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

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

    The wait is finally over.

    It was more than seven years ago that Major League Baseball announced the All-Star Game would come to Philadelphia for the nation’s 250th birthday. The game is the bookend to a season of big events following March Madness, the PGA Championship, and the FIFA World Cup.

    Baseball’s midsummer classic, which returns to Philly for the first time since 1996, will be more than just a game, as the city will be the center of the baseball world for nearly a week.

    Here’s a look at what to expect:

    HBCU Swingman Classic

    When: 7 p.m., Friday

    TV: MLB Network

    Location: Citizens Bank Park

    What you need to know: The fourth annual game is a showcase of the best players from historically Black colleges and universities. The classic was founded by Ken Griffey Jr. as a way to give a platform to players who often are overlooked.

    The local connection: Jimmy Rollins will manage one of the teams, and Mayor Cherelle L. Parker will throw out the first pitch. The teams will visit City Hall before the game to honor Octavius Catto, a civil rights activist who cofounded one of America’s first organized Black baseball teams in 1865. There is a statue of Catto outside City Hall. Mayfair’s Santino Harwood will play in the game. The Roman Catholic grad is a shortstop at Delaware State.

    Pitcher Gage Wood was the Phillies’ top pick in last year’s MLB draft.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    The MLB draft

    When: 1:30 p.m., Saturday; TBD Sunday.

    Location: Pennsylvania Convention Center Grand Hall

    What to know: The event is free to attend, but ticket registration has closed. The draft used to be held at MLB Network’s studio in Secaucus, N.J., before the league moved it to All-Star Week starting in 2021. The White Sox have the first pick, and the Phillies have to wait until No. 36 for their first selection.

    All-Star Village

    When: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday

    Location: Pennsylvania Convention Center

    What to know: The event is similar to Fan Fest that came with the 1996 game, but it’s much bigger now. The village will feature big league mascots and appearances by a cast of Phillies legends including Steve Carlton, Cole Hamels, John Kruk, Larry Bowa, Dave Cash, and Carlos Ruiz. Fans can make their own strikeout call, test food from around the majors, throw a pitch, take batting practice, see the World’s Largest Baseball, and even strap on a Velcro suit, jump, and stick on a wall for a home run-robbing photo op.

    Former Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels is scheduled to make an appearance at MLB’s All-Star Village. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Futures Game

    When: Noon Sunday

    Location: Citizens Bank Park

    TV: NBC10

    What to know: The game is a collection of baseball’s best prospects as each team sends two players from its farm system. The players are split into American League and National League squads. The game will feature nine of MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 prospects including top-ranked Jesús Made, a shortstop in the Milwaukee Brewers’ system.

    Local connection: The teams will be managed by Larry Bowa and Shane Victorino. Gage Wood, who may have a shot to reach the majors this year, will represent the Phillies a year after they drafted the hard-throwing right-hander 26th overall. Wen-Hui Pan, a right-handed reliever, also was selected for the Futures Game. Both pitchers are with double-A Reading.

    MLBx All-Star 3-on-3

    When: Following the Futures Game on Sunday

    Location: Citizens Bank Park

    What to know: New this year, MLBx replaces the Celebrity Softball Game. The fast-paced event is a modified home-run hitting challenge in which players are awarded points for their hitting and the catches they make in the field.

    Local connection: Ryan Howard, Rollins, and Victorino will captain teams, with Atlanta Braves legend Andruw Jones leading the fourth squad. Howard has Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith on his team while Rollins is teamed up with Terrell Owens. Each team includes an MLB legend, a professional softball player, and a nonbaseball celebrity.

    Bryce Harper was the last slugger to win the home run derby in his home ballpark. However, that was in 2018 while he was with the Nationals.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    Home Run Derby

    When: 8 p.m. Monday, July 13

    TV: Netflix

    Location: Citizens Bank Park

    What to know: It’s been 20 years since Howard won the Home Run Derby. The Phillies are due. Bryce Harper is the last player to win the derby in his home ballpark, which he did with the Nationals in 2018 by beating … Kyle Schwarber in the final round.

    The competitors: There will be eight participants, but could two of them be Phillies? Perhaps we’ll see a rematch of the 2018 final.

    The format: The league is ditching the clock that governed the derby since 2015, as players now will be given a finite number of swings per round. A batter gets 20 swings in Round 1, 15 in Round 2, and 15 in the final. If a batter homers on their final swing, they keep swinging until they come up empty. The top four players from the first round move to Round 2, and the top two then move to the final round. The tiebreaker in Round 1 is home run distance, and Rounds 2 and 3 use a three-swing swing-off.

    The red carpet

    When: 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 14

    TV: MLB Network

    Location: Independence Hall

    What to know: The players will showcase their fashion just steps from the Liberty Bell before walking all the way to South Philly. Just kidding. They’ll board a bus and head to the game after walking the red carpet. This event is free for fans to attend, but ticket registration has closed.

    All-Star Game

    When: 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 14

    TV: Fox29

    Location: Citizens Bank Park

    What to know: Only one player has won back-to-back All-Star Game MVP awards, Mike Trout in 2014-15. Could Schwarber be the next? It’ll be hard to match last year’s heroics, when Schwarber won the game for the NL in a dramatic swing-off at the Atlanta Braves’ stadium. Expect the game to have a star-studded lineup for pregame ceremonies and something special during the game. Last year’s tribute to Hank Aaron set the bar.

    Phillies in the game: Brandon Marsh will start after receiving the most votes on the fan ballots. He will be joined by Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Jhoan Duran, and Cristopher Sánchez.

  • Phillies radio calls give him ‘goose bumps.’ Then he shares those chills with everyone on social media.

    Phillies radio calls give him ‘goose bumps.’ Then he shares those chills with everyone on social media.

