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Category: Phillies/MLB

  • Take me out to the gift shop: How the All-Star Game has become a major-league merchandising machine

    Take me out to the gift shop: How the All-Star Game has become a major-league merchandising machine

    The All-Star Game returns to Philadelphia in coming days with more than baseball.

    It arrives with two sprawling shopping destinations, hundreds of exclusive products, and a merchandising operation at both the Convention Center and Citizens Bank Park. Fanatics, the sports-commerce giant, will anchor All-Star Village with a flagship store, while Aramark has transformed the two-level Phillies New Era Team Store at the ballpark into a showcase of All-Star-exclusive merchandise.

    Like the FIFA World Cup, Super Bowl, Formula One races, and the recent PGA Classic at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Major League Baseball treats its marquee events as multiday fan festivals. The result: The Midsummer Classic has become as much a retail event as a baseball event.

    All-Star-theme baseball gloves on display at All-Star Village inside the Convention Center.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    “Commercially, it ranks in our top three events,” said Jamie Leece, a senior vice president with MLB. “From a business perspective, I’d say it’s our most important because we’re bringing every team together in one place.”

    A look inside All-Star Village

    Unlike the postseason, where only a handful of teams remain, the All-Star Game draws fans from all 30 teams. MLB expects more than 80,000 people to visit All-Star Village over the four days.

    “We have passionate fans who travel to multiple All-Star Games, and we also have people attending for the first time,” Leece said. “We want to make sure they have an incredible experience and can find merchandise that reflects their fandom.”

    A temporary retail city

    The biggest attraction inside All-Star Village may also be its biggest business.

    The merchandise at All-Star Village inside the Convention Center includes posters and original art.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    Fanatics, led by Philadelphia-area entrepreneur Michael Rubin, will operate a 16,000-square-foot flagship store at the Convention Center — its largest All-Star retail footprint since Los Angeles hosted the game in 2022. The company says the store, open to ticket holders, will carry more than 400 product styles from Nike, New Era, Mitchell & Ness, Homage, WinCraft, ’47 Brand, and Fanatics.

    The assignment is fitting for a company with deep local roots. Fanatics traces its modern growth to Rubin’s King of Prussia-based GSI Commerce, which acquired the business in 2011. After eBay purchased GSI, Rubin bought Fanatics back and transformed it into one of the world’s largest sports-commerce companies.

    Today, analysts say the privately held company expects about $13 billion in revenue this year and employs more than 22,000 people worldwide. In addition to operating licensed merchandise for the major professional leagues, it owns Topps, the baseball-card maker, and has expanded into collectibles, sports betting, live events, and media.

    A Phillies throwback jersey on sale at All-Star Village inside the Convention Center.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    Under a long-term partnership with MLB and Nike, Fanatics manufactures and distributes much of Major League Baseball’s licensed fan apparel, making the All-Star Village store the public face of a merchandising operation that extends far beyond All-Star Week in Philadelphia. Most of the merchandise in the store was conceived, approved, manufactured, and shipped months before fans ever walked through the Convention Center doors.

    This year’s assortment leans heavily into Philadelphia.

    Shirts available at the All-Star Village at the Convention Center.Michael Klein / Staff

    The company said host-city merchandise, particularly jerseys and hats, has become an increasingly important part of every All-Star collection. Philadelphia-themed offerings include Homage’s Grateful Dead-inspired Patriot T-shirt and “Always Sunny in Philly” shirt, ’47 Brand’s “Hit That Jawn” and cheesesteak-themed designs, and Sportiqe’s Elton John-inspired “Philadelphia Freedom” T-shirt.

    Home-field advantage

    If Fanatics anchors the Convention Center, Aramark — the Phillies’ concessionaire — is treating Citizens Bank Park as a shopping destination in its own right. Its two-story shop is open daily to the public except for Sunday.

    After the July 2 home game against the Pirates, Aramark workers cleared the store of all regular Phillies merchandise and began loading in All-Star items. The store was expanded in the offseason to about 7,500 square feet.

    Some of the 84 All-Star pins designed by Aramark that are for sale at Citizens Bank Park. Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    Francis Winkey, Aramark’s senior merchandise manager at the ballpark, said the store has about 400 All-Star items, about 75% of them exclusive. Winkey, a pin collector himself, commissioned 84 pins, including one representing each major-league team.

    Behind the displays is a manufacturing process that begins more than a year before the first pitch. MLB develops the event’s logos and branding, then works with dozens of licensed manufacturers specializing in a wide range of products — caps, jerseys, drinkware, collectibles, and other souvenirs. Companies submit designs for league approval before production begins, often months in advance, at factories overseas.

    The biggest complication is that no one knows who will make the All-Star teams until shortly before the game. Most merchandise, therefore, celebrates the event or the host city rather than individual players. When player-specific products are planned, manufacturers often build in flexibility so they can be finished after the rosters are announced.

    At Citizens Bank Park, Aramark’s Francis Winkey holds souvenir baseballs that were stamped with Bryce Harper’s name after he was named to the All-Star Game roster.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    Take the commemorative baseballs that Winkey dreamed up. Last fall, he ordered Rawlings baseballs featuring bold All-Star graphics that intentionally had one blank panel.

