Philadelphia is set for a huge summer of women’s sports. The Stoop Pigeon wants to be at the center of it.
The Stoop Pigeon hosted a double-watch party for the Wimbledon women’s final and Saturday’s WNBA slate at Dock Street Brewing in South Philly. The organization partnered with United States Tennis Association Middle States and the Philadelphia Sisters, to help promote August’s Ennoble Care Philly Open on the University Pennsylvania’s campus, and Hoopbus, a charitable organization dedicated to the transformative power of basketball. Attendees could play red ball tennis, win tennis racket prize packs, and shoot hoops outside on the bus.
After starting as a monthly WNBA watch party group, The Stoop Pigeon has grown into one of the largest dedicated women’s sports fan communities in the city. Jen Leary, founder of The Stoop Pigeon, now regularly hears from local and national organizations looking to activate the women’s sports communities about partnerships.
“Anytime we hold a certain event, like if it’s tennis, we reach out to all the tennis organizations we can find on the internet,” Leary said. “Similarly, with the WNBA game, Hoopbus reached out to us because they were going to be on this national tour, and they were going to be in Philly. Having them stop here, it’s a win-win. It gives something fun for the community, but also helps us continue again to build momentum for what we’re building.”
Leary emphasized that while The Stoop Pigeon might be one of the most vocal groups, promoting women’s sports in the city is a “team effort,” and a big part of that is partnering with other local organizations.
Attendees play basketball courtesy of Hoopbus outside Dock Street Brewery South during Saturday’s watch party.Erin Blewett / For The Inquirer
“The one thing that women’s sports around the world does is we lift each other up and we work together. Progress in numbers,” she added.
The Stoop Pigeon is aiming to open a women’s sports hub on Broad Street by midfall, Leary said. But in a year with several high-profile women’s sports events, Leary is committed to keeping the momentum growing in the city and building the community as they prepare the space.
After the massive success of Unrivaled in January, Philly will host professional women’s lacrosse, tennis, and squash over the next five months. Leary believes that the efforts The Stoop Pigeon and other organizations have put into developing a women’s sports community in the city are part of the reason Philly is landing more events, but landing the event is half the battle.
“The goal is just to get people there, to show the WTA and all the other women’s sports leagues in the country that Philly is a women’s sports town, and if you come to Philly, we will pack the stadiums like we did with Unrivaled,” Leary said. “Even if you don’t know tennis or even if you don’t know lacrosse, we want you there.”
An attendee holds up a T-shirt reading “Philly Is a Women’s Sports Town” during a watch party Saturday at Dock Street Brewery co-hosted by Hoopbus and The Stoop Pigeon.Erin Blewett / For The Inquirer
Here’s a look at the locals who were selected on Day 2:
Fifth Round
Michael Anderson Jr. was selected by the Texas Rangers with the 149th pick in the draft. Anderson, a Drexel Hill native, played high school ball at Bonner-Prendergast before going to University of Rhode Island and then University of Arkansas.
The 6-foot-3 first baseman finished his collegiate career at Penn State, where he posted a record-breaking season for the Nittany Lions, earning him First Team All-Big 10 honors.
His 20 home runs set a program record, as well as his 18 hit-by-pitches. His 141 total bases and .742 slugging percentage were the fourth-most in a season in school history. He was second on the team with a .358 batting average and led the team in RBIs (53), hits (68), and OPS (1.212).
Sixth Round
The Chicago White Sox selected South Jersey’s Alex Weingartner at pick 166.
A two-way player at St. Augustine Prep, Weingartner was drafted as an outfielder but also pitched for the Hermits.
The Penn State pledge was named the 2025-26 Gatorade New Jersey Baseball Player of the Year following his senior season with the Hermits where he batted .495 with a .817 slugging percentage, 36 RBIs, 46 hits, and seven home runs. On the mound, Weingartner had a 6-1 record with a 0.87 ERA in 48.1 innings pitched, recording 81 strikeouts.
The 6-2 outfielder from Berlin was the number one prospect in the state for the class of 2026, according to Perfect Game, and is ranked 75th nationally.
Seventh Round
Yardley’s Joe Tiroly was selected by the San Diego Padres with the 215th pick.
The 6-foot second baseman from University of Virginia was one of just two Cavaliers to play in all 60 games. He led Virginia in hits (76), home runs (16), RBIs (66) and total bases (137) while batting .319.
