Inquirer.com – Zurich DR

Category: Sports

  • ‘I’m tired of people thinking that I’m an easy out’: Alec Bohm delivers after intentional walk in Phillies’ win

    ‘I’m tired of people thinking that I’m an easy out’: Alec Bohm delivers after intentional walk in Phillies’ win

    Alec Bohm fouled off back-to-back two-strike pitches. He took a close pitch to work the count full and got a piece of another to extend the at-bat.

    Then, at last, on Pitch No. 9, Bohm dropped a two-out, three-run double past the diving left fielder, the Phillies’ biggest hit Sunday night in a sweep-averting 11-4 victory over the Aaron Judge-less Yankees.

    Eureka!

    Hallelujah would’ve been an equally appropriate word. Because no team has gotten less production from its right-handed hitters, even prompting Yankees manager Aaron Boone to call for an intentional walk to load the bases to get to Bohm.

    “It’s happened a lot to me in my career,” said Bohm, who often bats behind Bryce Harper. “But, yeah, that time it kind of [ticked] me off.”

    Why this time? It seemed sensible that the Yankees preferred a righty-on-righty matchup over Will Warren facing lefty-swinging Brandon Marsh. And Bohm was 20-for-104 over his previous 27 games.

    “Honestly, I just feel like I’m kind of the type of player that, through most of my career, you haven’t really wanted to come up in those situations,” Bohm said. “So, I’m just kind of tired of people thinking that I’m an easy out.”

    Fair enough. Bohm is a .333 career hitter with the bases loaded, but was only 2-for-9 this season coming into the game. And, in general, Phillies right-handed batters have a worst-in-the-majors .278 on-base percentage and .637 OPS.

    It’s clear what the Phillies need at the trade deadline. Do they have the prospect capital to get it?

    It’s no wonder, then, that the Phillies continue to seek even marginal help before next Monday’s trade deadline, according to officials from multiple teams. But given the scarcity of right-handed hitting and the state of their farm system, a marginal upgrade is all they might find.

    It’s incumbent, then, upon Bohm — Trea Turner and J.T. Realmuto, too — to balance out a lineup that is disproportionally dependent on Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and Marsh, each of whom bat from the left side.

    Another left-handed hitter, Bryson Stott, came up big against the Yankees. He homered and singled against Warren, tacked on a three-run double, and matched his career-high with five RBIs.

    But given the state of things, Bohm’s duel with Warren in the third inning in sold-out Citizens Bank Park (credit an assist to the Yankees fans who showed up) turned a two-run game into a low-stress giggler to snap a four-game losing skid.

    Alec Bohm slides home against New York Yankees catcher Ali Sánchez in the sixth inning on Sunday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    On a night when Cristopher Sánchez lacked his sharpest stuff, to boot.

    “Yeah, it definitely feels good,” said Bohm, batting .221 with a .650 OPS after a brutal start to the season. “I mean, it’s not like I’m mad at them for doing it, or mad at anybody in particular. I know what the numbers say. But I don’t feel like I’m an out going up there. And I think, in those situations, you want to make them feel like they made a mistake.”

    Earlier this week, Bohm said he was pleased with his swing and his approach at the plate, even if the results didn’t line up with how he was feeling.

    Phillies trade deadline preview: Bullpen is becoming a top priority, and maybe the Mets can provide answers

    “I’m hitting the ball hard, I’m swinging at the right pitches for the most part, and I’m doing all the things that should be leading to success,” he said. “And it’s kind of been hit-or-miss with the result.

    “The process, I guess you could say, has been good more often than not. It’s just not showing up as much on the numbers’ side of things.”

    Bohm’s approach against Warren backed that self-assessment.

    In a 2-2 count, he fouled off a sweeper and a fastball, then didn’t chase after a fastball that nearly clipped the outer edge of the zone and fouled off another sweeper.

    Phillies starter Cristopher Sánchez gave up three earned runs in six innings against the Yankees on Sunday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Warren came back with a down-and-away sweeper, and Bohm reached out and stroked it to left field, where Max Schuemann dove despite not having a chance to catch it.

    “I wasn’t sitting on a sweeper,” Bohm said. “I was just really trying to fight off anything I could. I was just trying to find a way to hit one forward, really. And then I finally got there with the sweeper.”

    Already missing Judge, the Yankees played without left fielder Cody Bellinger, too, after he went on the injured list earlier in the day with a strained left hamstring. The Phillies capitalized on poor outfield play, not only on Bohm’s double. Center fielder Trent Grisham took a poor route to a leadoff triple in the first inning from Turner, who scored on Schwarber’s sacrifice fly.

    Andrew Painter had a solid week in triple A. Is he an option to rejoin the Phillies’ rotation soon?

    Stott homered in the second inning to push the lead to 2-0 before Bohm broke it open in the third. The Phillies claimed it was more indicative of their offense than the previous four games — all losses, in which they scored a total of seven runs.