    The Phillies game wasn’t over yet last month but it was over as Nick Piccone kept the TV on mute like a distraction in the background. The Phils trailed the Nationals by two runs and were down to their last strike with the bases empty in the ninth on June 23. It was over.

    But Piccone — just like lots of diehards who accepted a loss but refused to stop watching — didn’t turn it off.

    “Just in case,” he said.

    And then it happened. The Phillies scored eight runs with two outs, delivering the most unlikely win of the season. It was time for Piccone to work. He’s built a following in recent seasons for being the guy who clips the radio calls of Philly sports highlights and posts them to social media.

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    First, he had to listen to how Scott Franzke — the Phils’ radio voice on 94.1 WIP — described the action.

    “I got goose bumps when I listened to it,” said Piccone, who lives in Delaware County. “And I just knew Phillies fans are going to love this.”

    He posted a montage of Franzke’s pitch-perfect calls that night and then watched them go viral. Philadelphia loves its teams but the city has always had a deep relationship with the voices, putting Piccone at the intersection of fandom and the way we enjoy it.

    Brandon Marsh’s homer was thrilling, but how much better did Franzke’s narration make it feel?

    “You could tell that the fan kind of came out,” Piccone said. “Like, he didn’t think that was going to happen. He had the same reaction that we did, and he’s calling it. He reaches that second level for a regular season game when I’m sure he probably thought this was going to be a loss. You could hear the surprise in his voice.

    “If you’re listening live on the radio, you feel that instantly. And even if you’re watching the video, you’re like, ‘Oh my God.’ Having him feel what we feel and hear his voice match what we’re feeling inside, makes it so much better. It makes those moments so much better.”

    Phillies radio play-by-play announcer Scott Franzke (left) with TV analyst John Kruk. NBC Sports Philadelphia

    Piccone does not get paid to post his videos, but he commits himself every game — “I watch every pitch,” he said — to tracking the calls of the big plays and sharing them on social media. He does the same thing for other teams. It’s how he enjoys the game.

    It takes about 10 minutes for Piccone to edit the clip on his computer and post it on social media.

    “People would message me from Europe or Asia and say, ‘I’m stationed here’ or ‘I moved here for work, and your videos make me feel like I’m home,’” Piccone said. “When I started doing it, I wasn’t even thinking about that stuff. So when people say that I was able to provide that, I was like, ‘Wow.’ That’s a huge reason why I continue to do it.”

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    His hustle gives a radio broadcast a new life, allowing Franzke’s words to be heard again and again. Some people want to relive a moment they already enjoyed. Others want to feel closer to home.

    “It’s flattering, honestly,” Franzke said. “It’s humbling to know that it resonates enough with someone to know that they’re willing to go through that sort of trouble and effort to spread the word.”

    Brandon Marsh watches the ball after hitting a two-run home run against the Washington Nationals on June 23.Jess Rapfogel

    From Dolly to Franzke

    Franzke was told when he first got into the business to have someone in mind to whom you are broadcasting.

    “For me, the general Delaware Valley listener is stuck in traffic on the Schuylkill,” Franzke said.

    His voice is the soundtrack of traffic jams, days at the beach, and backyard barbecues. Kids tune their radio to the Phils while they’re putting on their PJs, just like their grandparents used to sneak transistor radios under their pillows. They listen to Franzke on their porch at night and power walk around the neighborhood with his voice in their earbuds.

    Radio broadcasters Larry Andersen (left) and Scott Franzke (right) call a Phillies game in 2011.

    The Phillies broadcast their first game on the radio in 1936 with a former umpire named Dolly Stark calling the action. He was regarded as the National League’s top ump but quit after the 1935 season when the league balked at his request for a raise from his $9,000 salary.

    “A new sports thrill,” said the advertisement for the games that were broadcast on WIP 610. “Seeing the game through the umpire’s eyes! Hearing what he thinks about every play, while that play is being made! And it’s a thrill that will last all summer.”

    Stark called games for just one season before he returned to calling balls and strikes. But the game became the perfect radio sport. The pace is slow enough for the broadcaster to share a story and make you comfortable. Yet the action becomes exciting enough for them to build drama and make you feel something.

    The umpire was followed by greats who became voices of summer like By Saam, Bill Campbell, Harry Kalas, and Franzke. Richie Ashburn ordered pizzas, Chris Wheeler taught you something, and Larry Andersen admires the umpire. There’s just something about baseball on the radio. It works.

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    “I think one of the reasons that baseball on the radio still works is because people can consume it passively,” Franzke said. “They’re driving, falling asleep in their beach chair, or doing yard work. They can do other things and be a part of it. A lot of people like the audio wallpaper, if you will. It’s there. It’s around them. They enjoy it passively and do other things in their life. We’re just along for the ride, I guess.”

    Piccone’s clips show that Franzke is more than just enjoying the ride. He’s driving the car. It wasn’t a silent clip of Marsh’s homer that went viral last week. It was the clip of Marsh’s homer with the announcer sounding just as stunned as you were that it happened.

    Franzke said it’s the moment that “generates the goose bumps,” since he’s just a guy. And it was the guy calling that moment last week that gave Piccone chills.

    “It doesn’t matter when it is during the season, September or April, the story of the game takes over,” Piccone said. “I think he tells that story perfectly in his calls. Offense, a great defensive play, a strikeout. That emotion comes through and you know it’s a big moment.”

    Nick Piccone says he’s “kind of jealous” of people who grew up listening to baseball games on the radio. “I didn’t even think of consuming sports in that way when I was younger. I’m glad I’m able to do it now.”Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    Being that guy

    Piccone grew up on the 1993 Phillies and started watching the other teams in 1999 as a freshman at Kingsway High School. He soon was a diehard: devastated when they lost and elated when they won.

