape Cod League. He went back to college and struggled again, with a 6.90 ERA in 16 games (11 starts).
Consiglio played for longtime NC State coach Elliott Avent, who had Trea Turner in his program for three seasons.
Rhode Island infielder Reece MoroneyMatthew Hinton
Round 10
Reece Moroney, SS, Univ. of Rhode Island
Undersized players from Northeast colleges are often overlooked. But Moroney, 5-11 and 185 pounds, caught the attention of scouts because of his contact skills and ability to reach base.
As a sophomore, he batted .356 with a .464 on-base percentage before hitting .370 and reaching base at a .426 clip as a junior.
Round 11
Drew Titsworth, RHP, Clemson
Like many of the other college pitchers in the Phillies’ draft class, the 21-year-old tries to create deception by throwing from a low arm slot. He gained experience as a starter and reliever in college.
Saint Joseph’s pitcher Christian CoppolaJason E. Miczek
Round 12
Christian Coppola, RHP, St. Joseph’s
The Phillies stayed local to find another college pitcher.
Coppola went to Cedar Creek High School in Egg Harbor City, N.J., then pitched as a starter at Rutgers for two seasons. He transferred to Arizona for one year before coming home to St. Joseph’s. He’s a reliever now, with a sweeping slider and fastball.
“He’s got swing-and-miss stuff, to be honest with you,” Barber said. “This is a guy that we identified a couple of months ago. Left-handed guy with good stuff who gets swing-and-miss with his repertoire.”
Round 13
Brayden Bakes, OF, Illinois State
After dislocating his left shoulder twice and medically redshirting as a freshman at Indiana, he transferred, got healthy, and batted .360 with 24 homers and a 1.091 OPS over the last two seasons.
Bakes, 21, is a left-handed hitter with a stocky build (5-10, 195). He had almost as many walks (64) as strikeouts (65) at Illinois State.
Patrick Clemmey, LHP, Avon Old Farms School (Conn.)
One of only three high schoolers selected by the Phillies and the first since Spangler at No. 36 overall, Clemmey had a private workout at Citizens Bank Park last month and impressed with a 6-5 frame and mid-90s heater.
Now, the Phillies have to sign him.
Clemmey graduated from a Rhode Island high school, then did a postgraduate year at Avon Old Farms after decommitting to Vanderbilt. Now, he’s committed to Georgia … unless the Phillies show him the money.
“I feel pretty confident that we’re going to bring him into the mix here, but nothing’s ever done until it’s done,” Barber said. “When were found out this was a possibility to hopefully sign him, we were all over it and took him at the earliest opportunity.”
George Mason infielder Owen Clyne Mike Buscher
Round 15
Owen Clyne, SS, George Mason
A versatile infielder, the 22-year-old played shortstop, second base, and third base in college. He also walked 72 times and struck out only 64 in two seasons, while batting .338 with 13 homers and 41 stolen bases.
Round 16
Matt Quintanar, C, Texas Tech
After transferring from Blinn College in Texas, he made 53 starts behind the plate as a junior and batted .323 with six homers and an .870 OPS. But his strength may be his defense. He threw out 44.9% of basestealers to lead the Power 4 conferences (SEC, ACC, Big 12, Big Ten).
Despite featuring three offspeed pitches (gyro slider, changeup, curveball), the 22-year-old settled into a relief role as a freshman at Pepperdine and kept pitching out of the bullpen after transferring to USC.
As a junior, he had a 4.28 ERA in 31 appearances this season. Command is an issue, with 19 walks in 33⅔ innings.
Round 18
Lane Haworth, OF, Texas-San Antonio
A left-handed hitter, he spent two seasons at Wichita State before transferring within the American Athletic Conference and having his best season yet. In 57 games, the 21-year-old batted .315, nine homers, more walks (44) than strikeouts (38), and a .927 OPS.
Round 19
Braeden Lipoff, C, Gloucester Catholic High (N.J.)
The Phillies didn’t have to look far for Lipoff, whom they worked out along with Clemmey. But will the South Jersey native stay home and sign with the Phillies? He’s committed to East Carolina University.
“This is one that we’re probably going to have to work a little bit on,” Barber said. “I do think there’s a chance. We’ve gotten to know him quite well. This one’s not a done deal, but I don’t think we’re super far apart, either. I’m very hopeful, but I don’t know quite yet.”
Round 20
Justin Lee, RHP, Notre Dame HS (Calif.)