    “I think that it obviously shows that we can do it, and that we’re not just talking about it. We have it in us,” Stott said. “We know that. It’s just, trying to swing at our pitches and get guys on and move them in.”

    Don Mattingly put it more simply — no less than four times in eight minutes after the game.

    “It’s what we’re capable of,” he said.

    Yet the Phillies went only 3-6 on their post-All-Star-break homestand against the Mets, Dodgers, and Yankees. They will spend the next week in Miami and Baltimore. Their next home game coincides with the trade deadline.

    By then, maybe they’ll have another right-handed bat.

    Either way, it would help if Bohm keeps producing.

  • Andrew Painter had a solid week in triple A. Is he an option to rejoin the Phillies’ rotation soon?

    Andrew Painter had a solid week in triple A. Is he an option to rejoin the Phillies’ rotation soon?

    One day after their 11th loss in a row from the fifth-starter spot, the Phillies weren’t closer to a decision about what to do the next time around.

    Here’s a hint: Brian Keller remained on the roster.

    “I think that’s some sort of insight on what we’ll do, what we’re thinking,” interim manager Don Mattingly said Sunday. “That could change. We haven’t really discussed exactly what we’re going to do. But I think the fact that he’s still here, you know, we’re going to use him again at some point.”

    It’s clear what the Phillies need at the trade deadline. Do they have the prospect capital to get it?

    Keller gave up one run in three innings Saturday night as a bulk reliever. The 32-year-old right-hander, a former 39th-round pick when the draft went for more than 20 rounds, took an improbably winding road to the majors, including a stint in Japan in 2023 and a two-year recovery from Tommy John elbow surgery.

    It’s a nice story brought about by the black hole at the back of the Phillies’ rotation. They haven’t won a game started by anyone other than Cristopher Sánchez, Zack Wheeler, Jesús Luzardo, or Aaron Nola since May 18.

    The No. 5-starter spot will come around again Friday in Baltimore. The Phillies could skip the turn because of a day off Thursday, but given the lack of rotation depth, Mattingly has prioritized an extra day of rest for the starters whenever possible.

    Phillies right-hander Brian Keller allowed one run in three innings Saturday night in his major-league debut.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    In that case, Keller could factor in the mix again, either as a starter or bulk reliever — unless the Phillies are able to acquire a starter before Friday. (The trade deadline is a week away on Aug. 3 at 6 p.m.)

    But what if they turn back to Andrew Painter?

    All along, the Phillies planned for Painter to lock down the fifth-starter spot. But the 23-year-old rookie and erstwhile untouchable top prospect dragged a 7.06 ERA back to triple A on June 18.

    Painter is coming off a solid week for Lehigh Valley. He started the first and last games of a six-game series in Indianapolis and allowed a total of three runs on 12 hits in 11 innings, including one run in six innings Sunday. The Phillies were particularly encouraged that he walked only one batter in the two starts, none Sunday.

    All-Star outfielder Brandon Marsh relegated to platoon role (for now) as the Phillies seek more production against lefty pitching

    It’s the best stretch for Painter since his demotion. In five starts overall, he has a 4.56 ERA, though he has allowed two or fewer runs in four starts and completed the sixth inning twice.

    At minimum, it will give team officials something to talk about. Mattingly, however, didn’t seem to indicate that a return for Painter was imminent.

    “I think when we sent Paint out, it was not going to be something that we’re like, ‘Oh, Paint, now he’s ready. Now he’s good.’ It was going to be, let’s let Andrew develop. Let’s let him pitch. Let’s let him work and keep getting better. And then, we’ll see him again.”

    Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber took grounders at first base Sunday.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    Giving Harper a break

    Kyle Schwarber took grounders at first base Sunday in preparation for a start there in the coming days.

    Mattingly said the Phillies want to give Bryce Harper a game as the designated hitter. Harper has started all 106 games, all but six at first base, and has his sights set on playing 162.

    “For me, it’s more maintenance,” Mattingly said. “It’s not that he needs a day off. We’ll continue to watch him and talk to him. If we’re seeing him totally dragging or something, then we’ll do something about it.”

    ‘Phillies Extra’ Q&A: John Middleton on All-Star Game highlights, firing Rob Thomson, and the trade deadline

    Mattingly noted that neither Harper nor Schwarber got much of a respite during the All-Star break. In addition to competing in the Home Run Derby, they had to fulfill obligations around the city as the biggest stars on the host team. The Phillies also had only a three-day break, while most teams got four days off.

    Harper came out of the break in a 4-for-28 funk with one homer and 12 strikeouts; Schwarber was 6-for-29 with one homer and 11 strikeouts entering Sunday night.

    Mattingly suggested there may be cause-and-effect.

