Philadelphia’s packed summer slate continues with MLB All-Star Week, a five-day run of baseball events in South Philly and Center City that caps off with All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park next week.
And in addition to crowds of baseball fans, the occasion is also slated to bring a number of road closures and parking restrictions over the next few days.
Officially, it all kicks off Friday at Citizens Bank Park with the HBCU Swingman Classic, a game that features 50 players from Division 1 historically Black colleges and universities. Events will run throughout the weekend and Monday ahead of the main event Tuesday.
Here is what you need to know:
Planned road closures
Road closures kick off Friday afternoon in the area of Sixth and Market Streets for the Budweiser Clydesdales Hitch Parade. That event will close Sixth Street between Market and Chestnut Streets from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., and additional rolling closures are expected to be implemented along the parade route between Sixth and Seventh Streets, and Walnut and Market Streets.
Sunday brings a nighttime drone show that will see road closures on and around Eakins Oval from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. Those closures will affect:
All lanes of Eakins Oval
Kelly Drive from Eakins Oval to Fairmount Avenue
Anne d’Harnoncourt Drive
The I-76 eastbound off-ramp at Spring Garden Street
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 Street to Seventh Streets
Philadelphia police, the city said, may institute additional closures in the interest of public safety.
Parking restrictions
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.
Other closures
The Autopark parking garage at Independence Mall, located near Sixth and Arch Streets, will be closed starting at 11:59 p.m. Monday, the city said. Its Fifth Street exit will stay open for vehicles to leave and move, and all vehicles must be moved by 5 a.m. Tuesday.
Additionally, the Philadelphia Independence Visitor Center will be closed to the public starting at noon on Tuesday, the city said.
Public transportation
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.
DETROIT — 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.”
Schwarber hit his league-leading 32nd home run on Wednesday against the Reds, which broke Mike Schmidt’s franchise record for most before the All-Star break.
Bryce Harper said he didn’t really want to do the Derby again, but decided to participate for the fans.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The fact that Harper has already won the Derby made him reluctant to compete again, but he said that he wanted to do it for Phillies fans. He officially announced his participation on Thursday night.
“I wasn’t really looking forward to it, to tell you the truth,” Harper said. “I didn’t really want to do it, but being able to do it for the fans, and doing it at home kind of took me to the point where I wanted to do it.”
Another thing initially holding Harper back was not having someone to throw to him. In 2018, Harper’s father pitched to him, but he needed to find someone else this year since his father hasn’t thrown in a while. He settled on Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel, who crossed paths with Harper as a coach on the U.S. World Baseball Classic team this year.
Ebel happened to play a role in Schwarber’s All-Star Game MVP-winning performance last year. While he didn’t participate in the 2025 Derby, Schwarber still launched the most memorable home runs of the week. In the first-ever “swing off” to break the ninth-inning tie between the National League and American League in the All-Star Game, Schwarber hit three homers on three swings with Ebel pitching to him.
Phillies assistant hitting coach Rafael Pena will pitch to Schwarber on Monday.
The format of the Derby will look different compared to the last time Harper and Schwarber participated in 2018 and 2022, respectively. Rather than rounds based on timers, each participant will have a set number of swings. In Round 1, the maximum is 20 swings, while Round 2 and the final round will have 15 swings each.
“The clock, I really liked. I know a lot of guys didn’t like it because they got tired or got worn down from it. I didn’t see it that way,” he said. “I think the clock on it kind of brings that theater part to it.”
He also presented an idea to MLB where in the bonus round, the players would be able to use aluminum bats to see how far they could hit. (The children who traditionally shag balls in the outfield during the Derby would have to be removed for that part, of course.) The league declined.
“Seeing a ball go way up into the third deck or over Ashburn Alley completely or off a scoreboard, I think would have got a lot of eyes on it in a way that they’ve never had, besides the steroid era,” Harper said. “People want to see that kind of homer, right? You want to see Sammy Sosa putting it through the windows in Milwaukee, and people putting it over the wall in Fenway, hitting the Citgo sign or whatever it was. I think fans want to see that, so I think it’d have been pretty cool to have that opportunity.”