    “I just consume it,” Piccone said last month. “Like, I’m mad the Phillies lost today.”

    But the guy who chops up the audio of every radio broadcast didn’t grow up listening to the radio. He just watched it on TV.

    “People who say they were brought up listening to sports on the radio, I’m kind of jealous of them,” Piccone, 40, said. “Because I didn’t even think of consuming sports in that way when I was younger. I’m glad I’m able to do it now.”

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    “We just have amazing play-by-play guys. You think of the Phillies, you think of Franzke. You think of the Flyers, you think of Tim Saunders. You think of the Sixers, you think of Tom McGinnis. Eagles, Merrill Reese and Mike Quick. They’re synonymous with the teams.”

    Piccone planned to do what he does now — clip the radio call and match it to the TV feed — when the Eagles played the Patriots in Super Bowl LII. But his buddy’s Wi-Fi dropped that night, so Piccone closed his laptop and watched the game like a normal fan. And then the Eagles won, and he wished he had the clips.

    He made sure to have a stronger connection in 2022 when the Phillies went to the World Series. He clipped every call that October, and his social media following soared.

    He sends out Franzke’s call along with the team’s Spanish broadcasters and the opponent’s call. Piccone noticed that the TV calls are the ones usually shared by the teams or networks. The radio guys, he thought, weren’t getting their due.

    People soon started messaging him for specific calls or pointing out things he may have missed. He suddenly felt like he had a responsibility. He became that guy.

    “It’s fun being known for that,” said Piccone, who writes for Crossing Broad. “I like being that guy.”

    The Phillies season likely will end in October again, giving Piccone plenty of moments to share. The goose bumps, he said, usually are felt in the fall when the stakes are higher. But sometimes the broadcaster makes you feel it on a weeknight in June. And that’s why you leave the game on.

    “People will say, ‘I heard your call,’” said Franzke, who is not on X, formerly known as Twitter. “And there’s two places they heard it: WIP playing it back or on social media. It’s cool that Nick invests that kind of time. At the end of day, this promotes what we’re doing.”

  • Aaron Nola posts longest outing of the season, but Phillies’ bats go silent in loss to Royals

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. — During the seventh-inning stretch here Sunday, as the fans stood for a holiday-weekend rendition of “God Bless America,” Aaron Nola returned to the mound.

    And it was fair to wonder why.

    Never mind that Nola’s pitch count was under control, or that the Phillies were trailing by one run. He started the seventh inning only once in 17 previous starts — and not since April 3.

    But Don Mattingly stuck with Nola, who struck out the side to punctuate his best start of the season, the extent of the good news for the Phillies in a series-evening 5-2 loss to the Royals.

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    Here’s the thing, though: It would be really good news for the Phillies if three runs on seven hits in seven walk-free innings was the start of a turnaround for Nola.

    “It’s obviously important that [Nola’s] start turns into a [future] game that you feel like you’re in, you’re not scrambling the whole day,” Mattingly said. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be seven. But if we’re in the game through six, five, seven, whatever that is, then it gives us a lot better shot to be able to put some runs up.”

    OK, so that last part didn’t happen on this toasty day in the Midwest. The Phillies generated five hits, including two after the fifth inning. And unlike Saturday night’s series opener, the Royals kept them in the ballpark.

    At least the Phillies were able to look forward to sending Cristopher Sánchez to the mound for Monday’s rubber game.

    Other than Nola — and the pregame ceremony, in which bench coach Dusty Wathan’s dad, John, went into the Royals’ Hall of Fame — there wasn’t much to look back on.

    In that case, let’s talk about Nola, who entered with a 6.04 ERA, second-worst among 64 pitchers who qualified for the ERA title, and gave up hits to three of the Royals’ first five batters.

    Here we go again?

    Not exactly.

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    After allowing two first-inning runs on back-to-back singles by Lane Thomas and Michael Massey, Nola knuckled down. Leading again with his signature curveball, he held the Royals off the board save for a fifth-inning run on a leadoff double and a sacrifice fly.

    Nola threw 98 pitches; 31 were curveballs, and 11 of those generated swings and misses.

    “Yeah, curveball felt good,” he said. “Better than it had been in some previous starts. I had a couple ones that kind of popped out [of his hand] a little bit, but overall they felt pretty sharp.”

    Sharpening the curveball was a focus for Nola between starts. His also worked on his changeup, a vital weapon for him against left-handed hitters. Specifically, he wants the changeup to move downward rather than “wiping out to the right side” and into the swing paths of left-handed hitters.

    The Phillies also paired Nola with third-string catcher Garrett Stubbs in hopes of rekindling success that they’ve had working with one another in the past. Nola and Stubbs navigated the Royals’ weak lineup mostly with offspeed pitches. He threw as many changeups (19) as fastballs (19).

    “It’s always a plan to go in and throw that [changeup], just depending on how it’s working and feeling that day,” Nola said. “Today it felt really good, and we threw it quite a bit.”

    Nola was at 83 pitches after six innings. Trailing 3-2 and with the bottom of the Royals’ order due to bat, Mattingly let Nola go back out for the seventh inning. Nola wound up completing the seventh for the first time since he went eight innings last Sept. 26.

    “I felt like he was throwing the ball as good as anybody,” said Mattingly, who had two relievers warming just in case. “I felt like he’d handled those guys pretty well. If anybody gets on there, we’re not going to let him try to face the top of the order. But he got his guys.”

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    Nola appreciated the opportunity.

    “Yeah, it’s been a while since I threw seven,” he said. “It’s the first time this year. I don’t know. Felt pretty good. I don’t think I had any walks, which is a plus.”

    Especially if Nola is able to keep it going Friday in Detroit, his last start before the All-Star break.