Joe Tiroly played in all 60 games for Virginia last season.Matthew Hinton
Prior to playing at Virginia, Tiroly was at Rider where he led the team during his sophomore year in hits, doubles, triples, home runs, total bases, and slugging percentage. He also set a single-season record with his 70 RBIs and 66 runs.
Prior to entering college, Tiroly played at Pennsbury High where he was ranked as the No. 15 third baseman in the state.
Eighth round
Central Buck sEast graduate Aiden Weaver was selected 231st overall by the Athletics.
Weaver, a right-handed pitcher from Duke, finished the season with a 6.37 ERA across 65 innings pitched, tallying 87 strikeouts.
The 6-5 senior started in all 14 of his appearances, recording the most innings for the Blue Devils this season, but finished with a 4-9 record.
10th Round
Right-handed pitcher Luc Rising was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels with the 289th pick.
An Exton native, Rising started in 13 of his 16 appearances at Northeastern. The 6-f2 pitcher went 5-5 with a 3.54 ERA and 84 strikeouts, pitching 81.1 innings, including an inning in the CAA championship to help Northeastern secure its second consecutive conference title.
Luc Rising helped Northeastern win back-to-back conference titles in 2026.Colin E. Braley
Before playing at Northeastern for his senior year, Rising played at the Rochester Institute of Technology where he earned First Team All Liberty League honors and was named a Perfect Game College Baseball League All-Star. Rising played baseball at Downingtown East.
Later in the 10th round, Andrew Gaines was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers with the 311th pick.
A pitcher at St. Joseph’s, the 6-5 senior from Marlton was selected to Atlantic 10 all-conference second team after matching the St. Joe’s single-season save record (10).
The 6-5 right hander finished the season with a 4.99 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 30.2 innings pitched, helping St. Joe’s set a program record for most wins in a season.
Gaines graduated from St. Augustine Prep before going to Iona College. He then transferred to Pitt after two seasons before spending his senior year with the Hawks.
12th Round
Christian Coppola from St. Joe’s was selected by the Phillies with the 369th pick.
A 6-5 right-handed pitcher from Galloway, Atlantic County, Coppola transferred to St. Joe’s this year after spending two seasons at Rutgers and one at Arizona.
Christian Coppola helped St. Joe’s set a program record for wins in a season.Jason E. Miczek
This season, the relief pitcher had a 1.69 ERA in 37.1 innings pitched for the Hawks, earning him American Baseball Coaches Association All-East Regional first team honors.
Coppola played high school ball at Cedar Creek, where he set the school record for single season strikeouts during his senior year.
15th Round
Souderton Area graduate Liam O’Leary went to the Pittsburgh Pirates as the 438th pick overall.
O’Leary, a right-handed pitcher from St. John’s, played previous seasons with Lackawanna Community College and Montgomery County Community College.
This season, the 6-4 junior posted a 3.64 ERA, pitching 108.2 innings after starting in all 17 of his appearances. He added 78 strikeouts to 32 walks to his statline for a 1.23 WHIP and a 8-5 record.
St. Joe’s had its third player drafted in the 17th round, when Duke McCarron went to the Miami Marlins with the 505th pick.
The 6-foot right hander spent his junior year with the Hawks after spending a season at Maryland and one at State College of Florida. He finished this season with a 5.27 ERA after pitching 70 innings, starting all 15 games he appeared in for a 4-3 record.
Duke McCarron spent one season at Maryland before transferring to St. Joe’s.Mike Buscher
McCarron, one of the main arms for St. Joe’s this season, hails from Ventnor, N.J. and played baseball for Ocean City High.
18th Round
Philly’s Mark Quatrani went to the Padres with the 545th pick.
A graduate of the Haverford School and a junior at Notre Dame, Quatrani earned a Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Semifinalist and a second team all-ACC nod after only his first season with the Fighting Irish.
In his 53 games started, the 5-11 catcher posted the best batting average on the team, with a .376, also leading in hits (80), RBIs (66), and slugging percentage (.643). Quatrani was second on the team in home runs (15) and total bases (137). Defensively, he caught 14 runners out during the season.
19th Round
The Phillies had another local selection with the 579th pick, drafting Braeden Lipoff from Gloucester Catholic.
The 5-11 catcher batted .459 during his senior year with the Rams and is the 18th-ranked catcher nationally for the Class of 2026, according to Perfect Game. A native of Woolwich, Gloucester County, he ranks second for catchers in his class from the state.
The East Carolina recruit was also a two-time all-state honoree and played a role behind the plate in three of Gloucester Catholic’s four consecutive state titles.