But even if aluminum bats won’t be involved, the Derby this season will involve Harper and Schwarber competing against Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker, Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, Yankees first baseman Ben Rice, Royals outfielder Jac Caglianone, and Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras.
As for who the hometown crowd will back?
“They’d root for both of us,” Schwarber said. “I think they’d definitely root for both of us. I think it’d be just a straight cheer factory, so it wouldn’t be anyone against anyone, so I think it’d be pretty cool.”
Paul Carpenter grew up in Northwest Philly watching the 1993 Phillies take over the city as they claimed the National League East title.
Witnessing their success gave him inspiration for his first big project. At just 8 years old, the young artist stared at his bedroom wall, visualizing a blank canvas for his very first mural: a painting of the NL East champions.
Now, over three decades later, Carpenter has landed his “dream job,” designing Deer Park’s limited-edition All-Star Game aluminum bottles as the midsummer classic makes its way to Philadelphia.
“This just aligned perfectly for me,” Carpenter said. “Obviously, I’m a die-hard Philly sports fan. This being the All-Star Game, such a high-profile game, it’s just mind-blowing. A really great opportunity for me.”
Paul Carpenter created the design on the Deer Park limited-edition 2026 MLB All-Star aluminum bottles.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Carpenter has created art his whole life and studied illustration in college at Delaware. After years doing design work for La Vida Hospitality and Liquid, Surf, Skate, Snow in Delaware, he made his way back to Philly in 2009.
Despite his experience designing beer cans for Crooked Hammock Brewery, there still were challenges printing the design.
“The scale was pretty hard to envision, and making sure that everything still’s readable, that the hierarchy of the design holds up and that the different layers of color came out correctly to make the design look exciting and make Philadelphia look great nationally,” Carpenter said. “But, basically, it’s a love letter to Philadelphia. I wanted to capture all the things that really resonate with our cultural fabric as a city.”
The design features iconic monuments like the Liberty Bell and Ben Franklin holding a baseball bat. The city’s food culture is represented with images of cheesesteaks, crab fries, and soft pretzels. And there are plenty of Easter eggs for Philly natives — including a reference to the “Woohoo guy” and the William Penn curse.
“This was easy,” Carpenter said. “This was all low-hanging fruit. It’s all stuff that’s in my lexicon and visual language at this point.”
Now, Carpenter has a new challenge presented to him: recreating the design in mural form.
Carpenter has created over 30 murals — not including the one from his childhood bedroom — many of which are in the Philadelphia area, including 11 pillars at Xfinity Mobile Arena and one at Citizens Bank Park.
The toughest part about this the mural? “The scale.”
“They’re almost polar opposites,” Carpenter said. “The bottle is very small, 12 inches high, and vertically orientated. And the wall, we got is 2,700 square feet. So, basically, it was like cutting, chopping up the design, and redesigning it to a much different scale.
“When it’s on a scale of this magnitude and you’re walking down the street, it definitely impacts you differently. All of a sudden, instead of the water ice being tiny, it’s six feet tall.”
The design features iconic monuments like the Liberty Bell and Ben Franklin holding a baseball bat, the city’s food culture, and plenty of Easter eggs for Philly natives — including a reference to the “Woohoo guy” and the William Penn curse.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
It will take nearly two weeks for Carpenter to finish the mural, known as Hometown Grit, located on Oregon Avenue and South 20th Street. Throughout the process, he painted through all the elements, from thunderstorms to 100 degree heat. The finished product will be unveiled around 2 p.m. Saturday.
“I’m really looking forward to the interaction of seeing the neighborhood come together,” Carpenter said. “We’ve been interacting with people all week, and it’s really cool because a lot of the work is bringing the local culture and community together. That’s really the big part of my work, celebrating the city, and the people, and the cultural fabric of the city. There’s so much pride in Philadelphia. It’ll be cool to see that in real time.”
Each Friday, Inquirer photo editors pick the best sports images from the last seven days. France met Paraguay in the final match at Philadelphia Stadium (aka Lincoln Financial Field), while fans across the area and the nation watched the U.S. bow out of the tournament. The summer of sports continues, though, with preparations underway for MLB’s All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park.