    The Phillies are already searching for a No. 5 starter after optioning Andrew Painter to triple A last month. Pitching coach Caleb Cotham was encouraged by Painter’s second start for Lehigh Valley: one run on four hits and no walks in six innings Saturday in Rochester, N.Y.

    Mattingly didn’t rule out a swift return to the majors for Painter.

    “I think everything’s on the table,” he said. “I never had any feeling that it was sending him out and forgetting about him, right? It was send him out to work on stuff and help him get better. So, I think anything could happen.”

    Even a resurgence for Nola.

  • Brandon Marsh joins Jhoan Duran as first-time All-Star: ‘It hasn’t hit me yet’

    Brandon Marsh joins Jhoan Duran as first-time All-Star: ‘It hasn’t hit me yet’

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Brandon Marsh tried not to think about it. Even as the periodic voting updates rolled in, he claimed to be concerned only with the Phillies’ next game, not the All-Star Game.

    Yet here he was Sunday, finally yielding to his inner 10-year-old over the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.

    “Growing up as a kid, playing in the backyard with the Wiffle bats, you always want to be an All-Star,” said Marsh, one day after being named not only to the National League roster but voted in as a starter by the fans. “You always want to call yourself an All-Star growing up. I’m thankful for all the people that voted, all the fans.”

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    Marsh led NL outfielders in the final phase of the fan balloting. The support was merited. Entering play Sunday, he was sixth in the NL batting race with a .310 average. He had the Phillies’ third-best OPS (.856) and was settling into the cleanup spot behind Bryce Harper.

    Five Phillies players were selected for the All-Star Game on July 14 in Citizens Bank Park, with Marsh and closer Jhoan Duran as first-timers. Harper was named to his ninth All-Star Game as the commissioner’s pick, while Kyle Schwarber will make his fourth All-Star appearance and Cristopher Sánchez his second.

    “It’s a dream come true,” Duran said. “I always wanted to be there, and it happened this year.”

    Brandon Marsh was sixth in the NL with a .310 batting average through Saturday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Marsh took a winding path to the All-Star Game — in Philly, no less.

    Drafted in the second round by the Angels in 2016, Marsh made his major-league debut in July 2021 and got traded to the Phillies a year later for catcher Logan O’Hoppe. They envisioned him as their future center fielder, but eventually moved him to left.

    And as recently as last winter, even after Marsh batted .303 with an .836 OPS over the final five months of last season, the Phillies were intent on using him in a platoon role because it didn’t seem he would solve left-handed pitching.

    “To be honest, I came into the year having zero expectations for myself personally,” Marsh said. “I feel like I’ve learned that from a lot of the great players in this game. So, I didn’t have many expectations, and I think that’s honestly helped a little bit, just not pressing so hard and stuff like that.”

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    Marsh started fast, with two doubles on opening day. But like the rest of the Phillies, he has thrived under interim manager Don Mattingly, batting .315 with 11 homers and an .882 OPS in 59 games entering Sunday.

    In a team meeting Saturday, roughly one hour before the series opener against the Royals, Mattingly held a team meeting to inform the All-Stars of their selections. Marsh didn’t have much time to process it. Not with a game to play.

    “Really, it hasn’t hit me yet, to be honest with you,” Marsh said. “Tonight, when I have a lot of time on my hands after the game, I’ll sit down and I’ll have my moment and just just wrap my head around everything and realize how special it is and how much of an honor it is to be in this in this position.”

    Surely, Marsh will think about his dad, Jake, who died in 2021 due to throat and neck cancer.

    “He’s got the best seat in the house, you know?” Marsh said. “He gets to watch from the front row. I think he’d be super proud. He’s a big reason of why I do it.”

    Phillies ace Cristopher Sanchez is a candidate to start the All-Star Game for the National League.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    A start for Sánchez?

    If Sánchez wasn’t already the leading candidate to be the NL’s starting pitcher, consider this: Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski is lined up to start the final game before the break, leaving him unable to unleash his historic fastball in the All-Star Game.

    Sánchez, meanwhile, will pitch Monday in Kansas City and again Saturday in Detroit. Mattingly said Sánchez could pitch one inning in the All-Star Game on what would be his between-starts bullpen day.

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    “Still a couple of [starts] left,” he said through a team interpreter. “We’ll just have to wait and see.”

    Regardless, Sánchez said he expects to have at least 20 family members and friends in attendance at the All-Star Game.

    “Super excited and happy,” said Sánchez, who has a 2.00 ERA in 18 starts, second in the majors to only Misiorowski. “All the hard work that we’ve been putting in, it was worth it.”

    Phils pitcher Brad Keller runs to cover first base during the Chicago White Sox at Philadelphia Phillies MLB baseball game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Friday, June 5, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    Extra bases

    Reliever Brad Keller (right forearm tendintis) pitched a scoreless inning for triple-A Lehigh Valley in Rochester, N.Y. He could be reinstated from the injured list and rejoin the Phillies’ bullpen as soon as Tuesday night, according to Mattingly. … With a fastball-heavy approach (35 four-seamers out of 69 pitches), Andrew Painter allowed one run on four hits in six walk-free innings Saturday in triple A. … Bench coach Dusty Wathan’s dad, John, was inducted into the Royals’ Hall of Fame before the game. John Wathan was Kansas City’s catcher for 10 years and managed the Royals from 1987-91. … The Phillies signed triple-A outfielder Bryan De La Cruz to a major-league contract, added him to the 40-man roster, and optioned him to Lehigh Valley. De La Cruz exercised an opt-out in his minor-league contract, prompting the move. Right-hander Jean Cabrera, who has a 9.10 ERA between triple A and double A, was designated for assignment. … Sánchez (10-3, 2.00 ERA) will be opposed by Royals lefty Noah Cameron (4-6, 4.95) in the series finale Monday at 2:10 p.m. ET.