20th Round
Late in the final round of the draft, Lafayette’s Tristan Helmick was drafted by the Cleveland Guardians at 602nd overall.
In his third season with the Leopards, Helmick had 11 appearances on the mound, all of them starts, owning a 5.78 ERA, 62 strikeouts, and a 1.48 WHIP with 62.1 innings pitched.
Tristan Helmick posted a 1.48 WHIP last season.Greg M. Cooper
The 6-6 right hander, originally from Fort Washington attended La Salle College High, where he was first team all-catholic and first team all-county, finishing his senior year with a 2.30 ERA and 6-1 record with 48.1 innings pitched.
The penultimate pick of the draft belonged to the Toronto Blue Jays, who selected Eddie Rosado Jr. from Holy Ghost Prep.
The 6-foot left-handed batter led Holy Ghost Prep in batting average (.463), OPS (1.545), hits (37), runs (44), and home runs (8), also setting the school career hit record with 111.
The outfielder from Bristol is committed to St. Joe’s and was ranked second in the state nationally for outfielders in his class by Perfect Game. He was also named to the 2026 Class 4A all-state team.
In six drafts since Brian Barber was hired to head up the amateur scouting department, the Phillies’ best pick so far came in the fifth round: Orion Kerkering in 2022.
They were shopping for another steal Sunday.
One day after using their first pick — No. 36 overall — to take a big swing for Tyler Spangler, a high school shortstop who didn’t play this season because of a back injury, the Phillies completed the draft with one pick in each of the final 16 rounds.
If there was a theme, 18 of their 21 picks were college players. Barber said the college-heavy emphasis was due in large part to having the fifth-lowest bonus pool ($7.773 million) from which to sign players. And they will spend a chunk of that money to lure Spangler away from Stanford.
“Once you do the Tyler Spanglers of the world, and then trying to work off of your budget pool that you have, you’re just not going to be able to sign too many high school players,” Barber said. “Those two don’t match up very well, to be honest with you.”
A roundup of the Phillies’ Day 2 selections:
Round 5
Will Gasparino, OF, UCLA
A teammate of No. 1 overall pick Roch Cholowsky, the 21-year-old broke out this season with 20 homers and a 1.071 OPS. At 6-foot-6, Gasparino figures to bring right-handed power into a system that needs it.
“It’s a tremendous body,” Barber said. “It’s large, it’s athletic. He’s always had the huge tools. He can really play center field. He can run, he can throw, and he can hit the ball a long way. And his game has come a long way in the last, I’ll say, 12 to 18 months.
“As far as trying to translate some of those raw tools into skills now, it’s just a guy that we’re excited to try to see that progress continue because we know he has the pure ability to be an impact player in the big leagues.”
Gasparino is also from a baseball family. His dad, Billy, ran the Dodgers’ draft room for five years as amateur scouting director before moving to the major league side as vice president of baseball operations.
The Phillies drafted catching depth in North Carolina’s Macon Winslow.Ben McKeown
Round 6
Macon Winslow, C, North Carolina
Because of the time it takes to develop in the minors, teams hardly ever draft for need at the major league level. Still, the Phillies passed on multiple chances on Day 1 to add organizational catching depth behind 36-year-old J.T. Realmuto.
Winslow, 21, transferred from Duke and had a strong start to his junior year before fracturing a hand and shifting into a DH role. He’s expected to remain behind the plate in pro ball.
Led by analyst David Slusser, the Phillies identified qualities in Rhudy’s fastball that they believe will make it a major league pitch. Barber cited Rhudy’s low arm slot and “vertical rise” in spin and movement that creates swings-and-misses.
Rhudy, like Sheerin, was a reliever in college, closing out games for Tennessee with a fastball-slider combination.
“I happened to see him at the SEC Tournament when he was more in the 94- to 96-mph range and hitters have no chance against it,” Barber said, noting that Rhudy was 91-92 mph earlier in the year. “We’re hoping to see that velocity continue to rise along with the innate qualities that he has with it and for that pitch to continue to work.”
Louisville pitcher Wyatt DanilowiczMichael Wyke
Round 8
Wyatt Danilowicz, LHP, Louisville
In continuing their run on college pitchers, the Phillies snatched a lefty. Danilowicz, 22, was a reliever for two years at Louisville before moving to the rotation and posting a 6.00 ERA in 14 starts.
Round 9
Cooper Consiglio, LHP, North Carolina State
After a tough sophomore year in the bullpen, the 20-year-old’s stock rose last summer in the Cape Cod League. He went back to college and struggled again, with a 6.90 ERA in 16 games (11 starts).