Preparations for the MLB All-Star Game are underway, and the logo is on the field at Citizens Bank Park.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Francis Winkey shows off the merchandise he created for the 2026 All-Star Game, including the baseballs with players’ names and the game’s logo.Tyger Williams / Staff PhotographerThe All Star-Game logo adorns Citizens Bank Park on July 8.Tyger Williams / Staff PhotographerTaylor Davis watches the first half of the United States’ World Cup round of 16 game against Belgium on Monday. The USMNT lost, 4-1.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerSoccer fans at Union Yards in Chester watch second-half action in the United States’ World Cup round of 16 game against Belgium on Monday. Belgium scored three unanswered goals after the USMNT tied the game at 1-1.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Rob Li lifts Dawn Trucksess as they work together during a Philly Acro Skill Share at Power Athletics on July 5, 2026 in Atco, NJ.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerRob Li (left) and Acacia Noel work on a skill with hoops during a Philly Acro skill share on July 5 at Power Athletics in Atco, NJ.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerOliver Herrine, of Merion Station, and Juliana Martell, of Old City, take a break during a Philly Acro skill share.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerFrance’s William Saliba (right) heads the ball as Paraguay’s Gabriel Ávalos defends during the second half of a FIFA World Cup round of 16 match on July 4 at Philadelphia Stadium (aka Lincoln Financial Field). France won, 1-0.Jose F. Moreno / Staff PhotographerFrance and Paraguay players tussle during their round of 16 match on July 4.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerFrance forward Kylian Mbappé (left) reacts as Paraguay defender Juan José Cáceres grabs him late in the July 4 match. David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerFrance forward Kylian Mbappé (right) celebrates as Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill walks off after France defeated Paraguay, 1-0, in the round of 16.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
France’s Kylian Mbappé celebrates after scoring the decisive penalty kick in the 70th minute of a round of 16 game against Paraguay.Jose F. Moreno / Staff PhotographerFrance celebrates after beating Paraguay, 1-0, in the round of 16.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
The 2026 Major League Baseball draft kicks off Saturday in Center City Philadelphia as part of the All-Star festivities, taking place in the City of Brotherly Love for the first time since the production hit the road in 2021.
Another first? NBC will broadcast the first hour and a half of the draft, which kicks off at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. It’s the first time since MLB started televising the draft live in 2007 that it’ll air on broadcast TV, at least until it switches over to the MLB Network at 2:30 p.m.
The MLB draft hasn’t historically been a big TV draw because of how long it takes players to make it to the big leagues. Last year’s No. 1 pick, shortstop Eli Willits, is just 18 and is currently playing for the Washington Nationals’ single-A team in Fredericksburg, Va.
The fastest top pick to be called up? Former third baseman (and one-time Phillie) Dave Roberts, who started just one day after being taken with the No. 1 pick by the San Diego Padres in 1972.
For the fourth-straight year, the first six picks of the draft were determined by a lottery that took place in December. The Chicago White Sox enter the draft with the No. 1 pick for the first time since 1977, when they took future Hall of Famer Harold Baines.
The Phillies don’t technically have a first-round pick; they were pushed back 10 spots because their 2025 roster exceeded the second surcharge of MLB’s luxury tax. As a result, they have the No. 36 pick, the first time in franchise history they’ve received such a penalty.
Here’s everything to know about the MLB draft:
2026 MLB draft TV schedule
Former Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels will be among the analysts on TV for the 2026 MLB draft. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The 2026 MLB draft is scheduled to begin Saturday at 1 p.m. Philly time at the Pennsylvania Convention Center and run through 7:45 p.m., but not all of it will air on TV.
NBC will broadcast the first hour and a half, covering the first 10 picks, before handing off to MLB Network at 2:30 p.m. The event will shift to streaming only at 4:30 p.m., with both Peacock (which is streaming the entire draft) and MLB.com carrying the proceedings through the fourth round.
Rounds 5 through 20 will stream on Peacock and MLB.com Sunday beginning at 11:30 a.m.
While NBC is dipping its toes into broadcasting the draft, MLB Network will be handling the production. A new face this year will be 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels, who will provide analysis alongside Mark DeRosa, Harold Reynolds, and former Colorado Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd. Coverage will be hosted by Greg Amsinger.