    Once the rosters were announced, Winkey had a domestic factory finish the baseballs. “When I knew Shohei Ohtani made the team, I could put Ohtani’s name on it,” Winkey said. “It’s a combination of long-term planning and a short-term reaction.”

    The store carries six player editions, including Ohtani and Phillies sluggers Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, for $17 a throw.

    Bigger every year

    MLB executives say the retail operation has grown alongside the event itself.

    “Whenever we’ve expanded the retail space, we’ve seen the business grow,” said Leece, of MLB. “It’s always a balancing act because All-Star Village is a celebration of baseball, not just a shopping destination. We want activations, interactive experiences, and things for fans to do beyond buying merchandise.”

    The assortment has expanded, too. “We have more licensees creating more unique items,” Leece said. “International fandom has grown significantly, so we now have fans traveling from all over the world. As the audience has expanded, so has the variety of merchandise. One category that’s really emerged over the last several years is oversized chains and necklaces. They’re a good example of a product category that really came out of nowhere.”

    A commemorative shirt from Fanatics affiliate ’47 available at the All-Star Village at the Convention Center.Michael Klein / Staff

    Philadelphia’s role as host city during the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration also shaped the collection. “It always starts with the identity of the host city,” Leece said. “Philadelphia’s history aligns naturally with the Phillies’ identity.”

    Across the ballpark, All-Star Village, and MLB’s online stores, about 600 products will be available during the week.

    One operational change won’t be visible on the sales floor.

    “We’ll have the largest on-site retail staff we’ve ever had, both at All-Star Village and the ballpark,” Leece said. “We want fans to spend less time waiting in line and more time enjoying everything else the event has to offer.”

    In addition to those stores, Fanatics brand Mitchell & Ness is selling All-Star merchandise at its new store at 1513 Walnut St.

    Retail analysts say the All-Star Game occupies a unique niche in the licensed sports business.

    Commemorative T-shirts on display at All-Star Village.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    “The All-Star Game is really about on-site souvenirs,” said Matt Powell, founder of the sports retail consultancy Spurwink River. “People are there and want something to commemorate the experience because it’s essentially a one-off event.”

    Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, said demand tends to split between wearable keepsakes and collectibles.

    “One is simple products like T-shirts or caps linked to the Phillies or the All-Star Game,” Saunders said. “The other is collectible items that can be more expensive. The real fans or those who love collecting are enthusiastic about these.”

    The All-Star retail boom reflects the growth of licensed sports merchandise into a multibillion-dollar global business. One industry estimate valued the market at $38 billion in 2025, with North America accounting for more than half of sales. Apparel remains the largest category, helping explain why jerseys, caps, and other wearable souvenirs dominate event retail.

    Unlike merchandise driven by blockbuster trades or new uniforms, Powell said, All-Star merchandise derives much of its value from the event itself.

    Fans aren’t simply buying apparel. They’re buying proof they were there.

    Yet for all the focus on merchandise, Leece said the larger goal is creating memories.

    “I hope they slow down,” he said. “I hope they walk in, look around, and appreciate that they’re somewhere special. This is baseball’s World’s Fair. It only happens once a year, and for Philadelphia it only comes around every couple of decades.”

  • How four families received behind-the-scenes All-Star experiences in Philadelphia

    How four families received behind-the-scenes All-Star experiences in Philadelphia

    Mastery Cramer Hill students Joshua Medina and Alyssa Negron were feeling confident about their chances in the MLB Players STEM League regional tournament last month at Drexel.

    The two 14-year-olds were competing against 24 other middle schoolers in a board game in which players use statistics to draft teams and batting lineups. MLB Players STEM League is a baseball-inspired program created by the Major League Baseball Players Association’s Players Trust that integrates the real-world game into the classroom.

    “The strategies that me and Alyssa had, nobody could take it and use it for themselves,” Medina said. “We felt [empowered] to win everything. And some of the competitors were my classmates, and they were cheering us on in the final game. It was very heartwarming.”

    Everything you need to know about the MLB All-Star Game coming to Philly

    Medina and Negron finished with a 4-1 record to take home the title, win tickets to a Phillies game, and earn a behind-the-scenes look at the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby.

    “These students are two of many incredible achievers who have done great and have learned from the game,” said Amy Hever, executive director of the Players Trust. “And they are going to be seen by many. We are excited about seeing how other students and other youth are like, ‘Wow, that could be me. I could have this opportunity and also get to play this really cool, fun game. Sign me up.’”

    Although the STEM League led to an opportunity for the Negron family to attend the All-Star festivities, Alyssa’s father, Jonathan, is more proud of her growth in her first year competing.

    “She’s been more open to trying new things than before,” Jonathan said. “She never really wanted to before, but this was her last year at Mastery, so I was like, ‘Hey, let’s try whatever you want. I got your back. We’ll get through it together.’ And she tried this out, and she said her math wasn’t that good. But, hey, they both came out together and got through it.”

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    Medina and Negron met players like Brandon Marsh on the field at the Phillies game against the New York Mets that they attended. Now, they’re looking forward to meeting even more All-Stars this weekend.

    “It was really fun meeting the players,” Alyssa said. “Like, you hear about them all on TV. So to meet one in person was a good experience. I’m looking forward to meeting new players and spending time with everybody who is going. I want to meet Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, and Shohei Ohtani.”