Consiglio played for longtime NC State coach Elliott Avent, who had Trea Turner in his program for three seasons.
Rhode Island infielder Reece MoroneyMatthew Hinton
Round 10
Reece Moroney, SS, Univ. of Rhode Island
Undersized players from Northeast colleges are often overlooked. But Moroney, 5-11 and 185 pounds, caught the attention of scouts because of his contact skills and ability to reach base.
As a sophomore, he batted .356 with a .464 on-base percentage before hitting .370 and reaching base at a .426 clip as a junior.
Round 11
Drew Titsworth, RHP, Clemson
Like many of the other college pitchers in the Phillies’ draft class, the 21-year-old tries to create deception by throwing from a low arm slot. He gained experience as a starter and reliever in college.
Saint Joseph’s pitcher Christian CoppolaJason E. Miczek
Round 12
Christian Coppola, RHP, St. Joseph’s
The Phillies stayed local to find another college pitcher.
Coppola went to Cedar Creek High School in Egg Harbor City, N.J., then pitched as a starter at Rutgers for two seasons. He transferred to Arizona for one year before coming home to St. Joseph’s. He’s a reliever now, with a sweeping slider and fastball.
“He’s got swing-and-miss stuff, to be honest with you,” Barber said. “This is a guy that we identified a couple of months ago. Left-handed guy with good stuff who gets swing-and-miss with his repertoire.”
Round 13
Brayden Bakes, OF, Illinois State
After dislocating his left shoulder twice and medically redshirting as a freshman at Indiana, he transferred, got healthy, and batted .360 with 24 homers and a 1.091 OPS over the last two seasons.
Bakes, 21, is a left-handed hitter with a stocky build (5-10, 195). He had almost as many walks (64) as strikeouts (65) at Illinois State.
Patrick Clemmey, LHP, Avon Old Farms School (Conn.)
One of only three high schoolers selected by the Phillies and the first since Spangler at No. 36 overall, Clemmey had a private workout at Citizens Bank Park last month and impressed with a 6-5 frame and mid-90s heater.
Now, the Phillies have to sign him.
Clemmey graduated from a Rhode Island high school, then did a postgraduate year at Avon Old Farms after decommitting to Vanderbilt. Now, he’s committed to Georgia … unless the Phillies show him the money.
“I feel pretty confident that we’re going to bring him into the mix here, but nothing’s ever done until it’s done,” Barber said. “When were found out this was a possibility to hopefully sign him, we were all over it and took him at the earliest opportunity.”
George Mason infielder Owen Clyne Mike Buscher
Round 15
Owen Clyne, SS, George Mason
A versatile infielder, the 22-year-old played shortstop, second base, and third base in college. He also walked 72 times and struck out only 64 in two seasons, while batting .338 with 13 homers and 41 stolen bases.
Round 16
Matt Quintanar, C, Texas Tech
After transferring from Blinn College in Texas, he made 53 starts behind the plate as a junior and batted .323 with six homers and an .870 OPS. But his strength may be his defense. He threw out 44.9% of basestealers to lead the Power 4 conferences (SEC, ACC, Big 12, Big Ten).
Despite featuring three offspeed pitches (gyro slider, changeup, curveball), the 22-year-old settled into a relief role as a freshman at Pepperdine and kept pitching out of the bullpen after transferring to USC.
As a junior, he had a 4.28 ERA in 31 appearances this season. Command is an issue, with 19 walks in 33⅔ innings.
Round 18
Lane Haworth, OF, Texas-San Antonio
A left-handed hitter, he spent two seasons at Wichita State before transferring within the American Athletic Conference and having his best season yet. In 57 games, the 21-year-old batted .315, nine homers, more walks (44) than strikeouts (38), and a .927 OPS.
Round 19
Braeden Lipoff, C, Gloucester Catholic High (N.J.)
The Phillies didn’t have to look far for Lipoff, whom they worked out along with Clemmey. But will the South Jersey native stay home and sign with the Phillies? He’s committed to East Carolina University.
“This is one that we’re probably going to have to work a little bit on,” Barber said. “I do think there’s a chance. We’ve gotten to know him quite well. This one’s not a done deal, but I don’t think we’re super far apart, either. I’m very hopeful, but I don’t know quite yet.”
Round 20
Justin Lee, RHP, Notre Dame HS (Calif.)