Phillies 2026 MLB draft picks
The 2026 MLB draft will take place at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Center City.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
The Phillies have five picks Saturday: Nos. 36, 64, 100, 128, and 135.
They’ll get 16 more Sunday, beginning with the No. 161 pick in the fifth round and ending with the No. 209 pick in the 20th round.
Yes, the MLB draft is long, but a lot shorter than it used to be. The draft used to last 40 rounds before being cut down during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to 2011, it ran upwards of 50 rounds.
Who will the Phillies draft with their first-round pick?
It’s really anyone’s guess who the Phillies will take with the No. 36 pick, but experts have some thoughts.
In his final MLB mock draft, ESPN insider Kiley McDaniel has the Phillies selecting 2026 grad Archer Horn, a shortstop prospect who already committed to Stanford after batting .406 with six homers this year for St. Ignatius Prep in San Francisco.
One other name McDaniel mentioned is Taj Marchand out of South Carolina, another high school shortstop, who hit .531 with 13 home runs this year. But Marchand is expected to be taken before the Phillies are on the clock.
MLB Network’s Jonathan Mayo predicted the Phillies would take Notre Dame pitcher Jack Radel in his most-recent mock draft.
The Phillies drafted pitching prospect Gage Wood with their first-round pick last year. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The Phillies have had some success landing major league players in recent years, with three former first-round picks — Justin Crawford, Bryson Stott, and Alec Bohm — currently starting for the team.
Two former first-round picks play for other teams. Mickey Moniak, the No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft, was traded to the Los Angeles Angels in 2022 and currently plays for the Colorado Rockies. Pitcher Mitch Abel, taken with the No. 15 pick in 2020, was traded to the Minnesota Twins last year in the deal that landed closer Jhoan Duran.
Here are the Phillies recent first-round picks:
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MLB draft first-round order
This year, the first round of the draft has just 25 true picks. Three teams — the Phillies, New York Yankees, and New York Mets, exceeded MLB’s surcharge tax threshold in 2025, pushing their first-round picks 10 spots down into the second round.
The Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros were awarded picks for promoting prospects
There are also a handful of compensatory picks that will take place after all the first-round picks have been made.
Here is the order for the first round, including supplemental picks that begin with No. 26:
They were at a travel ball tournament in Marietta, Ga., 30 miles north of Atlanta. Schwarber played for a team from Ohio, and Harper for, well, who can remember? He was a travel ball star, competing for more than a dozen teams across the country, often against older kids.
“We all knew about him,” Schwarber said.
And once word circulated around the eight fields at the East Cobb Baseball Complex that Harper was somewhere on site, Schwarber and his teammates set off in search of the teenage baseball prodigy.
“I remember we were out, just walking around getting ready to go, and we heard and we’re like, ‘Oh, we’re running over there to go watch him play. Get on the fence,’” Schwarber recalled the other day. “It was fun. As a young kid, you’re like, ‘Oh, he’s on the cover of Sports Illustrated.’ So, it was really cool.”
Schwarber chuckled.
“It’s funny,” he said. “Look where we’re at now. We’re, what, 33? It’s a long time.”
Indeed, look at them now. Harper and Schwarber are not only in their fifth season as Phillies teammates. They’re also the main attractions as baseball gathers for Philly’s first All-Star Game in 30 years.
Harper, the face of the Phillies and among the most marketable players in the sport, announced Thursday on Instagram that he will enter the Home Run Derby for the first time since 2018, when he won it in his then-home ballpark in Washington.
Schwarber, the National League’s preeminent slugger and a consummate leader, a force with his personality as much as his Louisville Slugger, committed to the Derby on Friday, setting up a rematch from his runner-up finish to Harper eight years ago.
Harper hit for the cycle for the first time as a major leaguer, while Schwarber blasted three home runs, two in one inning. They were the second teammates to achieve those feats in the same game, joining Lou Gehrig (four homers) and Tony Lazzeri (cycle), Hall of Fame Yankees, in 1932.