    “I don’t know that. I’m just saying it was a lot,” he said. “And naturally, in Philadelphia, obviously the game here, it was different for them than it was for basically any other player. … I don’t think those were great things for those guys physically, but obviously we can’t make excuses for that.”

    Don Mattingly (left) suggested that lack of rest may be a cause for Bryce Harper’s and Kyle Schwarber’s production after the All-Star break.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer

    Extra bases

    Mattingly said the Phillies expect lefty reliever Tanner Banks to return this season, even though they moved him to the 60-day injured list. Banks, sidelined since July 9 by a left forearm strain, won’t resume throwing for another week. He’s eligible to return in mid-September. … Wheeler (10-2, 2.16 ERA) will start the series opener in Miami at 6:40 p.m. Monday against former Phillies righty Tyler Phillips (2-5, 3.52).

  • Sixers waive Dalen Terry in cost-cutting move to sign LeBron James and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

    Sixers waive Dalen Terry in cost-cutting move to sign LeBron James and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

    Dalen Terry has been waived by the 76ers, the team announced Sunday.

    The move will allow the Sixers to officially sign megastar LeBron James and veteran wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope while staying under the first apron hard salary cap. The Sixers need to waive (or potentially trade) one more player in order to get under that financial ceiling.

    Terry being one of the cuts is unsurprising. His $2.6 salary for 2026-27 was nonguaranteed until Jan. 10, after the Sixers picked up the team option in his contract in late June.

    Jaylen Brown is now eligible to sign a one-year contract extension with the Sixers

    Terry joined the Sixers on a two-way contract in February, and averaged 4.1 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 12.4 minutes across 14 games. He had his contract converted to a standard deal in April, after veteran point guard Cameron Payne sustained a hamstring injury that would have kept him sidelined for weeks.

    The 24-year-old Terry was with a group of Sixers teammates and staff to watch a Las Vegas Summer League game earlier this month. He said then that he had spent his offseason working on his shooting, and was excited when the team acquired All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown.

  • Unauthorized LeBron James merch up for grabs outside Philly’s stadiums and down the Shore

    Unauthorized LeBron James merch up for grabs outside Philly’s stadiums and down the Shore

    T-shirt hawkers have captured LeBron James’ name, image, and likeness.

    The face of the newly minted Philadelphia 76er and all-time NBA legend has already wound up on unauthorized merch outside stadiums and down the Jersey Shore, as seen in social media posts.

    “I just know there’s a sixers LeBron tshirt somewhere on the wildwood boardwalk right now,” one X user posted, just hours after the two-year, $8 million contract was confirmed.

    The poster followed up a day later.

    “coming to you live from the wildwood boardwalk,” they wrote, alongside a photo of two T-shirts with LeBron’s face (likely) photoshopped onto No. 23 Sixers jerseys. The tweet has more than 3,500 likes.

    A video from TickPick, a ticketing marketplace, also showed LeBron gear being peddled outside the Phillies’ game Saturday.

    For decades, hawkers have been a fixture outside stadiums before and after games and concerts. And at the Jersey Shore, the staple mildly offensive and oft-vulgar garb has taken on its own culture.

    These merchandisers are not beholden to trademark restrictions, capitalize on fan — not corporate — interests, and press catchy slogans onto cotton at lightning speeds.

    That’s probably how King James landed at the Shore before the ink dried on the deal.

    Some legitimate retailers, like Mitchell & Ness, were also quick to monetize the moment: A collection of James-Sixers swag went on sale Sunday.

    As of the same day, variations of James’ Sixers jersey on the NBA’s official merch site — with a $149.99 price tag — were sold out or nearly gone.

    So, at least for now, the bootleggers may have a leg up on the market.

  • Jaylen Brown is now eligible to sign a one-year contract extension with the Sixers

    Jaylen Brown is now eligible to sign a one-year contract extension with the Sixers

    Jaylen Brown has yet to play a game for the 76ers, following the stunning blockbuster trade from the Boston Celtics earlier this month.

    Yet a significant Brown-related decision already faces the Sixers. The All-NBA wing on Sunday became eligible for a one-year contract extension that could be worth nearly $69 million, which would keep him signed through the 2029-30 season.

    If Brown does not sign the one-year extension this offseason, he will become eligible for a three-year extension in the 2027 offseason.

    This all further demonstrates the financial investment the Sixers are making in Brown, who last season finished sixth in voting for the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award and is a five-time All-Star and former Finals MVP. He has three years remaining on his current supermax deal, with salaries of $57.7 million for the upcoming season, $61.7 million in 2027-28, and $65.6 million in 2028-29.

    LeBron James explained why he picked the Sixers. Here are four other factors that may have helped.

    It also aligns with the rationale given by Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens for why he dealt Brown in his prime.