Lee went to the same high school as Jack McDowell, Giancarlo Stanton, and Hunter Greene, and was highly touted as a hard-throwing reliever when he arrived at UCLA. But he had a 7.55 ERA and a 6.75 mark in his first two seasons. The 21-year-old was better as a junior, with a 3.26 ERA, albeit in only 19⅓ innings.
Gage Wood was the envy of the National League Futures team locker room on Sunday at Citizens Bank Park.
Not only did Wood earn the starting nod in the MLB All-Star Futures Game, but he also took the mound in his potential future home ballpark.
“When I got up those steps, and I got out there on that grass, I looked up and I was like, ‘Wow, this looks way bigger than from the suite when we signed last year,’” Wood said. “That was awesome. The park’s huge. Everybody here was like, ‘Man, you’ve got a good home park.’”
Wood, the No. 2 prospect in the Phillies farm system and No. 51 across MLB, gave up a hit and a run on 11 pitches in the top of the first. The American League Futures team went on to win the seven-inning game, 6-1.
“It was fun,” Wood said after his start. “I know before that first pitch my heart was pumping.”
The Phillies picked Wood out of Arkansas with the 26th overall pick in the 2025 MLB draft. The right-handed pitcher started his season with Clearwater, the Phillies’ low-A affiliate, before earning a promotion to double-A Reading in May.
Gage Wood (center) heads to the dugout before pitching in the Futures Game on Sunday.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Wood has a 3.45 ERA and 1.15 WHIP across eight starts for Reading, which earned him a spot on the National League Futures team.
“I hope it was a moment he’ll never forget,” Victorino said before Sunday’s game. “It’s always an honor to hand the ball to someone that’s a home-team kid, who will get an opportunity, hopefully, to someday pitch for that team.”
Wood gave up a leadoff single to Leo De Vries, MLB Pipeline’s No. 2 prospect. De Vries stole second and third before coming home on a Franklin Arias ground out.
After De Vries scored, Wood kept the other batters he faced off the base paths. Luis Peña ranged back from his spot at third base to snag a Ralphy Velazquez fly ball down the left-field foul line, earning a tip of the cap from Wood.
Walker Jenkins then grounded out to first base on the first pitch to end Wood’s inning.
Wood finished his lone inning without a strikeout, but nine of his 11 pitches were strikes. He threw two changeups, two sliders, and seven fastballs, topping out at 97.7 mph.
While Sunday’s outing gave Wood a glimpse of his potential future, Wood is not interested in projecting when he will be ready for the majors.
“I don’t look that far ahead into things,” Wood said. “I just, kind of, stay where I’m at. [My] main goal was to go out there today and enjoy this experience with these awesome players. I’m very blessed to be here.”
Wood was not the only Phillies pitching prospect in action on Sunday.
Wen-Hui Pan, the No. 12 prospect in their system, took the mound with two outs and the bases empty in the top of the sixth inning.
Pan walked the first batter, then gave up a two-run homer to Nathan Flewelling. Pan struck out Xavier Neyens to end the top of the sixth and was replaced in the seventh.
Phillies prospect Wen-Hui Pan gave up two earned runs in 1/3 of an inning on Sunday in the Futures Game.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
This season, Pan, 23, has a 3.38 ERA in eight relief appearances since being called up to double-A Reading in June.
Before Sunday’s Futures Game, Pan said he relished an opportunity to take the mound at Citizens Bank Park.
“[I am] really excited about the game today,” Pan said through a translator. “Before [I get] into the major leagues, [I am] really happy that he got a chance to get on this mound and pitch in this stadium.”
Both teams of minor league prospects were managed by former Phillies. Victorino, who won a World Series with the Phillies in 2008, managed the NL team, while Larry Bowa led the American League team.
“When you have an opportunity to have an organization love you as much as you love the organization, that means a lot,” Victorino said. “To be able to do stuff with Major League Baseball as well, and be asked to do this, the Futures Game, the opportunities with MLBx and all the other things around Philadelphia this weekend, it’s an honor.”
Bowa, who won the World Series with the Phillies in 1980, stacked his staff with former Phillies. Juan Samuel, Milt Thompson, Billy Wagner, and Michael Bourn all coached with Bowa on Sunday.
Former Phillie Shane Victorino was the National League manager in the Futures Game on Sunday.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Bowa, 80, had two stints managing the Phillies and has served as a senior adviser to baseball operations since 2017.
“I’ve been very fortunate,” Bowa said. “Not only with health and the good man upstairs, but [with] the organization, the Phillies. … The fact they let me do this. Without the help of those guys, I couldn’t keep suiting up the way I’m doing right now.”