And there’s more. Harper entered the weekend with 20 homers and 383 for his career, and was on pace to finish the season with 397; Schwarber was leading the majors with 32, giving him 372 overall and putting him on pace to finish with 395.
The last teammates to chase down 400 homers in the same season: Mark Teixeira and Carlos Beltrán with the Yankees in 2016.
“I think it’s cool,” Schwarber said. “The fact of having milestones, one, you’re celebrating for yourself. But then also to have someone else doing the same thing as well, it’s impressive, especially for a player of his caliber.”
As their mutual milestone draws closer, and with the All-Star Game upon us, Harper and Schwarber talked recently about one another in separate conversations with The Inquirer.
Kyle Schwarber has 219 homers since he signed with the Phillies in 2022. Only the Yankees’ Aaron Judge has more in that span.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Harper on Schwarber
Nobody can top Harper’s view of the Schwarber Show.
“It’s a lot of fun to be on deck to watch him do what he does,” Harper said. “It’s impressive.”
Two things stand out most to Harper: the simplicity of Schwarber’s short, left-handed swing and how often he’s able to repeat it.
Harper is notorious for tinkering. When the hits aren’t falling, he alters his stance or switches batting gloves. Last month, the night he hit for the cycle, he dragged a 35-ounce bat — four ounces heavier than his usual model — to the plate.
“You know how I am: I change crap all the time, or I’m doing something different,” Harper said. “Him being able to repeat each swing, understanding what he needs to do on each pitch, is very impressive. I would say it’s one thing that I would be a little bit jealous about, just because he can repeat it so well.”
Schwarber is also the Benjamin Button of sluggers. He’s aging in reverse.
In his first seven major league seasons, from 2015 to 2021, Schwarber hit 153 homers and was 19% more productive than league average, based on OPS+. Since signing with the Phillies in 2022, he has hit 219 homers and is 35% more productive than league average. His OPS has improved each year since 2023, from .817 to .851, .928, and .945 through Wednesday.
“I think he’s just kind of bought into what he’s good at,” Harper said. “This isn’t anything bad, but I don’t know if he’s ever going to hit over .260, or whatever. But he’s bought into hitting homers and walking, and he’s very, very good at it. I mean, he’s on an elite level doing those things.”
The homers come with high strikeout totals. Schwarber led the majors in strikeouts in 2022 and ‘23 and is on pace for a career-high 238 whiffs this season.
Harper doesn’t mind the tradeoff.
“I kind of throw the strikeouts out the window,” Harper said. “It’s like hitting a ground ball to second, right? You’re still out. I’m glad that he doesn’t take that too much into consideration. He kind of just plays along with it, and it’s like, whatever. And then he goes up there, hits a homer.
“And it’s really cool to see his day-to-day work and why he does things. He’s bought into the DH role so well, and I think that’s helped him, too, over the years, not having to worry about defense. He’s just been able to maintain hitting. And it’s great for him because he can buy into what he’s good at.
“It just makes me laugh because he’s such a good dude. It couldn’t happen to a better person, right? I love watching him play. I love watching him hit. I love guys that hit homers, you know?”
But Schwarber’s career path hasn’t been linear.
Drafted fourth overall by the Cubs in 2014, he reached the majors within 12 months and blasted 16 homers in 69 games. He tore a knee ligament two games into the 2016 season and beat every projection to play in the Cubs’ hex-breaking World Series. He got demoted to triple A in 2017, averaged 31 homers per year from 2017-19 despite lingering doubts that he could handle left-handed pitching, and got nontendered after the 2020 season.
Harper believes Schwarber’s range of experiences contributes to his leadership by making him relatable to teammates at every stage of a career.
“I think that’s why everybody gravitates to Schwarbs so much,” Harper said. “Obviously he’s a great human being, great teammate. But he can be a superstar player; he can also be the guy that got hurt; he can also be the guy that gets [nontendered] and they think he’s the worst player in the league.”
Schwarber bounced from the Nationals to the Red Sox in 2021 and signed a four-year, $79 million contract with the Phillies the following spring. He has hit 46, 47, 38, and 56 homers over the last four years, a mid-career surge that reminds Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long of David Ortiz.