    Had Brown stayed with the Celtics, he instead would have been eligible for a two-year, $142 million extension. Stevens cited a reason for the trade was that Brown and fellow star Jayson Tatum — who has four years remaining on his current contract, including a $71.4 million player option for 2029-30 — would take up approximately 70% of the Celtics’ salary cap. That makes it increasingly more challenging to build out a roster with strong complementary players under the league’s new collective bargaining agreement, with “apron” penalties including trade restrictions for high-spending teams.

    Stevens repeatedly used the word “optionality” when describing the roster-building reasons for the move that shocked the NBA.

    “I might be wrong. I’m not going to stand up here and be defensive about that,” Stevens said at a news conference following the trade. “But the path [to winning a championship] looked a little bit more challenging. … You have to do a great job of building out depth that can hopefully replace the irreplaceable individual.”

    But Brown being traded to the Sixers knocked his extension eligibility down to one year, because players on new teams are only allowed to extend their contracts out to four total seasons. According to NBA cap expert Keith Smith, the salary figure Brown can earn on that additional year is the greater number of either the max salary for a player with 10 years of NBA service, which Spotrac projects to be $66.9 million in 2029-30, or a 5% raise on the final year of his current deal, which is $68.9 million.

    Though adding Brown is a bit less of an immediate financial burden for the Sixers, it still creates a top-heavy salary cap sheet for multiple seasons.

    Former NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid is slated to make $57.7 million on his max extension in the upcoming season, then $62.4 million in 2027-28 and $67 million in 2028-29. All-NBA guard Tyrese Maxey also has three years remaining on his first max contract, at $40.8 million for the upcoming season, then $43.6 million in 2027-28, and $46.4 million in 2028-29.

    Though both contracts are scheduled to come off the books in the 2029 offseason — barring another max or supermax extension for Maxey — standout guard VJ Edgecombe will be eligible to sign his first (potentially max) extension in the 2028 offseason.

    It is possible the Sixers could persuade Edgecombe to take the same route that Maxey once did. Instead of signing a max extension when eligible entering the final year of his rookie contract, in 2023, Maxey waited a year before inking a max deal. That gave Maxey a smaller cap hit in the 2024 offseason, and more financial flexibility for the Sixers that they ultimately used to sign Paul George to a four-year max contract.

    Today that George deal is considered even more of an albatross than Brown’s contract, because George is older (36), no longer a perennial All-Star, and has struggled to stay on the court in recent seasons. But he will come off Boston’s books sooner, with two years remaining on his deal including a player option. That contract also becomes increasingly easier to trade the closer it gets to expiring.

    Grading Mike Gansey’s transformational first offseason as Sixers president

    Just because Brown is now eligible for the one-year extension does not mean that it will be offered by the Sixers and agreed to immediately — or at all.

    Yet it is a reminder of at least part of the Celtics’ justification for trading Brown. And it gives the Sixers a Brown-related decision before he even steps on the court for his new team.

  • Our favorite looks from WNBA All-Star Weekend, from Breanna Stewart’s family fit to A’ja Wilson’s gown

    Our favorite looks from WNBA All-Star Weekend, from Breanna Stewart’s family fit to A’ja Wilson’s gown

    Some of the world’s best women’s basketball players were in Chicago for the WNBA All-Star Game, and, as usual, the fashion didn’t disappoint.

    The WNBA orange carpet on Friday had heads turning to get a glimpse at this year’s All-Stars ahead of Saturday’s game. From top rookies like Azzi Fudd to superstars like Paige Bueckers, the All-Stars pulled out all the stops.

    A’ja Wilson

    Playing for “Team Spoon” in the All-Star Game, the Las Vegas Aces center stunned on the orange carpet in one of the most formal looks of the evening. Alongside a bedazzled basketball, the sheer all black attire was chic, cool, and confident — all attributes of the four-time WNBA MVP, eight-time All-Star, and three-time champ with the Aces, including the 2025 crown.

    Flau’jae Johnson

    Ahead of the Shooting Stars competition on Friday, Johnson arrived in a matching denim set with faux sticky notes with affirmations like “be intentional” and “out work your excuses.”

    The rapper and Seattle Storm rookie said in an interview on the orange carpet that they were for “some positive energy and big four energy.”

    Azzi Fudd

    Fudd, who was this year’s first overall pick in the WNBA draft, stepped onto the orange carpet with a cool street style pairing a black leather bralette and distressed jeans with a casual gray blazer. With a Coach Tabby bag to match, the Dallas Wings rookie was fitted to make history when she became the first rookie to win Friday night’s three-point contest, scoring 30 out of 40 possible points.

    Our favorite looks from the WNBA draft

    Paige Bueckers

    Fudd’s teammate, the second-year fan favorite Bueckers pulled out the stops with another iconic carpet look for her second WNBA All-Star Game.

    Donning an ever-chic slicked-back bun and shades, the guard wore a sleeveless light blue button-up with a tan tie and baggy trousers, with crisp white Air Force 1s completing the basketball star’s ensemble.