    Joshua Medina, 14, and Alyssa Negron, 14, met the Phillies’ Brandon Marsh ahead of a game against the New York Mets last month.Players Trust

    Medina and Negron aren’t the only ones who will be treated to a behind-the-scenes All-Star experience. Through the Players Trust’s Players Exchange program, which teaches communication skills through insight from MLB players, 12-year-old Philadelphia native Isabella Gonzales will act as an interview correspondent during media day.

    Players Trust also partnered with Kyle Schwarber’s Neighborhood Heroes, which supports first responders, military personnel, and their families, to bring the family of late Central Berks Regional Police Officer Kristen Yeager for a close-up of the All-Star action.

    Yeager died in a crash as she was responding to an emergency call on May 29. She left behind three children: Tanner (9), Conner (8), and Carli (5) and her husband, Dustin.

    “It’s amazing, you know, the people that do this stuff behind the scenes,” Dustin said. “You don’t necessarily know that it’s going on until there’s an unfortunate event. But in my case, it’s just amazing that there’s people out there willing to do that work and give you and others that experience when you’re at a loss. For the kids to have that experience to see the park, to get that distraction, to let them know there’s good out there even when bad things happen. There’s still people that do amazing things and help you out.”

    What makes Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber such unique stars? We asked each about the other.

    This won’t be the first time the family experiences Citizens Bank Park. A few weeks after the incident, Schwarber met with the family on the field.

    “We went down and met him, and he sat with the kids for a little bit and invited us to the Home Run Derby,” Dustin said. “I think it’s still hard for them to even grasp the whole situation like how good of a player he is, how lucky they are to be able to sit with him for half an hour and talk to him. They just asked questions like ‘How many home runs he hit?’ They were interested and happy to meet him.”

    Dustin, who works at FirstEnergy Stadium, and his family typically attend Reading Fightin’ Phils games. But the 10,000-seat minor league park is dwarfed by the 42,901-seat Citizens Bank Park.

    “It’s cool to see their eyes open up when you walk down there and see something that big on that scale,” Dustin said. “Having them be on the field again, that’s just a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the kids. Just looking forward to their reaction and even afterward, explaining to them how lucky they are to get this experience, even though it came from a tragedy.”

  • The Griffeys hope their legacy can be used as a force to attract interest in Black American players

    The Griffeys hope their legacy can be used as a force to attract interest in Black American players

    There was an obvious sense of pride coursing through Citizens Bank Park Friday night as every baseball player, coach and keeper of the game opened Philadelphia’s days-long All-Star Game celebration with the annual showcase HBCU Swingman Classic, a game featuring elite players from historically Black colleges and universities.

    Alongside that sense of pride was also a palpable sense of urgency, too obvious to be an undercurrent, too important to be ignored.

    Certainly, former players, coaches and managers who are African American don’t ignore the conundrum that in a game that is arguably more diverse than it’s ever been yet fighting a decline in the number of Black Americans participating on the field. The sport that annually celebrates color-barrier breaker Jackie Robinson has seen the percentage of Black players dwindle from a record high of approximately 18% in 1991 to 6.8% this season.

    The HBCU Swingman Classic kicks off the All-Star festivities in Philly: ‘It was just phenomenal’

    The Swingman Classic, the brainchild of Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., was born out of a belief that a game had to recapture the hearts and minds of Black America. To succeed completely, the game once more has to convince a culture that its history and populations have not been “lost, stolen and strayed,” to borrow a civil rights term from the 1960s.

    Griffey Jr., who works with Major League Baseball, the players’ union and other entities to rebuild a shrinking constituency, makes clear his intent.

    “This is very important to me,” Griffey Jr., 56, said prior to the Classic clash. “I feel that I’m helping the parenting of baseball and giving these young kids an opportunity to be seen. ‘Cause I’ve lived my dream. I’ve gone out there, played 22 years. I want the same opportunity for every kid. No matter your background, as a kid, you just want to be seen and be heard.”

    Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., walks on the field during batting practice before the HBCU Swingman Classic on Friday at Citizens Bank Park.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    From early childhood, Junior had no trouble being seen or heard, while growing up in major league clubhouses and watching and learning the game as his father, Ken Griffey Sr., thrived in 19 big-league seasons. “It was always, ‘Dad, I want to be a major league player.’ Junior was always so proud to get out on the field on Father-Son Day. It was fun. And he was good,” Griffey Sr. said.

    He was also a great student, blessed with talent, genes, and a thirst to learn from the plenty of icons he mingled with. The likes of Willie Mays, Henry Aaron, Willie McCovey, and other greats graced his mother’s dinner table when in Cincinnati to play Senior’s Reds. He played on the field with the children of his father’s teammates like Pete Rose and Tony Perez. He was in the presence of Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan routinely.

    Getting that close-up of an era that embodied the golden age of Black American ball showed Junior the way, and the sweet-swinging, Gold Glove-fielding center fielder made the most of what he learned, using his skills through 22 seasons to build a Hall of Fame career.

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    Neither father nor son is willing to rest on their laurels. While both insist that their shared experiences did not lead them to ever judge teammates by color, nationality, or ethnicity, that did not mean either wanted to see the legacy built by their own culture disappear from the game.