  • Bryce Harper is ‘grateful’ to be MLB commissioner’s All-Star pick. He’s also earned it.

    Bryce Harper is ‘grateful’ to be MLB commissioner’s All-Star pick. He’s also earned it.

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Bryce Harper saw the missed call on his phone Wednesday after the Phillies got off the field at Citizens Bank Park.

    Rob Manfred wanted to chat.

    The last time they talked, almost a year ago, it ended with Harper telling the commissioner to “get the [heck] out of our clubhouse” if he wanted to propose a salary cap in baseball.

    But Manfred had something less divisive on his mind. He wanted to use his one selection to name Harper to the National League team for the 96th All-Star Game on July 14 in Philadelphia.

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    “Yeah, he called me and told me I was going to be his pick,” Harper said Sunday. “He said that I’ve had a great first half, and I think the numbers kind of speak for themselves. I think I had an opportunity [to be an All-Star]. Obviously with the fan vote it didn’t happen, so he gave me the opportunity. Definitely grateful for that and excited to be there.”

    So, Harper and Manfred are pals now?

    Harper laughed.

    “No, I’m just grateful for the opportunity,” said Harper, a nine-time All-Star, with more selections than any active player except Mike Trout (12), Chris Sale (10), and Freddie Freeman (10). “He left me a voicemail during the game and told me he wanted to talk about the All-Star Game. I wasn’t sure what the question was going to be at that point, but then we talked and he let me know.

    Bryce Harper said, “I think I deserve to be in the game for the way I’ve played.”Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    “I think I deserve to be in the game for the way I’ve played, so definitely grateful for it.”

    Indeed, entering Sunday’s games, Harper was tied for 11th in the majors with a .903 OPS and was among 15 players with at least 20 home runs. He was batting .274 with a .374 on-base percentage.

    The numbers are notable. Last October, in a season-ending news conference, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski wondered aloud if Harper, at age 33, was still elite.

    A few days ago, Harper said a reporter asked him if he has answered the question.

    “It’s like, I don’t care,” Harper said. “It’s up to you guys to decide that. Every year, I come in and I’ve got an opportunity to be great at what I do, you know? Like I said, the numbers show right now, they speak for themselves.

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    “But I know they can be better. I know I can be better. I’m going to enjoy it, obviously. But I think I can be better than what I’m doing right now.”

    Harper figures he can always swing at fewer pitches out of the zone or draw more walks. The Phillies have four other All-Stars: Kyle Schwarber, Cristopher Sánchez, and first-timers Brandon Marsh and Jhoan Duran. Marsh is a starter in the National League outfield; Sánchez might be the starting pitcher.

    But it wouldn’t have been an All-Star Game in Philly without Harper, the city’s biggest baseball star.

    The question now: Will he be in the Home Run Derby?

    Harper remains noncommittal. Health isn’t a problem. After dealing with wrist and back issues over the past few seasons, he said his “body feels great.” He has started every game so far this season.

    Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber are All-Stars. Will they compete in the Home Run Derby?Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    The biggest issue: Finding a pitcher. Harper’s dad, Ron, did the honors in 2018, when Harper won the Home Run Derby in Washington, but hasn’t thrown batting practice in four or five years.

    Harper’s phone has been buzzing with offers.

    “A couple ex-players that throw BP now to their kids and stuff,” he said. “I think I can trust a couple of them, but it’s just hard for me, to tell you the truth, not being able to do it with somebody that I’m super comfortable with. You can’t just pick somebody random to go out there.

    “I’m not going to do something if I’m going to have a half-mentality towards it. If I’m going to do it, I want to be full bore and very confident in winning. Because I’m not going to do it unless I’m going to try to win it. Like, I’m not going out there just to have fun. I want to win the thing.”

    One-stop shopping for the Phillies at the trade deadline again? Here’s three teams that could be a fit

    Chalk it up to a competitive streak that continues to fuel Harper in his 15th major-league season.

    None other than Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly, a six-time All-Star as a player, marveled at Harper’s nine All-Star selections for both the longevity and level of excellence.

    “I think the first thing that comes to mind is, ‘Not enough,’” said Harper, who has five years left on his Phillies contract and a desire to play beyond that. “I’ve been in the game a long time. Nine’s a big number. But hopefully I’ll have more after the next couple of years.

    “Every number or anything that I look at right now, it’s just I always kind of tell myself ‘not enough,’ you know? Just got to keep going, keep wanting more, and then hopefully get there.”

  • Jesús Luzardo, J.T. Realmuto take starring roles in Phillies’ 6-1 win over Royals on Fourth of July

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With fireworks pop, pop, popping in the distance in all directions around Kaufman Stadium, the Phillies burst a few bombs in the air, too, Saturday night.

    Just not from the usual sources.

    Never mind that five players — nearly 20% of the roster — found out before the game that they will come home to play in Philly’s All-Star Game on July 14. It was the supporting cast — notably J.T. Realmuto, Alec Bohm, and Jesús Luzardo — that lit up the Royals, 6-1, on the Fourth of July.

    Five Phillies selected to 2026 All-Star Game, including first-timers Brandon Marsh and Jhoan Duran

    In winning for the 10th time in 14 games, the Phillies got homers from Realmuto, rookie Gabriel Rincones Jr., and Bohm. Luzardo rode his devastating sweeper to strike out nine batters in six solid innings.

    And what about those All-Stars? Although they were in the lineup, Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and Brandon Marsh might as well have taken the night off. Jhoan Duran did. There was no save necessary.

    It was a no-muss, no-fuss win for the Phillies, now 41-20 under interim manager Don Mattingly and 50-39 overall, still breathing down the neck of the Braves, who lead the division by three games.