    Kahleah Copper

    The All-Star Game had some local flair, too. North Philly native Kahleah Copper pulled up to the Windy City — her WNBA home for seven seasons — in a silver-studded suit. The five-time All-Star was one of multiple players wearing the street style brand GRÉVYI, with the logo etched onto the cuff.

    After starring at Prep Charter, Copper took her talents to Rutgers and the W, where she’s played for the Washington Mystics, Sky, and now the Phoenix Mercury.

    Breanna Stewart

    In perhaps the most adorable look of the night, the New York Liberty star stepped out on the carpet with her whole family in matching fashion.

    Her wife, Marta Xargay Casademont, a retired Spanish professional basketball player who also spent two seasons with the Mercury, and two children sported black and blue ensembles. Both women wore deep-cut blazers, and Stewart sported matching shorts and pearls.

    Nneka Ogwumike

    The award for most colorful and sparkly on the orange carpet goes to Ogwumike. The Los Angeles Sparks forward dazzled in a green and purple asymmetrical dress, a cascade of fringe highlighting the ensemble that was complete with simple heels and diamond studs.

    Rhyne Howard

    Howard had one of the most impactful looks of the night, decked out in purple in support of lupus awareness, a tribute to a close friend. The Atlanta Dream guard wore a custom suit with fine embroidery. Both legs were inscribed with a lilac “Think Within,” matching with beaded basketball hoops on each side of the chest. An autism awareness logo stood out on the back tying together Howard’s motivations before she headed out onto the court.

    Angel Reese

    Ahead of her third All-Star Game, the Atlanta Dream star donned baby pink from head to toe. Complete with a feathered shawl trailing right down her pink platform heels, Reese was surrounded by an air of confidence entering the game, in which she was a forward for Team Coop.

    Honorable mention: Ellie the Elephant

    Of course, one orange carpet guest who stood out more than the rest.

    Ellie, the New York Liberty mascot and social media sensation, strutted on the orange carpet wearing a custom dress with her name on the side. Her nails and hair matched in the Liberty’s green, and the outfit was tied together with hoops and a New York-themed Coach Tabby bag. The best-dressed elephant around, Ellie was giving the pros a run for their money.

  • Fans from Philly and beyond gather to watch the WNBA All-Star Game: ‘It’s really come a long way’

    Fans from Philly and beyond gather to watch the WNBA All-Star Game: ‘It’s really come a long way’

    Jessica Shoulders is a WNBA fanatic, and she has maintained her love for the “W” since 1999. Naturally, she is excited that Philadelphia is getting a team in 2030 — just don’t expect her to root for them.

    Before the WNBA All-Star game on Saturday, Shoulders was one of two guests at Marsha’s, a women’s sports bar on South Street, to sink a free throw on a miniature basketball hoop. Her prize? A vintage San Antonio Stars Becky Hammon jersey. Shoulders was excited, but she made sure to quickly clarify to onlookers that she was not a Stars fan or a fan of the Las Vegas Aces — the team Hammon now coaches.

    “I’m loyal to the Lynx,” Shoulders said.

    And that won’t change for a free jersey, or even a new team coming to town.

    “Cheryl Reeve has my heart,” she added, referring to the Minnesota team’s coach and president, who grew up in Gloucester County and graduated from La Salle. “And Olivia Miles — Rookie of the Year — I don’t care what anybody says, she’s been out here balling out. First to be able to get 500 points in 21 games.”

    Fans take in the WNBA All-Star Game at Marsha’s, a women’s sports bar on South Street, on Saturday.Conor Smith

    In Marsha’s, where a crowd gathered to watch Teresa Weatherspoon’s Team Spoon defeat Cynthia Cooper-Dyke’s Team Coop, 129-120, Shoulders was not the only fan planning to stay loyal to their current team come 2030.

    “I could never switch allegiance,” said Em Friedman, a Golden State Valkyries fan who recently moved to Philadelphia. “But I can have a second favorite.”

    In April, the NBA and WNBA Board of Governors formally approved a WNBA expansion team in Philadelphia after it was announced in June 2025. Like the 76ers, the franchise will be owned and operated by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment. The team also will share a new South Philadelphia arena with the Sixers and Flyers that is scheduled to open in 2031.

    One person who will ditch her WNBA squad for the still-unnamed Philly team is Marsha’s owner Chivonn Anderson, who currently claims the New York Liberty.

    “Oh no, they’re done,” Anderson said. “Like, they’re out the door. We got a lot of love to give in a small amount of time, but as soon as we get our own team, I think we will become fierce rivals.”

    WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert: ‘The future of the W has never been brighter’

    ‘Share their story’

    Before opening Marsha’s, Anderson struggled to find a space to watch and celebrate women’s sports. The tipping point for her came in 2019 when she got into an argument with a Philadelphia bartender over putting the women’s soccer World Cup final on one of the bar’s televisions.