    Senior is especially too well aware of a change gone awry. “When I played in Cincinnati, I would walk into a clubhouse with Joe Morgan, George Foster, Ed Armbrister, Danny Driessen, Hal King and Tommy Hall.” And on the Yankees teams he played on? “Well, they put us altogether, on one side of the clubhouse, so it was easy to spot us,” he said, laughing. “There was Oscar Gamble, Andre Robertson, Billy Sample, Willie Randolph, Groove [Don Baylor], Big Blood [Dave Winfield]. And Rudy May was over with the pitchers.”

    No major league team can point to such an abundance of homegrown players of color today. If a team has more than two or three African Americans, it makes headlines on Jackie Robinson Day. What also makes headlines is teams that have no African American players in highly publicized events like the 2022 World Series between the Phillies and Houston Astros.

    Members of the National League team line up during player introductions before the HBCU Swingman Classic.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Tuesday, the Phillies will have on hand the Black players who constructed positive vibes decades after the team treated Jackie Robinson horrifically. Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard surely will lend their support to the All-Star Phillies’ family fest. Dick Allen memories will abound. Gary Matthews and Garry Maddox should be easy to spot. And yet that urgency about how to include African Americans in the game’s massive number of people of color will linger long after the midseason classic ends.

    That is why Junior Griffey, with his father at his side, is focused not on fastballs, but on the formula that assures that Black players will be seen by scouts, teams, GMs, and eventually fan bases.

    It will require work as well as events like the Swingman Classic to begin to break the mesmerizing allure of the NBA and NFL when it comes to athletes gifted enough to go in more than one direction. This the Griffeys know. This Griffey Sr. has lived, as have three grandsons who chose to play football, one — Trey — professionally with the Steelers.

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    “Baseball was my fourth sport, behind football, basketball and track,” said Senior. “And we were a football family. My father played college football. I was all-state in Pennsylvania. But a baseball scout watched me. He got tryouts with the Pirates, then two with the Reds. I faced Doc Medich in batting practice and hit two home runs.”

    A contract followed after Cincinnati drafted Griffey Sr. in the 29th and final round of the amateur draft. Years later, he watched Junior become the first pick in the 1987 draft. “Dad was the last person picked by the Reds in his draft,” Junior said. “He spent 19 years in the big leagues because somebody took a chance.

    “Some of these kids here, going to these schools, they get lost in the shuffle,” Junior added. “Scouts or someone else, they don’t go into these inner-city kids and find these diamonds in a rough. So, I can see 15 guys, but it may be this one guy that’s playing over here that is a monster. The key is you look.”

    No one guarantees a Griffey will break through because of this one event. But 10 participants in past three HBCU Classics have been drafted.

    Will baseball turn to its past, to a time when HBCUs used to be fonts of future baseball talents? For once Jackie arrived in 1947, the talent hunt was on, waged by forward-thinking teams that could not resist talents to be found within the Negro Leagues, on farm fields, in the factories and, yes, the nation’s HBCUs.

    From Morgan State in Baltimore, Joe Black, one of Robinson’s first Black teammates in Brooklyn, and the first Black pitcher to win a World Series game. Hall of Famers Lou Brock (Southern University), Andre Dawson (Florida A&M), and mainstays such as Tommie Agee, (Grambling State), Cecil Cooper (Prairie View A&M), and Marquis Grissom and Vince Coleman (Florida A&M) followed.

    Phillies prospect Gage Wood will start in MLB Futures Game on Sunday at Citizens Bank Park

    “Now people say Blacks don’t play baseball anymore,” Senior said. “That’s not true. Every year I go down to Vero Beach for the Hank Aaron Invitational. Over 200 kids show up, little kids to teens. And these kids can play.”

    Indeed, graduates of the Aaron annual camp and showcase include the Braves’ Michael Harris II, the Cardinals’ Jordan Walker, White Sox rookie Braden Montgomery, the Yankees’ Carlos Rodon and the Nationals’ Nasim Nuñez. They all came through one or more of baseball’s programs designed to attract American players of color to the game.

    Oh, and there is one other youngster worth mentioning. Justin Crawford, son of former major leaguer Carl Crawford, now patrols center field for the Phillies.

    Crawford, like Griffey Jr., is working hard in the family business, building not only on a family legacy, but one baseball is dusting off and showing off again, the Griffeys hope.

    Claire Smith is the founding executive director of the Claire Smith Center for Sports Media at Temple University. She is in the writers’ wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame and a Red Smith Award honoree.

  • The HBCU Swingman Classic kicks off the All-Star festivities in Philly: ‘It was just phenomenal’

    The HBCU Swingman Classic kicks off the All-Star festivities in Philly: ‘It was just phenomenal’

    The first event at Citizens Bank Park for All-Star Weekend was held on Friday night as almost 17,000 people filled into the ballpark for the fourth annual HBCU Swingman Classic.

    Created by MLB Hall of Fame player Ken Griffey Jr., the game featured former Phillies World Series champion Jimmy Rollins as the manager of the National League team. Rickie Weeks, who spent 14 seasons in MLB and had a legendary college career at Southern University, a Baton Rouge, La. based historically Black university, was the manager of the American League.

    The American League rode a three-run first inning to open the game to secure a 6-1 win.