“Yeah, I agree,” Harper said. “Obviously the last couple of years have been incredible. And I just see him doing that again. I just don’t see it going anywhere. And I say that because the swing is so repeatable. I’m impressed by him every day.”
Bryce Harper is a nine-time All-Star in a 15-year major-league career.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Schwarber on Harper
It’s one thing to be 11 years old and tell your dad, “I’m gonna be the No. 1 pick.” Or to be 16 and labeled as “Baseball’s Chosen One” by Sports Illustrated. Or to leave high school after two years and enroll in junior college to play against older competition.
“But this guy,” Schwarber said, “has been able to be that kid and do even more in the game.”
As he predicted, Harper got drafted first overall in 2010, four months before his 18th birthday. At 19, he made his major league debut … and the All-Star team … and was crowned NL Rookie of the Year.
Harper has spent almost half his life in the majors. This is his 15th season; he won’t turn 34 until October.
“We’re always like, ‘What were you doing when [Harper] came up?’ ” Schwarber said. “He made his debut in ‘12, I think. I’m like, ‘Well, I was a sophomore in college.’ You know what I mean?”
There are times when Schwarber has to remind himself that he’s only six months younger than Harper.
“No one really knows what it’s like to have expectations at such a young age,” Schwarber said. “There have been people who, when you talk about younger kids and they go, ‘Man, this kid’s going to be a prodigy’ or whatever, and then it doesn’t work out. To have that at such a young age and to be able to be fulfilling it and more, it’s pretty hard to do. Right?
“Even I’m sure now there’s expectation for him. He’s handled it every single year the way he should. He goes out there and he produces, and he’s able to be the same guy on a daily basis, which is awesome.”
It’s Harper’s consistency that stands out to Schwarber.
With a strong first half, Harper quieted all the offseason chatter, fueled by Dave Dombrowski’s answer to a question last October, about whether he’s still “elite.” Was it ever really debatable? Harper has hit at least 20 homers in 10 of the last 11 full seasons. He’s a nine-time All-Star and two-time MVP. He’s eighth among active position players in wins above replacement, according to Fangraphs.
“To be able to do it on a year-in and year-out basis,” Schwarber said, “to be consistent on a year-to-year deal, that’s what makes the greats the greats.“
“Not to be like the nerdy kid, but the way his hips move, the way his hands are able to get to the slot, and the way he’s able to stay inside the ball and hit the ball to left-center for power and still be able to turn on a 98-mph fastball and pull it out to right field,” Schwarber said. “I’ve seen many times where he’s taken the 90-whatever mph fastball on the inside corner and taken it out to left-center field.
“I don’t do that. I wish I could. My body type is not his body type. I’m short and stocky. For him to be able to move the way he does, it’s controlled but also still fast. Those are like the really geeky things I think about. Those are the things that impress me.”
And so, their march to 400 homers continues, with an All-Star detour — and maybe even a Home Run Derby rematch — in their home ballpark this week.
“For the career that he’s had — and that he’s going to continue to have,” Schwarber said, “to be able to be in the same category in one thing with him, I think it would be pretty cool to celebrate together one day.”
Ryan Howard was a three-time All-Star and champion of the 2006 Home Run Derby in his legendary run with the Phillies. With the baseball world coming together in Philadelphia for the 96th All-Star Game, Howard sat down with Phillies Extra to discuss his All-Star memories, his expectations for a Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park, his outlook on the Phillies’ season, Kyle Schwarber’s chances of breaking his single-season franchise mark for homers, and more. Watch here.
CINCINNATI — Outside the foul lines, Jesús Luzardo comes across as an even-keeled individual. Inside them, however, he can be fiery.
As he walked off the mound after the second inning on Thursday, the Phillies left-hander exchanged some heated words with someone inside the Reds dugout. Luzardo didn’t specify who he was addressing or what he was responding to, only hinting that the exchange was “in English.”
“Just a little heated competition,” Luzardo said. “I think it helps me, at times, finding a little bit of edge, so I don’t think it’s a bad thing.”
And he had plenty of edge Thursday night, as he mowed down the Reds for seven innings, holding them to two hits. The offense did just enough to back Luzardo up, eking out a 1-0 win to take the series against Cincinnati.