    “A couple of years later, I had the opportunity to purchase the building here, the liquor license, and all the business assets to create this space where we highlight professional athletes,” Anderson said. “These women that sacrifice pretty much everything in their lives to get to this ultimate platform. We’re just here to share their story with everybody.”

    Philly isn’t just a great sports town; it’s a great women’s sports town | Opinion

    The bar’s namesake comes from queer civil rights activist Marsha P. Johnson, who is best known for helping lead the 1969 Stonewall uprising. Since opening, Marsha’s has hosted events ranging from a deadlift competition to tarot card readings. Following the free-throw contest, Saturday drew in a crowd that was locked into the All-Star Game from start to finish — for good reason.

    New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones, playing for Team Spoon, won MVP honors in the tightly contested match. Jones logged 22 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists in 22 minutes off the bench. Notably, she became the first player in WNBA history to win league MVP, Commissioner’s Cup MVP, Finals MVP, and All-Star MVP.

    “The atmosphere here is amazing,” Marsha’s patron Molly Coulter said. “The All-Star Game is a really exciting moment, and we’re going to be Philly fans when we finally get our team here, but we like seeing the stars. I like seeing the camaraderie on the court, honestly, like everyone having fun together.”

    Diane Richardson and Yolanda Laney give New York’s WNBA title some Philly flavor | from 2024

    Not everyone packed in Marsha’s for the game was from the area.

    Kathleen Bennett, a 16U baseball coach, was visiting Philadelphia for the first time for a tournament. The Syracuse, N.Y., native knew the All-Star Game was on, so she went searching for somewhere to watch it with others.

    “I heard that there was a really cool sports bar, a place to go to watch women’s sports,” Bennett said. “I knew that the All-Star Game was tonight, and so I wanted to check it out and be a part of the scene.

    “The WNBA is really the first prominent women’s professional sports league. It really had some staying power, and I can remember when it first started. Watching the [Houston] Comets back then. They were the team to beat. It’s really come a long way.”

  • After two elbow surgeries, Brian Keller’s baseball dreams dimmed. But on Saturday, he made his big league debut.

    After two elbow surgeries, Brian Keller’s baseball dreams dimmed. But on Saturday, he made his big league debut.

    A half-hour after the final out, Brian Keller still hadn’t peeled off the uniform.

    There wasn’t time. Not between taking photos on the field with family and talking with reporters in the middle of the Phillies’ clubhouse. Besides, after 10 years, two countries, and multiple surgeries — one of which he paid for out of pocket — he didn’t know if he’d ever get to wear it.

    And so Keller was still decked out in red pinstripes, No. 48 on his back, when he poked his head into the office where pitching coach Caleb Cotham and assistant Mark Lowy were packing up for the night.

    “I hope I get to do it again,” Keller told them.

    All-Star outfielder Brandon Marsh relegated to platoon role (for now) as the Phillies seek more production against lefty pitching

    Hey, why not?

    Look, the Phillies didn’t make any guarantees when they called up Keller, age 32, 10 years after he was a 39th-round pick in an MLB draft that has since been curtailed to 20 rounds. But they’ve searched for a No. 5 starter since demoting Andrew Painter to triple A last month and haven’t won a game from the fifth-starter spot in 11 tries since May 18.

    They didn’t win this one, either, not after the Yankees broke a tie in the sixth inning to send the Phillies to a 3-1 loss, their fourth defeat in a row. But Keller did his part, following lefty opener Tim Mayza and delivering three solid innings that were tainted only by a two-out homer from Austin Wells.

    Keller might’ve kept going, too, except interim manager Don Mattingly wanted a lefty to face a left-handed pocket of the Yankees’ lineup in the sixth inning. Kyle Backhus walked the leadoff man, who scored on Cody Bellinger’s two-out single against Seth Johnson.

    But don’t let those details rain on the parade of a righty from Wisconsin, 18 miles northwest of Milwaukee, whose long shot to reach the majors got even longer a few years ago.

    It was 2023, and Keller was pitching in Japan when he blew out his elbow. He had Tommy John surgery and missed two seasons trying to come back. When further issues arose, he paid “12 grand maybe, something like that,” to undergo a nerve transposition.

    “I wasn’t with an organization, and it wasn’t a medically necessary surgery, technically,” Keller said. “It was necessary from the viewpoint of getting back to playing professional baseball, so, hey, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do, right?

    “Luckily, I made a little bit of money in Japan to basically buy me a little bit of time to be able to go through that rehab process. … Took a little hit, but we’re here. So we’re all right.”

    It’s clear what the Phillies need at the trade deadline. Do they have the prospect capital to get it?

    Keller always pictured what it would be like to reach the majors, but if he’s being honest, the image in his mind had dimmed.