    ‘Overlooked’ Santino Harwood got his chance at an HBCU despite not being Black. Now he’s in the Swingman Classic.

    And Philadelphia local Santino Harwood helped them get there. Harwood, was one of 50 players across 19 historically Black colleges and universities selected to participate in the game. He entered in the top of the fourth inning for the American League, playing shortstop through the last out.

    Harwood recently finished his sophomore year at Delaware State with a .296 batting average, third-best on the team. The Roman Catholic graduate had two at-bats, hitting a single through the five-six gap in his first plate appearance, and forcing a walk in his second.

    Jacoby Radcliffe, a senior from Southern who scored the first run of the game, was named the game’s MVP.

    “I feel like I took it all in because I don’t know when my last game is going to be, and to be playing in such a prestigious ballpark like this, it was just phenomenal,” Radcliffe said.

    Santino Harwood of Delaware State University finished with a single and walk in two plate appearances during the HBCU Swingman Classic.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Created with the intention of giving players from HBCUs more exposure and opportunities, the Swingman Classic highlights the achievements of young Black players in baseball, while also setting an example. With the current number of Black players in the MLB decreasing, Weeks said getting more Black children involved in playing baseball again starts at home with parents.

    “I think in the next five to 10 years, it should be spiking a little more because I think the parents in the household are watching more baseball because of the Black players,” Weeks said.

    Will MLB’s outreach to Black fans with the HBCU Swingman Classic at Citizen’s Bank Park resonate?

    And while the main event was happening on the diamond, there was no shortage of entertainment surrounding the game while also honoring traditions and the people that impact HBCUs.

    Roger Cador, Southern’s former legendary baseball coach and a 2022 inductee into the College Baseball Hall of Fame, was honored with a video ahead of the third inning. Before the fifth inning, former Phillies pitcher Al Holland was honored with his own video tribute. Both Cador and Holland recently passed away.

    The nine historically Black sororities and fraternities, known as the Divine Nine, performed on top of the dugouts in between frames. Flyers arena host DJ Hollywood was also a part of the festivities playing music between innings.

    Philadelphia’s official drum line, the West Powelton Steppers, which also performs at Phillies games as the Phillies Bass Line, had several performances before and during the game as well.

    Nearly 17,000 people attended the fourth annual HBCU Swingman Classic at Citizens Bank Park on Friday night.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker threw out the ceremonial first pitch, while two-time Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Eric Roberson performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” and Grammy award-winning vocalist Durand Bernarr sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Comedian Roy Wood Jr. was the ballpark emcee for the event.

    Despite the bigger stage and fanfare that surrounded the Swingman Classic, Rollins said the game had the same feelings of joy and camaraderie that accompanied playing baseball as a child.

    “I came out the dugout and I’m seeing the ball go around a diamond, guys running bases, ball coming off the bat. I’m like, ah, this [is] real baseball,” Rollins said. “And not that it’s never not, [but] it’s just to see the movements, the actions, the style on the field. It reminded me when I was a kid running out there and trying to put on a show.”

  • Phillies bullpen lets another game slip away in 10-2 loss to Tigers in series opener

    Phillies bullpen lets another game slip away in 10-2 loss to Tigers in series opener

    DETROIT — Even though Aaron Nola was having one of his strongest starts of the season so far, interim manager Don Mattingly tried to play it safe.

    Rather than push Nola a third time through the Tigers order on Friday night, Mattingly lifted Nola after five innings, with his pitch count only at 84. His pitches looked sharp, and he held Detroit to just three hits in what was at the time a 2-2 ballgame.

    “That’s one I’ll probably lose a little sleep over,” Mattingly said.

    Because the move immediately backfired. Tim Mayza became the latest left-handed reliever to struggle for the Phillies, unraveling for five runs in the sixth inning as the Tigers pulled ahead for the 10-2 win.

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    Mattingly said he went to Mayza since left-hander Riley Greene was due up to start the sixth, and liked that matchup better. He also wanted to force the Tigers to pinch-hit lefty Kerry Carpenter, due up third. But Greene worked a 10-pitch walk, confirmed by an automated ball-strike challenge on a 3-2 pitch that missed the zone by less than 0.1 of an inch.

    Mayza also walked Matt Vierling, who pinch-hit for Carpenter.

    “I didn’t really count on the walks,” Mattingly said.

    Nola said postgame he felt like he still had gas in the tank. Did he think he was getting the sixth inning?

    “Kind of, yeah,” he said. “Donnie just said there was a pocket of lefties coming.”

    For five innings, Nola’s changeup and curveball were both effective. Together, they accounted for seven of his eight total strikeouts, the other coming on his fastball. Nola has a 5.75 ERA this season, but put together a solid outing to build on after the All-Star break.

    Delco native Kevin McGonigle (right) celebrates his two-run home run off of Aaron Nola.Paul Sancya

    The Tigers had six lefties in their starting lineup against him, with Delco’s Kevin McGonigle leading off. He hit a 414-foot, two-run homer off Nola’s sinker in the third inning, the eighth of the Bonner-Prendie grad’s rookie season so far. McGonigle is set to make his first career appearance at Citizens Bank Park next week as one of the Tigers’ All-Star representatives.