Lee went to the same high school as Jack McDowell, Giancarlo Stanton, and Hunter Greene, and was highly touted as a hard-throwing reliever when he arrived at UCLA. But he had a 7.55 ERA and a 6.75 mark in his first two seasons. The 21-year-old was better as a junior, with a 3.26 ERA, albeit in only 19⅓ innings.
Gage Wood was the envy of the National League Futures team locker room on Sunday at Citizens Bank Park.
Not only did Wood earn the starting nod in the MLB All-Star Futures Game, but he also took the mound in his potential future home ballpark.
“When I got up those steps, and I got out there on that grass, I looked up and I was like, ‘Wow, this looks way bigger than from the suite when we signed last year,’” Wood said. “That was awesome. The park’s huge. Everybody here was like, ‘Man, you’ve got a good home park.’”
Wood, the No. 2 prospect in the Phillies farm system and No. 51 across MLB, gave up a hit and a run on 11 pitches in the top of the first. The American League Futures team went on to win the seven-inning game, 6-1.
“It was fun,” Wood said after his start. “I know before that first pitch my heart was pumping.”
The Phillies picked Wood out of Arkansas with the 26th overall pick in the 2025 MLB draft. The right-handed pitcher started his season with Clearwater, the Phillies’ low-A affiliate, before earning a promotion to double-A Reading in May.
Gage Wood (center) heads to the dugout before pitching in the Futures Game on Sunday.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Wood has a 3.45 ERA and 1.15 WHIP across eight starts for Reading, which earned him a spot on the National League Futures team.
“I hope it was a moment he’ll never forget,” Victorino said before Sunday’s game. “It’s always an honor to hand the ball to someone that’s a home-team kid, who will get an opportunity, hopefully, to someday pitch for that team.”
Wood gave up a leadoff single to Leo De Vries, MLB Pipeline’s No. 2 prospect. De Vries stole second and third before coming home on a Franklin Arias ground out.
After De Vries scored, Wood kept the other batters he faced off the base paths. Luis Peña ranged back from his spot at third base to snag a Ralphy Velazquez fly ball down the left-field foul line, earning a tip of the cap from Wood.
Walker Jenkins then grounded out to first base on the first pitch to end Wood’s inning.
Wood finished his lone inning without a strikeout, but nine of his 11 pitches were strikes. He threw two changeups, two sliders, and seven fastballs, topping out at 97.7 mph.
While Sunday’s outing gave Wood a glimpse of his potential future, Wood is not interested in projecting when he will be ready for the majors.
“I don’t look that far ahead into things,” Wood said. “I just, kind of, stay where I’m at. [My] main goal was to go out there today and enjoy this experience with these awesome players. I’m very blessed to be here.”
Wood was not the only Phillies pitching prospect in action on Sunday.
Wen-Hui Pan, the No. 12 prospect in their system, took the mound with two outs and the bases empty in the top of the sixth inning.
Pan walked the first batter, then gave up a two-run homer to Nathan Flewelling. Pan struck out Xavier Neyens to end the top of the sixth and was replaced in the seventh.
Phillies prospect Wen-Hui Pan gave up two earned runs in 1/3 of an inning on Sunday in the Futures Game.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
This season, Pan, 23, has a 3.38 ERA in eight relief appearances since being called up to double-A Reading in June.
Before Sunday’s Futures Game, Pan said he relished an opportunity to take the mound at Citizens Bank Park.
“[I am] really excited about the game today,” Pan said through a translator. “Before [I get] into the major leagues, [I am] really happy that he got a chance to get on this mound and pitch in this stadium.”
Both teams of minor league prospects were managed by former Phillies. Victorino, who won a World Series with the Phillies in 2008, managed the NL team, while Larry Bowa led the American League team.
“When you have an opportunity to have an organization love you as much as you love the organization, that means a lot,” Victorino said. “To be able to do stuff with Major League Baseball as well, and be asked to do this, the Futures Game, the opportunities with MLBx and all the other things around Philadelphia this weekend, it’s an honor.”
Bowa, who won the World Series with the Phillies in 1980, stacked his staff with former Phillies. Juan Samuel, Milt Thompson, Billy Wagner, and Michael Bourn all coached with Bowa on Sunday.
Former Phillie Shane Victorino was the National League manager in the Futures Game on Sunday.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Bowa, 80, had two stints managing the Phillies and has served as a senior adviser to baseball operations since 2017.
“I’ve been very fortunate,” Bowa said. “Not only with health and the good man upstairs, but [with] the organization, the Phillies. … The fact they let me do this. Without the help of those guys, I couldn’t keep suiting up the way I’m doing right now.”