    “I feel like, if we’re going to be any good, we need to get contributions up and down,” Mattingly said. “It can’t always be Harp and Schwarb hitting homers and driving in a bunch of runs. It’s got to be the whole roster.”

    Yes, and before Realmuto and Rincones — the seventh- and eighth-place hitters — launched back-to-back homers against Royals starter Michael Wacha in the fourth inning, Luzardo set the tone for the night.

    In his second-to-last start before the All-Star break, Luzardo retired the first eight batters — five by strikeout — before yielding an infield single. He mixed four pitches but could’ve easily gotten by with only the sweeper, a pitch that he started throwing only before last season.

    Luzardo threw a total of 95 pitches; 42 were sweepers, 15 of which generated swings and misses. And while he preyed on one of the worst offenses in baseball, it also continued a trend in which the sweeper has been more effective.

    “I almost felt like I threw it so much that I forgot how to throw it,” Luzardo said. “But lately, I feel like the last five or six starts, it’s felt back to what it was and maybe even get better.”

    ‘The game is where it needs to be’: Bryce Harper wants compromise (and no salary cap) to keep sport thriving

    Mattingly said it can be tough to differentiate Luzardo’s sweeper from his other pitches, including his changeup. If it’s difficult to tell from the dugout, imagine what it looks like in the batter’s box.

    “It’s the angle with him,” Mattingly said. “It kind of gets into where you get pitches feeding off each other. The fastball sinks, and then the changeup, and then the sweeper, and it all starts feeding out of the window. It’s really effective.”

    Said Royals manager Matt Quatraro: “It’s an elite pitch. You hope that he makes a mistake.”

    The Royals finally scratched across a run in the fourth inning on Lane Thomas’ double and a two-out infield single from Nick Loftin.

    By then, though, the Phillies already had a lead.

    The Phillies’ J.T. Realmuto celebrates with Justin Crawford after hitting a two-run home run during the fourth inning.Charlie Riedel

    The Phillies put pressure on Wacha by loading the bases with two out in the first inning but didn’t break through until Realmuto cracked a two-run homer in the fourth.

    Rincones followed by hitting a cutter into the right-field bullpen to open a 3-0 lead.

    Bohm teed off in the sixth inning with a leadoff homer. The Phillies kept tacking on. Trea Turner scored on a wild pitch in the seventh inning before Bohm doubled and scored on Rincones’ single in the eighth.

    Not mentioned: Schwarber, Harper, and Marsh, none of whom scored a run or drove one in. (Schwarber did, however, get three hits and reached base four times.)

    Zack Wheeler and Don Mattingly ‘all square’ after Phillies pitcher disagreed with being taken out

    The All-Stars brought the Phillies back from the sewer of a 9-19 start. And while the roster is top-heavy, the supporting actors have played a vital role in the surge under Mattingly.

    “Obviously we wouldn’t be where we are today without all the guys that got nominated and picked to be All-Stars,” Luzardo said. “And I think we could have had a lot more, too. Selfishly, I think [Bryson] Stott, Bohm, [Zack Wheeler], obviously.

    “But it is what it is. The guys that got picked, kudos to them. I’m really happy for them. It’s awesome to see.”

  • Zack Wheeler and Don Mattingly ‘all square’ after Phillies pitcher disagreed with being taken out

    Zack Wheeler and Don Mattingly ‘all square’ after Phillies pitcher disagreed with being taken out

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. — When Zack Wheeler pitches again for the Phillies, the air between him and manager Don Mattingly will be clear.

    “All square,” Mattingly said Saturday.

    To recap: Wheeler disagreed with being taken out before completing the fifth inning Wednesday night in Citizens Bank Park, even though he gave up back-to-back-to-back two-out hits and matched his season-high with 104 pitches.

    Mattingly said he spoke with Wheeler and offered the same explanation that he gave reporters, notably that he had the long-term interests of Wheeler and the overall rotation in mind.

    ‘The game is where it needs to be’: Bryce Harper wants compromise (and no salary cap) to keep sport thriving

    Did Wheeler accept that justification?

    “I don’t know,” Mattingly said. “I’m not sure. I mean, I’ve been through it. It’s not my first time I’m going through it with a guy that’s really good. They never want to come out. It’s the way it goes with those guys, right?”

    Besides, Wheeler may have a new gripe. He wasn’t selected to the National League All-Star team Saturday night despite posting a 2.36 ERA in 13 starts, a remarkable recovery after having a rib removed last September to treat a compressed vein near his collarbone.

    Mattingly called a team meeting at about 6 p.m. here Saturday to break the news that Brandon Marsh, Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Cristopher Sánchez, and Jhoan Duran were named All-Stars.

    Wheeler is lined up to start the last game before the break, which makes him ineligible to pitch in the All-Star Game. Mattingly wasn’t sure if that was the reason that Wheeler was omitted.

    Phillies pitcher Brad Keller throws the baseball against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday, April 11, 2026 in Philadelphia.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Keller gets closer

    Brad Keller gave up a two-run homer Friday night in a triple-A game in Rochester, N.Y., the reliever’s first game action since going on the injured list June 16 with right forearm tendinitis.

    Despite the results, Mattingly said pitching coach Caleb Cotham was pleased when he watched video of Keller’s inning.

    “He’s looking more at the process, what his delivery looks like, how it was coming out, how the ball’s spinning, all that kind of stuff,” Mattingly said. “And he was happy with it.”

    Phillies’ Brad Keller on track to return before the All-Star break: ‘It’s a night-and-day difference’

    Keller will pitch again Sunday in Rochester, according to Mattingly, after which the Phillies could decide to bring him back from the injured list.

    The Phillies are relying on Keller as part of their late-inning bridge to closer Jhoan Duran. Keller overcame a rocky start and allowed three earned runs over 12⅔ innings in a span of 13 appearances before giving up three runs in the eighth inning June 13 in Milwaukee, his last appearance before being sidelined.