In his final start before his first career All-Star appearance, Luzardo turned in a performance worthy of the honor. His five-pitch first inning — the fewest pitches the Phillies lefty has ever thrown in an inning in his career — was a sign of things to come.
“I saw him that first inning, it was like, ‘Oh yeah, he’s got his stuff today,’” said center fielder Justin Crawford. “… The swings, the movement on his pitches, I mean, it was pretty electric, and he just looked like he had that confidence on the mound, the presence.”
His sweeper was the key. Eight of his 11 total strikeouts and 12 of his 20 total swing-and-misses came on the pitch. The pitch has been one of the best in baseball since he added it to his arsenal at the start of last season, but Luzardo believes it’s found another level over his last few outings.
Jesús Luzardo kept the Reds off balance with his sweeper.Carolyn Kaster
“I almost felt like I threw it so much last year that I like forgot how to throw it,” Luzardo said. “I feel like I got back in the rhythm of it, the feel for it, finding the zone with it, and then finding the swing and miss underneath the zone as well.”
His sweeper helped him outduel Reds starter Brady Singer, who turned in one of his best starts of the season. Bryson Stott’s double in the second inning was the Phillies’ only hit against the right-hander until Kyle Schwarber singled in the seventh, though Schwarber was immediately erased after Bryce Harper grounded into a double play.
Even though they didn’t have much to show for it, the Phillies were making solid contact against Singer. Through the first six innings, the Phillies lined out four times, and they had 11 total hard-hit balls against him. They finally broke through in the eighth inning, thanks to an RBI single from Crawford that found some grass.
After hitting .195 in the month of May, Crawford has turned things around at the plate. Over his last 35 games since June 2, Crawford has a .313 batting average.
“Justin, I’ve been saying it all along, he’s always had a good face,” said interim manager Don Mattingly. “He’s never really panicked, even when he struggled there. He was staying with his work. Didn’t change his look and the way he walked around, things like that, and that’s huge. When you see young guys do that, you know they got a chance to be really good.”
The Phillies were only in position to score thanks to some heads-up baserunning. Gabriel Rincones Jr. was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, and was replaced with Derek Hill as a pinch-runner.
Derek Hill slides across home plate to score on a single hit by Justin Crawford during the eighth inning.Carolyn Kaster
Hill took off on Singer’s 0-2 pitch to J.T. Realmuto, and when the Phillies catcher sent a chopper to Elly De La Cruz, the double play was off the table. De La Cruz’s only play was to first base, allowing Hill to advance to scoring position as Crawford came to the plate.
“Feels like just trying to move the needle, been obviously working with [hitting coach] Kevin [Long] a lot, day by day,” Crawford said. “So was good to kind of see some results out of it, and just trying to keep taking it one day at a time, and keep going. One pitch at a time.”
Once Luzardo’s night ended after the seventh, the Phillies used Jonathan Bowlan as the setup man for closer Jhoan Duran. Bowlan delivered a 1-2-3 eighth inning, which included striking out De La Cruz on a 99.2 mph fastball.
“He’s been really good for us, and I think [pitching coach] Caleb [Cotham] said before the game, he’s the righty that’s been the best against lefties,” Mattingly said. “So that kind of changes his role a little bit.”
One of the Phillies’ other first-time All-Stars finished it off. Duran wavered at first, allowing the first two Reds in the ninth to reach with a single and hit-by-pitch. Cotham came out to give Duran a breather, and following the mound visit, Duran struck out Eugenio Suárez on three pitches. He put the Reds’ designated hitter away with a 96.7 mph splinker.
Justin Crawford, who helped deliver the go-ahead run on Thursday, greets Jhoan Duran after he shut the door on the Reds for the Phillies’ 11th shutout win.Carolyn Kaster
“To be able to get Eugenio there, that’s the huge out, because now they need a hit,” Mattingly said. “If Eugenio was able to move him, then it’s just a sac fly situation. … I thought that was huge, but he bounced back, and was good.”