    “Oh yeah, definitely,” said Keller, who signed with the Phillies in May and had a 2.23 ERA in triple A. “During rehab, it was like, I don’t know if you’d call it a setback, but somewhat setback after setback to the point where, yeah, I just didn’t know if it was ever going to happen, pitching again professionally, much less playing in the big leagues.

    “But, yeah, here we are.”

    Indeed, there was Keller, running in from the bullpen to begin the third inning in front of a personal cheering section — “I think 20 people, total,” he said — and striking out Jazz Chisholm Jr. on a slider.

    ‘Phillies Extra’ Q&A: John Middleton on All-Star Game highlights, firing Rob Thomson, and the trade deadline

    Keller sidestepped a one-out single by Paul Goldschmidt in the fourth inning and struck out Chisholm again on another slider and José Caballero on a fastball to end the fifth. He threw 39 pitches, 29 strikes.

    “He handled himself fine,” Mattingly said. “Threw strikes. He went after them. He was on the attack. He wasn’t walking people. So, that part of it I like.”

    Enough to get another chance next Friday night in Baltimore?

    “It’s something we’ll talk about as we get there,” Mattingly said. “But he did fine.”

    Just in case, he left on the jersey to make the most of his first night in the majors.

    “Nobody can take that from me, right?” he said. “Proud of that.”

  • WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert lauds league’s growth at All-Star Weekend: ‘The future of the W has never been brighter’

    WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert lauds league’s growth at All-Star Weekend: ‘The future of the W has never been brighter’

    The last time the WNBA All-Star Weekend was in Chicago, four years ago, commissioner Cathy Engelbert remembered the event being smaller.

    Back in Chicago this weekend for the All-Star festivities, the league is celebrating its 30th season, and Engelbert said the weekend has been the “largest, most immersive, and most accessible,” in its history.

    The rapid growth of the league was among several topics Engelbert discussed in a news conference before Saturday night’s WNBA All-Star Game. Notably, Engelbert announced that in the 2027 season, the WNBA will be launching a full centralized replay center.

    “This is one of the most significant investments we’ve ever made in our basketball operations,” said Engelbert, a Collingswood native. “This investment of tens of millions of dollars will help bring greater consistency, efficiency, and transparency to our officiating process while continuing to improve the quality of the game.”

    While the league is finalizing details, Engelbert said it will leverage some of the NBA’s replay center capabilities while adding its own innovations.

    The WNBA has received a constant stream of backlash for its officiating. Other significant current issues include cybersecurity and player harassment, which Engelbert also addressed on Saturday.

    On Tuesday, Engelbert met with players to address all three of these issues and said she collected feedback and ideas from the players. She emphasized that player safety will always be the league’s top priority, on and off the court.

    “The racism, the misogyny, the homophobia, the harassment, and threats directed to our players has no place in sport or anywhere else,” Engelbert said. “This is their workplace. … The WNBA is built on inclusion and respect, and those values have defined this league for 30 years, and it will continue to define us for the next 30.”

    Player experience was one of the pillars Engelbert mentioned the league investing in. Fan experience was the other.

    The plan, Engelbert said, is to continue to build on the current momentum the league is experiencing.

    “We have big plans, and if the first half of the season has shown us anything, it is that the future of the W has never been brighter,” Engelbert added.

    Engelbert shared that this has already been the most-watched WNBA season — and it’s at its halfway point. There have also been 29 games that have averaged over 1,000,000 viewers, the most ever at this point in the season. Last season had 11 games reach that milestone.

    In addition to the streaming numbers, attendance has increased 16% from this point last year, said Engelbert, with more than 2.2 million fans attending games.

    “When we entered this season, we did so in the strongest position in league history, coming off a historic CBA, starting a new era of media partnerships, record franchise valuations, two new expansion teams coming in this year, and excitement around the league at an all-time high,” Engelbert said. “Those milestones are marking the beginning of the next chapter of WNBA growth. And since opening night, we’ve been building on that momentum on the court.”

    North Philly’s Kahleah Copper gets fifth All-Star Game nod

    Those new expansion teams are the Toronto Tempo and the Portland Fire, which joined the league this season. In 2028, Cleveland will become the newest expansion team in the league, followed by Detroit in 2029, and Philadelphia in 2030.

    Will Engelbert be around as commissioner to see these plans come to fruition?

    Questions about Engelbert’s future with the league have been raised with her contract expiring at the end of the season. When asked about it Saturday, the commissioner did not offer a direct response.

    “I’m so blessed to be at the helm of this league during this incredible hypergrowth period, so blessed that these players are putting the product on the court they are every night, that they stand for the values that the W has long sought for,” Engelbert said. “So I will just continue to do my job, execute the strategy, because it has been working, make sure we listen to the players, communicate with the players. And so [I] absolutely just love this league and [am] blessed to have had the career I had before and the career I have now.”