    “Felt like we were mixing pretty well tonight,” Nola said. “Got behind on several guys, especially McGonigle right there. Good hitting, right there. Hit that ball pretty hard, out of one of the deepest parts of the field. So hat off to him on that one. Obviously, big walk right there that hurt me right before him, but overall I felt pretty good.”

    After Mayza walked two in the sixth inning, a single from Eduardo Valencia — who debuted for the Tigers Thursday — broke the stalemate. Mayza then committed a throwing error while fielding a sacrifice bunt that allowed another run, and things continued to unravel after James Outman sent a bases-clearing triple to deep center field. Outman then scored when Mayza was called for a balk.

    The Phillies’ left-handed relievers have struggled as a unit this season, but the issues have compounded on their current road trip. Tanner Banks and José Alvarado gave up four runs apiece in a blowout loss to the Reds on Wednesday, and Banks was later placed on the injured list with a forearm strain. And that came after Kyle Backhus was optioned earlier in the week following extended struggles of his own.

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    That leaves Mayza and Alvarado as the only lefties in the pen. Mayza had overall been the most consistent. He came into Friday’s game with a 2.81 ERA, which surged to 3.59 by the time his night was over.

    “The lefties is something that concerns you,” Mattingly said. “You feel like as you get moving, that you need lefties to be able to get the good hitting lefties out. … Mayza’s really been pretty good. We do think Alvy’s going to get going. We’re going to get him going, but obviously it hasn’t been the strength for us so far out there.”

    And the trouble didn’t end there for the Phillies bullpen. Max Lazar, who pitched the seventh, gave up a homer on the first pitch he threw to Colt Keith. That was followed by a two-run shot from Spencer Torkelson, which gave the Tigers an eight-run cushion.

    It was a big enough lead to allow the Phillies to put a position player on the mound in the eighth, and Garrett Stubbs made his second pitching appearance of the road trip.

    Derek Hill celebrates his home run with Edmundo Sosa (33) against the Detroit Tigers during the third inning.Paul Sancya

    Outside of Derek Hill, the Phillies offense didn’t fare much better. Hill accounted for their only two hits against Tigers starter Jack Flaherty, as well as their only runs of the game.

    The outfielder found out he was playing about 40 minutes before first pitch, when Justin Crawford was scratched with left knee soreness. He hit a solo shot in the third inning and an RBI single in the fourth that scored Bryce Harper, who drew a walk. Hill hit another single in the seventh for a three-hit game.

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    “I’m always mentally prepared to go out there and execute anything from the coaching staff, and it doesn’t really matter to me, so I just go out there and be prepared as I can,” Hill said.

    Mattingly said that Crawford slipped in the outfield while doing pregame drills. He felt better as the game went on, but the Phillies will be cautious with him and check on him on Saturday.

    Brandon Marsh singled in the eighth to bring the Phillies’ total to four hits on the night.

  • Garrett Stubbs got T-shirts made of Zack Wheeler’s quote after his All-Star snub: ‘He should be in there’

    Garrett Stubbs got T-shirts made of Zack Wheeler’s quote after his All-Star snub: ‘He should be in there’

    DETROIT — As soon as he heard what Zack Wheeler said, an idea started to form in Garrett Stubbs’ mind.

    Despite a 2.28 ERA through his first 14 starts of the season, the Phillies right-hander had been left off the National League All-Star roster. He had not made the initial team through the player vote, and has not been added as a replacement, either. Wheeler is scheduled to pitch on Sunday, the Phillies’ final game before the All-Star break, which almost certainly led to the snub — even though Wheeler said he would still be willing to pitch an inning.

    With that in mind, Wheeler delivered seven dominant innings against the Reds on Tuesday. And then he spoke his mind afterward.

    “I felt like that’s kind of a reminder,” he said, “for whoever needs to be reminded.”

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    The quote was exactly the kind of thing that Stubbs likes to put on a T-shirt. The Phillies backup catcher, known as a key contributor to the clubhouse culture, has created several shirts in the past displaying the Phillies’ inside jokes, which he then distributes to his teammates.

    Last season, Stubbs handed out light blue shirts with the image of former Phillie Harrison Bader and the words “What a Gift” emblazoned on them. It became a catchphrase of sorts for the outfielder after the Phillies acquired Bader at the trade deadline, and many of his teammates wore the shirts in his honor during pregame activities.

    But the shirts that the majority of the Phillies players, coaches, and staff wore ahead of Friday’s series opener in Detroit were more than just a fun joke. It was a message.

    After his dominant start against Cincinnati on Tuesday, Zack Wheeler said of his All-Star snub: “I felt like that’s kind of a reminder for whoever needs to be reminded.”Carolyn Kaster

    The words “That’s a reminder for whoever needs to be reminded” were printed on red shirts, along with the outline of a rooster with Wheeler’s No. 45 inscribed on it. At home games, Wheeler walks out to the song “Rooster,” by Alice in Chains.

    “It means what he was talking about in his interview,” Stubbs said about the shirts. “Just that he deserves being an All-Star. And it’s [B.S.] that he’s not.”

    While Stubbs jumped into action creating the shirts with the company BreakingT, the team almost didn’t receive them. Bad weather delayed the shipment to Comerica Park in Detroit. But when BreakingT reached out to UPS for help, they happened to get in contact with a Phillies fan in Michigan who was sympathetic to their cause.