From there, Duran continued to battle back, striking out Tyler Stephenson and inducing a groundout from Noelvi Marte to strand the winning run at first base. He completed the Phillies’ 11th shutout win of the season.
CINCINNATI — The revolving door in the Phillies bullpen continues to twirl.
Ahead of Thursday’s series finale against the Reds, Tanner Banks was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left forearm strain, and right-hander Chase Shugart was recalled in his place.
On Wednesday night, Banks allowed three consecutive homers to the top three batters in Cincinnati’s order — Elly De La Cruz, Sal Stewart, and JJ Bleday — as his struggles this season reached a new low. After posting a 3.07 ERA in 2025 and working his way into higher leverage opportunities, Banks has been unable to find his stride this year. His 7.14 ERA is the highest on the team, although fellow left-hander José Alvarado — who also allowed four runs Wednesday — is not far behind at 7.03.
The move leaves the Phillies with just two left-handers in their bullpen: Alvarado and Tim Mayza. Kyle Backhus was optioned to triple-A Lehigh Valley earlier this week after going through struggles of his own.
Interim manager Don Mattingly said he first heard Banks had been dealing with fatigue in his forearm after he was optioned to triple A in June, but was able to pitch through it at that point.
“Just talking to him on the bus last night, it sounds like he was OK during the game, but he was having trouble getting moving and getting it going every day,” Mattingly said. “So that kind of told us something’s going on, and obviously it’s affecting a little bit with balls coming out, so felt like it was time to find out what’s going on.”
Mattingly believes the strain might have been affecting Banks’ performance this season. He said Banks has undergone testing, and the Phillies hope to have more information after receiving the results.
“I think that’s probably what we’re kind of seeing. This is a possibility that this is what’s been causing some of the lack of command and things like that,” he said.
Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly told ESPN Wednesday that he would be willing to remain at the helm beyond this season, if asked. John McDonnell
Mattingly willing to become permanent manager
Mattingly, who took a 42-23 record into Thursday’s series finale against the Reds since taking over as interim Phillies manager from the fired Rob Thomson in April, told ESPN Wednesday that he would be willing to remain at the helm beyond this season, if asked.
Mattingly, 65, had been prepared to retire after stepping down from the Blue Jays bench coach job following last year’s World Series. But he changed his mind after being offered the Phillies’ bench coach role, which came with the chance to work under his son, Phillies general manager Preston Mattingly.
“I like doing it,” Don Mattingly said. “I didn’t come here to do it, but I actually like doing it. And I’d committed two years. In my mind, I told Dave [Dombrowski] two years, right? So at that point you make a commitment with your family and what’s going on with everything, that you’re going to do this for two years. So if that’s something that Dave wanted me to do, I would be fine with it.”
Extra bases
Aaron Nola (3-6, 5.87 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday’s series opener against Detroit Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty (2-8, 4.60).
CINCINNATI — This year’s Home Run Derby will officially have some hometown flavor.
Bryce Harper announced on Instagram Thursday he will participate in the derby, which will be held on Monday.
“Derby at home? Sure why not?” Harper captioned a video of himself homering off the Pirates’ Braxton Ashcraft.
Harper, who was included on the National League All-Star roster as MLB commissioner Rob Manfred’s “Legend Pick,” has 20 homers entering Thursday’s series finale against the Reds.
He last won the Derby in 2018 as a member of the Nationals, the year the All-Star festivities were hosted in Washington, D.C. In the final round, Harper beat future teammate Kyle Schwarber, who was representing the Cubs. Harper tied Schwarber with his 18th homer when the horn sounded before hitting the winner in bonus time.
Bryce Harper won the 2018 Home Run Derby at Nationals Park as a member of the Nationals.ALEX BRANDON
This year will look a little different, however. Rather than using a timer, the Derby is reverting to a swing-based format where each competitor has a set number of swings for each round.
Schwarber, who bashed his league-leading 32nd homer of the season on Wednesday against the Reds, has not confirmed whether he has decided to participate as well. In addition to Harper, the field includes Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker, Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, Yankees first baseman Ben Rice, Royals outfielder Jac Caglianone, and Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras.
Harper will look to become the first Phillie to win the Derby since Ryan Howard in 2006.