  • Neil Pierre earns first start as Union top Seattle Sounders to win second-straight game

    Neil Pierre earns first start as Union top Seattle Sounders to win second-straight game

    A first-half goal from Milan Iloski propelled the Union to a 1-0 win over the Seattle Sounders on Saturday evening at Subaru Park.

    Iloski finished a long feed from Frankie Westfield in the 31st minute, giving the Union (3-10-4, 13 points) an early lead that held for their second win in as many games since returning from the international break for the FIFA World Cup.

    Westfield led Iloski into the 18-yard box with a pass from the right sideline near midfield. The ball bounced once before Iloski finished the chance with a right-footed volley that looped over the head of Andrew Thomas.

    Iloski has scored in each of the Union’s matches since the club’s return to play. He’s scored a team-leading 10 goals in all competitions this season, seven of which have come in his last five matches.

    “It feels nice to do my job,” Iloski said of his goal streak. “I think I should honestly have five or six from the first two games [back]. As much as I’m happy that I scored two goals and scored in back-to-back games and that we won, I try to do more and hold myself to a higher standard.”

    Ryan Richter, managing his second game since taking over as interim head coach in May, repeated his lineup from Wednesday’s win over Red Bull New York against the Sounders (7-6-3, 24 points), with one notable exception.

    Neil Pierre earned his first start for the Union against Seattle, taking Japhet Sery Larsen’s spot at center back. The 18-year-old, who spent the first half of 2026 on loan at Danish side Lyngby, came on as a substitute and scored his first goal in the Union’s 3-1 win over New York on Wednesday.

    Sery Larsen injured his hamstring during Wednesday’s match, but he was healthy and available to come off the Union’s bench for Saturday’s win.

    Richter said his decision to start Pierre was based on his effort in training and the Union’s upcoming crowded schedule. Between the Leagues Cup and MLS play, the Union will play eight matches in August.

    “With the stretch of games that we have coming up, if we lose a key player for that stretch, it gets pretty difficult for us,” Richter said. “[Pierre] deserved to play. By the way he performed in training, by the way he performed in the last game. It just made sense, with the timing of everything, to start [Pierre] tonight, and I think he proved that was the right decision.”

    Ryan Richter’s journey to Union interim head coach follows a familiar path for the club

    Pierre looked comfortable in his first MLS start. He was responsible for five recoveries and four clearances, and he started the play that led to Iloski’s goal.

    “[Pierre] did a good job,” Richter said. “He won his duels. He was organized. He was focused. He played a subtle game. It was quiet for him. That’s a good thing for a centerback.”

    Iloski’s goal was the focal point of the first half, but another dramatic moment came when Seattle’s Stuart Hawkins collided with Cavan Sullivan in the 26th minute.

    Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan gets taken down by Seattle Sounders defender Stuart Hawkins during the first half on Saturday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    The two American teenagers collided near midfield as Sullivan tried to control a long throw-in from Kai Wagner, who made his 200th MLS start on Saturday.

    Sullivan hit the pitch before popping back up to exchange words with Hawkins. Both parties walked away from the incident without a caution, and the Union were awarded a free kick that Seattle cleared away.

    Seattle logged two shots in the first half, but Nathan Harriel provided a crucial block on one of them.

    Harriel chased down Osaze De Rosario as he broke away on a Seattle counter-attack in the 18th minute. As De Rosario turned to shoot on Andre Blake’s net, Harriel slid in and blocked De Rosario’s shot out for a corner.

    The Union outshot a shorthanded Seattle team, 16-8. Blake needed one save to secure his third clean sheet of the season.

    It looked like Iloski had scored a second goal in the 64th minute, but he was ruled offside after racing past the Sounders’ defense and pushing the ball across the goal line.

    Richter made his first set of changes shortly after Iloski was caught offside, bringing on Quinn Sullivan and Ezekiel Alladoh for Bruno Damiani and Indiana Vassilev in the 65th minute.

    Another switch came in the 80th minute, with Jesús Bueno replacing Danley Jean Jacques in midfield.

    Richter’s final change of the night came in the 89th minute, with Alejandro Bedoya coming on for Cavan Sullivan to help close out the match’s final moments.

    Sad that the World Cup is over? Take our quiz to find out which Premier League team you should support.

    After spending the international break with the league’s worst record, back-to-back wins under Richter have lifted the Union off the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

    The Union now sit nine points behind the playoff cutline with 17 games to go.

    “It’s two wins, but at the same time, we’re still in second-to-last place,” Harriel said. “We’re nowhere near where we want to be at, but sometimes you have to take it one game at a time, which we’re doing. But the momentum is great. The vibes are great. Everyone’s performing on the training ground and then on the weekends here at home, which is important.”

    The win is the Union’s first over Seattle since 2018, and their first home win over the Sounders since 2017.

    Up next

    The Union return to Subaru Park to face last-place Atlanta United next Saturday (7:30 p.m., Apple TV).