    Overall, the 30-year-old righty has a 4.15 ERA in 31 appearances.

    The Phillies optioned righty Alan Rangel to triple A after his start Thursday.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    Rangel out, Banks in

    With the fifth-starter spot coming up once more before the All-Star break — and not again until July 21 — the Phillies optioned righty Alan Rangel to triple A and recalled lefty Tanner Banks to get an extra arm in the bullpen.

    Rangel replaced demoted Andrew Painter for three turns in the rotation. He appeared twice behind an opener and started once, posting a 3.46 ERA in 13 innings.

    In his most recent start, Rangel sidestepped four walks in four scoreless innings in oppressive heat at home Thursday against the Pirates. As a “bulk” pitcher, he gave up one run in five innings June 22 in Washington and four runs in four innings June 27 in New York.

    The Phillies won’t rush Andrew Painter’s return to majors. Instead, it’s about ‘getting himself’ right.

    “It’s nothing that he’s done,” Mattingly said. “I mean, he threw the ball well, so we’re happy with the way he’s going. But it did give us a chance to get an extra [reliever].”

    Mattingly said the Phillies will likely run a “true bullpen game” when the fifth-starter spot comes around Wednesday in Cincinnati, although it will be subject to how much the relievers are taxed over the next four games.

    Banks began the season in the majors but was sent to triple A with a 5.86 ERA on June 18. In four games for Lehigh Valley, he allowed six runs (three earned) in 4⅓ innings for a 6.23 ERA.

    Extra bases

    The Phillies traded low-A right-hander Ryan Degges to Cleveland for international bonus pool space, money that was allocated to signing 17-year-old Taiwanese right-hander Ho Hua for $500,000, according to a league source. In May, the Phillies made a similar move for bonus pool money to sign Chan-min Park, a 17-year-old right-hander from South Korea, for $1.205 million. … The Phillies signed veteran catcher Payton Henry to a minor-league contract and sent him to triple A. … Aaron Nola (3-5, 6.04 ERA) is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. Sunday against Royals righty Luinder Avila (3-3, 5.40).

  • Five Phillies selected to 2026 All-Star Game, including first-timers Brandon Marsh and Jhoan Duran

    Five Phillies selected to 2026 All-Star Game, including first-timers Brandon Marsh and Jhoan Duran

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A few minutes past 6 p.m. here Saturday, Don Mattingly gathered the Phillies for a team meeting.

    That’s when Brandon Marsh and Jhoan Duran found out they were All-Stars.

    For the first time.

    Marsh, the leading vote-getter among National League outfielders in the final phase of fan voting, will be joined on July 14 in Philadelphia by Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, Cristopher Sánchez, and Duran. All but Harper were selected by their peers; Harper was named by commissioner Rob Manfred.

    ‘The game is where it needs to be’: Bryce Harper wants compromise (and no salary cap) to keep sport thriving

    “It’s a dream come true,” Duran said after the Phillies’ 6-1 victory over the Royals. “I always wanted to be there, and it happened this year.”

    Zack Wheeler, who has made a remarkable return from thoracic outlet syndrome, was notably not selected. Wheeler missed the season’s first four weeks. He’s also lined up to start the last game before the break, which would leave him unable to pitch in the All-Star Game.

    Mattingly said he wasn’t sure if Wheeler’s unavailability led to the snub. But other pitchers who are scheduled to start the last game before the break were selected, including flamethrowing Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski, and will likely be replaced.

    Even without Wheeler, the five All-Stars will tie for the second-largest contingent in Phillies history. They had eight selections to the 2024 All-Star Game in Texas, though Wheeler chose not to attend and Ranger Suárez was injured.

    Mattingly was looking forward to breaking the news to all five players, but especially Marsh and Duran, who are All-Stars for the first time.

    “I think that first one is always special because it kind of like validates, ‘Hey, I’ve made it. I’ve been an All-Star,’” said Mattingly, selected to six All-Star games as a player and slated to be a coach on Dodgers manager Dave Roberts’ National League staff this year. “It’s just huge.”

    Brandon Marsh was selected to his first All-Star Game.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Of all the Phillies’ big names, the fans turned out in droves to vote for Marsh, who will become the first Phillies outfielder to start an All-Star Game since Raúl Ibañez in 2009.

    Marsh, 28, entered Sunday fifth in the NL — and third among all major-league outfielders — with a .310 average. He had 15 doubles, 15 homers, and an .856 OPS, the continuation of a promising final four months last season. Since the beginning of May 2025, he was batting .309 with 25 homers and an .852 OPS in 702 plate appearances over 199 games.

    In the first phase of fan voting, Marsh pulled in the second-most votes among NL outfielders and advanced to the final stage with the Dodgers’ Andy Pages and Teoscar Hernández, the Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr. and Michael Harris II, and the Mets’ Juan Soto. Pages and Soto were also named starters.

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    Schwarber, 33, was runner-up to Shohei Ohtani in the fan voting but was a lock to be named on the players’ ballot. Aside from being immensely popular with his peers, Schwarber leads the majors in homers (30, entering play Sunday) and ranked fourth in the majors with a .943 OPS. It will be his fourth All-Star appearance, all but one coming with the Phillies.

    Harper, 33, didn’t advance to the final round of fan voting after finishing behind the Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman and Braves’ Matt Olson in the initial stage. But it wouldn’t have been an All-Star Game in Philadelphia without Harper, and his selection by Manfred was based as much on merit as reputation. Entering the weekend, the nine-time All-Star ranked 10th in the majors in OPS (.906) and was among only 15 players to reach the 20-homer mark.

    “The longevity side of it with Harp — I think this is nine for him — I mean, it’s building to where you start getting those kind of guys that get 12-15,“ Mattingly said. ”Just the fact that he’s still continuing to play at that level is huge for me.”