    “She took it into her own hands to make sure that they got here in time,” Stubbs said.

    Phillies prospect Gage Wood will start in the MLB Futures Game at Citizens Bank Park

    He added that he’s working on trying to get the UPS worker to a game at Comerica Park in thanks for her help.

    “Just testament to our fan base,” Stubbs said. “One, how big it is, and then two, the extra mile that they’re willing to go. … They’re just they’re in love with what we do here, and it’s cool to see them get involved, and especially to help us out. So hopefully we can get in touch with her and get her tickets to the game, and she can enjoy it.”

    Wheeler didn’t know what Stubbs was planning, but he laughed when the catcher handed him a shirt on Friday. Stubbs didn’t expect him to wear it — “He usually sticks to his own stuff,” he said — but the majority of the rest of the team did. Even interim manager Don Mattingly had the shirt on during his pregame media availability.

    “He should be an All-Star,” Stubbs said. “His numbers are incredible, he’s an incredible guy, he’s a good representation of the league, and he should be in there.”

    Extra bases

    About 30 minutes prior to first pitch on Friday, Justin Crawford was scratched with left knee soreness. Derek Hill drew into the lineup in his place. … Cristopher Sánchez (10-4, 2.62 ERA) is scheduled to make his final start before the All-Star break on Saturday against Tigers right-hander Casey Mize (4-5, 2.64).

  • Jordan Mailata and Terrell Owens among the celebrities playing in the MLBx 3-on-3 game

    Jordan Mailata and Terrell Owens among the celebrities playing in the MLBx 3-on-3 game

    All-Star Weekend is underway in Philly and the roster for the MLBx: All-Star 3-on-3 is set.

    The additions of Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata, former Eagles receiver Terrell Owens, rapper Eladio Carrión, and actor and singer Antonio Cipriano complete the lineup for the celebrity game on All-Star Sunday.

    The inaugural event (3 p.m. on Peacock and NBCSN) at Citizens Bank Park features a four-team format with teams led by 2008 World Series champions Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, and Shane Victorino, as well as Andruw Jones, an inductee in this year’s Baseball Hall of Fame class.

    Phillies prospect Gage Wood will start in MLB Futures Game on Sunday at Citizens Bank Park

    Each team features one of the four captains as well as a professional softball player from the Athletes Unlimited Softball League. This is the first time women are actively involved in the All-Star Game outside of the old celebrity softball game.

    Mailata joins Team Howard with Alyssa Brito Jordan. Owens joins Rollins on his team with Tiara Jennings.

    Carrión, a Grammy Award-winning artist joins Team Victorino along with Rachel Garcia. A massive baseball fan, he frequently names MLB players in his music.

    Cipriano, a Broadway actor and singer who also stars in Prime Video’s Off Campus series, joins Jones on the Atlanta Braves team alongside softball pitcher NiJaree Canady. While he plays a hockey player in Off Campus, Cipriano also participates in a Broadway Softball League.

    Like their captains, Owens and Mailata know what it’s like to play in front of Philly sports fans. Owens said baseball was his first love so he is excited about playing with Rollins and said fans can “expect [them] to put on a show.”

    And while it might be a little different from a Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field, Mailata said he knows how passionate Philly fans are no matter the sport.

    “Being part of MLBx: All-Star 3-on-3 is an incredible opportunity. Baseball has such a passionate following in Philadelphia, and I’m excited to represent the city, team up with Ryan Howard and compete alongside some amazing athletes. Now it’s time to see if I can bring some of that power from the football field to the MLBx stage,” Mailata said.

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    Carrión and Cipriano, however, are used to performing for a much different audience, but like Owens, Carrión is ready to “put on a show.”

    “I’m excited to team up with Shane Victorino and to be part of the first-ever MLBx: All-Star 3-on-3. It is going to be a lot of fun. Philadelphia is a city that loves sports, so we’re coming ready to compete,” Carrión said.

    How the game works

    The announcement of the final rosters also confirmed the tournament bracket for Sunday’s competition.

    The first game, semifinal one, will see Team Howard go against Team Rollins. Semifinal two will have Team Victorino take on Team Atlanta Braves. It will then be followed by a championship game between the two winning teams.

    Each game is expected to last about 30 minutes. The three-inning game will see each player have one two-minute at-bat in the game from a custom-built stage, while the other team positions its three players in the outfield.

    Points will be earned for home runs and defensive catches, with bonus points for hitting center-field targets or by activating a five-swing “hot streak,” which doubles the offensive and defensive points that can be earned.

  • Phillies prospect Gage Wood will start in the MLB Futures Game at Citizens Bank Park

    Phillies prospect Gage Wood will start in the MLB Futures Game at Citizens Bank Park

    Gage Wood conceded he felt starstruck the first time he walked into Citizens Bank Park.

    Now, he will be among the stars.

    Wood, the Phillies’ top pitching prospect, will start Sunday in the Futures Game, part of MLB’s All-Star Week festivities in Philadelphia. Wood received the news from World Series-winning Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino in a Zoom call that was posted to social media.

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    In 16 starts between two levels of the minors, Wood has a 3.44 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 55 innings, including a 3.45 mark in eight double-A starts. The Phillies skipped Wood two levels in May when they promoted him from low-A Clearwater.

    The Phillies drafted Wood in the first round (26th overall) last July and invited him to a game after he signed for $3 million.

    “I got to go around the clubhouse, all the facilities, meet everyone,” Wood said in April as a guest on The Inquirer’s Phillies Extra podcast. “Got to talk to Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, the whole pitching staff, pretty much. Got to talk to Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, all those guys. You get there and you’re like, ‘Wow, this is pretty cool.’

    “And I’ll always remember that for the rest of my life. I went home and I told pretty much everyone that I’m friends with, [or] I’m even close to, people that just asked me, ‘Did you get to talk to Bryce Harper?’ And I’m like, ‘Actually, yeah, I did. It was freaking sweet.’ But no, they were great.”

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    Wood, the No. 69 prospect in the sport according to Baseball America’s midseason top-100 rankings, will represent the Phillies with fellow right-hander Wen-Hui Pan.

    Victorino will manage the National League team in the Futures Game; Larry Bowa will manage the American Leaguers. The seven-inning game will begin at noon Sunday.

  • Brandon Marsh stars in the commercial for Victus’ new cheesesteak-themed bat. It was filmed at Angelo’s in just one take.

    Brandon Marsh stars in the commercial for Victus’ new cheesesteak-themed bat. It was filmed at Angelo’s in just one take.

    King of Prussia-based baseball bat manufacturer Victus Sports was looking for a reason to do an advertisement with its client, Brandon Marsh. The Phillies outfielder’s stellar season — and first All-Star Game nod — gave Victus the perfect excuse.

    “He was just a perfect fit,” Victus marketing director Doug Trimble said. “Just personality-wise, and obviously being a Philly guy made the most sense. The stars just aligned that he ended up being one of the best hitters in baseball this year.”

    On Wednesday, Victus posted a teaser for the company’s new Philly Cheesesteak-inspired bat on X. The video shows Marsh, decked out in his full Phillies uniform, order a “Victus with onions” at Angelo’s Pizzeria. Marsh then walks out of the South Philly staple to unwrap an abnormally long sandwich. Grinning, the “wet bandit” reveals a Victus bat hidden under the parchment paper.

    In the background, customers look on in awe at Marsh, who looks like he walked straight out of the outfield.

    Those reactions were real. Between Marsh’s stringent schedule with the Phillies and Angelo’s limited hours, Victus decided it would be easiest to shoot the commercial quickly while the restaurant was open. The ad, along with a few shorter spots posted to social media, were completed in one-take.

    “It was a cool moment,” Trimble said. “[Marsh] thought it was cool. He had a blast the whole day. I was kind of just running through concepts with him, and he was down for all of it.”

    Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh (right) carries Victus’ new cheesesteak-themed bat over his shoulder while a cook whips up the real thing on the griddle at Angelo’s.Courtesy of Victus Sports

    Why Angelo’s? Trimble will take the credit for picking the restaurant over the likes of a more nationally recognizable cheesesteak shop — like Pat’s or Geno’s.

    For one, Angelo’s steak on a seeded roll is his personal favorite. More important though, Trimble felt partnering with the pizzeria would show Victus is a brand that is true to the area. Philadelphians, as he pointed out, are usually more drawn to a place like Angelo’s than more traditional spots.

    “It’s just letting people know that we’re local to Philly,” Trimble said. “This is our hometown All-Star Game. Doing the whole collection with cheesesteaks and Marsh and the Phillies is just a part of that storytelling we’re trying to do.”

    Victus’ new cheesesteak-themed bat sits next to the real thing at Angelo’s in South Philly.Courtesy of Victus Sports

    When designing the bats themselves, there were also conversations around what type of steak they should resemble.

    Some wanted “whiz” on the bat while others wanted the cheese to resemble cooper sharp. Ultimately, the team decided to feature a more generic cheesesteak on the bat with “Philly” written on it with cheese.

    The bats, which were officially released on Friday, are currently for sale on Victus Sports’ website.

  • Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani to miss All-Star Game, next mound start because of left knee irritation

    Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani to miss All-Star Game, next mound start because of left knee irritation

    Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani will miss Tuesday’s All-Star Game in Philadelphia because of continued irritation in his left knee.

    The Dodgers added that Ohtani would not make his scheduled start on the mound against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night, but would continue his role as the team’s designated hitter throughout the weekend.

    The team says that after the series against the D-backs ends on Sunday, Ohtani will have some “interventions” done on his knee to get him ready for the second half of the season, which will cause him to miss the All-Star Game.

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    The four-time Most Valuable Player has once again been one of the best players in the big leagues this season and stands alone as the game’s premier two-way player.

    Ohtani is batting .290 with 20 homers and 56 RBIs and is 8-2 on the mound with a 1.79 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 85⅔ innings.

    Ohtani’s absence will be a blow for baseball’s midsummer showcase at Citizens Bank Park. The Japanese star — who turned 32 years old earlier this week — is among the game’s most popular players and led MLB in jersey sales last year.

    He hit his 300th career homer on Tuesday night, a leadoff shot against Colorado Rockies pitcher Michael Lorenzen that made him the first Japanese-born player in the majors to reach the milestone.