    Cristopher Sanchez was a lock for the NL pitching staff after going 50⅔ innings without allowing a run.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    Sánchez, 29, was a lock for the NL pitching staff after going 50⅔ innings without allowing a run, the longest streak ever by a lefty and fifth-longest all-time.

    The only question is whether Roberts will choose him to start the game.

    Sánchez is lined up to start the second-to-last game before the break, on Saturday in Detroit, which Mattingly said could put him on track to pitch one inning on July 14.

    Whether or not Sánchez starts the All-Star Game, Duran could close it, in which case, warm up the tarantulas on the right-field scoreboard.

    “That would be crazy,” Duran said. “We never know. I always say I never say never because you never know.”

    Jhoan Duran is having one of the best seasons ever by a Phillies reliever.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    Duran, 28, is having one of the best seasons ever by a Phillies reliever with 45 strikeouts, six walks, a 1.52 ERA, and a league-leading 21 saves (in 22 chances) entering the weekend.

    Surely, he knew the All-Star Game was a possibility.

    “I wasn’t thinking too much about that,” Duran said. “My wife, yes. She was on top of that. I never put too much time on it mentally.”

    Now that the All-Star rosters have been announced, the Home Run Derby field will begin to form. Schwarber and Harper said they would consider competing in the Derby if they were on the All-Star team.

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    When he was with the Nationals, Harper raised his hand for the Derby — and won it — in Washington in 2018. He said earlier this week that he’s undecided about doing it again.

    “The last time I did it, I won. I said I’d never do it again,” Harper said. “So, we’ll see how I’m feeling. … Obviously, I know the fans want me to do it, so I’ll take that into account, but we’ll see how much pump, I guess, I have behind me going out there and doing it.”

    Said Mattingly: “It doesn’t bother me. It’s set up a lot better now than it was before where it’s not a zillion swings.”

  • Did Philly just leak some of MLB’s All-Stars? Not necessarily.

    Did Philly just leak some of MLB’s All-Stars? Not necessarily.

    Did Philadelphia just get a spoiler on the MLB All-Star selections?

    On Friday, banners boasting some of baseball’s biggest stars were spotted by The Inquirer around town. The banners, first noted by user @gerawaycar on X, appear to be in place for the MLB All-Star Game, which is July 14 at Citizens Bank Park. Many banners are clustered near Market Street, leading up to City Hall.

    The Minnesota Twins’ Byron Buxton is getting a banner, too.Conor Smith / Staff

    The only issue? The MLB has not yet announced the game’s rosters.

    The league is scheduled to name starters and reserves on Saturday (7:30 p.m., Fox29). If the banners do correspond with the league’s selections, Philadelphians got a sneak peak. The Inquirer has reached out to the city of Philadelphia for comment.

    Bryce Harper wants compromise (and no salary cap) to keep sport thriving

    The banners also could just be promotional material. In 2019, Phillies star Bryce Harper was featured prominently on multiple banners Cleveland, which was hosting that year, despite not being selected to participate.

    Bryce Harper and Mookie Betts signs ahead of the 2019 All-Star Game in Cleveland. Harper was not named to that year’s National League roster.Matt Breen

    In 2021, when the game was in Colorado, a sign was spotted featuring Harper alongside Chicago White Sox catcher Yermin Mercedes and Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon.

    Players that are featured on Philadelphia’s banners include the Washington Nationals’ James Wood, New York Yankees’ Cam Schlittler, Atlanta Braves’ Chris Sale, the Athletics’ Shea Langeliers, Pittsburgh Pirates’ Paul Skenes, and Minnesota Twins’ Byron Buxton.

    Other banners also have been spotted on social media. Players that were spotted include the Phillies’ Cristopher Sánchez and Kyle Schwarber, Milwaukee Brewers’ Jacob Misiorowski, Atlanta Braves’ Matt Olson, Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout, Mets’ Juan Soto, Chicago Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong, Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, St. Louis Cardinals’ Jordan Walker, Cleveland Guardians’ Cade Smith, Toronto Blue Jays’ Louis Varland, Houston Astros’ Yordan Alvarez, San Diego Padres’ Mason Miller, Arizona Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll, Kansas City Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr., and Athletics’ Nick Kurtz.

    A banner depicting the Washington Nationals’ James Wood is seen near 15th Street and JFK Boulevard.Conor Smith / Staff
  • Phillies closer Jhoan Duran named NL reliever of the month

    Phillies closer Jhoan Duran named NL reliever of the month

    Phillies closer Jhoan Duran was named the National League reliever of the month for June, MLB announced Friday.

    Duran posted a 1.64 ERA and 0.91 WHIP across 12 appearances in June. He converted nine of 10 save opportunities. After blowing his first save of the season on June 9 in Toronto, Duran has not allowed another run in eight appearances since.

    “There’s been times I’ve had to have teams where that ninth inning is by committee. It never seems to go that well,” interim manager Don Mattingly said last month. “I like having a number of guys that you could do it with, but it’s nice to have that guy that you feel like the game’s over.”

    Bryce Harper wants compromise (and no salary cap) to keep sport thriving

    The Phillies have leaned on their closer often as they engineered a turnaround from 10 games below .500 in April to now 10 games above .500.

    “If I feel good, I want to be in the game,” Duran said recently. “So that’s me. The more I throw in the game, I feel more comfortable. I feel way better.”

    So far this season, the 28-year-old right-hander has 21 saves, which was tied with the San Diego Padres’ Mason Miller and the St. Louis Cardinals’ Riley O’Brien for the National League lead, entering Friday.

    Duran is the second Phillies player to collect a monthly honor this season. Cristopher Sánchez won NL pitcher of the month for May.