Cristopher Sánchez‘s meteoric rise to the ranks of elite major league pitchers will now come with the stamp of an All-Star Game start.
Sánchez, the Phillies‘ ace lefty, was informed Sunday by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts that he’s the choice to start for the National League on Tuesday night in Citizens Bank Park, a league source confirmed before Roberts made it official.
“I smiled a lot,” Sánchez told reporters, through a team interpreter, after the Phillies wrapped up the first half in Detroit. “It’s reflection of all the hard work that I’ve been doing throughout the year, and I’m just extremely proud of myself right now.”
Sánchez, who will be opposed by Blue Jays starter Dylan Cease for the American League, is the first Phillies pitcher to start an All-Star Game since Roy Halladay in 2011. Curt Schilling, Steve Carlton, Curt Simmons, and Robin Roberts also started at least one All-Star Game as a Phillie.
“He deserves it,” Roberts told reporters in Los Angeles. “He’s a hometown ballplayer, and I think the city of Philly will enjoy watching and supporting him. He was very grateful. In a time where guys are not wanting to participate in the midsummer classic for the fans, this is a good thing that he’s that excited about pitching.”
Sánchez ranks second in the majors in innings (127⅓), third in strikeouts (144), and ninth in ERA (2.62). The 29-year-old is also second among pitchers in wins above replacement (4.0, according to Fangraphs).
But Sánchez’s chances of starting for the NL improved because neither ERA leader Jacob Misiorowski of the Brewers nor Dodgers two-way unicorn Shohei Ohtani will pitch in the All-Star Game. Misiorowski was scheduled to start Sunday for Milwaukee and later scratched with arm fatigue, while Ohtani bowed out with an irritated left knee.
Cristopher Sanchez will join teammates Brandon Marsh and Kyle Schwarber as starters for the National League.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Sánchez will join the Phillies’ Brandon Marsh and Kyle Schwarber in the NL’s lineup. Marsh was elected by fans to start in the outfield; Schwarber, chosen as a reserve on the players’ ballot, will replace Ohtani as the NL’s designated hitter.
A year ago, Sánchez was overlooked for the All-Star team, which rankled many of his teammates. There wasn’t any chance of that happening this year.
Not after Sánchez went 50⅔ innings without allowing a run, the longest streak ever by a lefty and fifth-longest all-time. He had a 1.80 ERA through 16 starts before stumbling in a five-run start at Washington and a career-worst nine-run start last Sunday in Kansas City.
This season, the Phillies’ frustration stems from the omission of Zack Wheeler, who lowered his ERA to 2.13 with six scoreless innings Sunday in Detroit but also missed the season’s first month while coming back from thoracic outlet syndrome.
Wheeler said it was “B.S.” that MLB didn’t name him as an All-Star and later replaced him on the NL roster. (Pitchers who start their team’s last game before the break don’t usually pitch in the All-Star Game on one day’s rest.) The league approached Wheeler on Friday about adding him as a replacement, but he said he declined “because they disrespected me.”
But Wheeler also declined to pitch — or even attend — the All-Star Game in 2024 in Texas and last year in Atlanta, his hometown.
“There’s certain circumstances where guys can’t play, they are injured. But this is an honor,” Roberts said. “It’s not only just an honor to be named it, but it’s an honor to participate and want to participate. Cristopher wants to, and I’m excited about naming him the starter in the All-Star Game.”
Sánchez is at his best at home. In his last 56 starts in Citizens Bank Park dating to 2024, he is 23-8 with a 2.21 ERA and 377 strikeouts in 354 innings. This year, he’s 7-1 with an 0.86 ERA in 11 home starts.
“I think it’s just fan support overall,” Sánchez said recently through a team interpreter, “and also knowing every inch of this stadium.”
After giving up two runs on 10 hits Saturday in Detroit, Sánchez said, “It would be awesome to start the All-Star Game at home. With the fans, it just would be an awesome thing. It’s another accomplishment and another goal, for sure, but it would be an awesome thing to do.”
It’s now a reality.
“Yeah, it’s just going to be crazy,” Sánchez said. “You guys know that Philly is the best environment in baseball that there is, so it’s just going to be really joyful and really crazy.”
Staff writer Lochlahn March contributed to this report.
DETROIT — The Phillies were playing that night, so Kevin McGonigle had to get to the ballpark early. Around 10 a.m., when the batting cages would be empty.
He was a senior in high school, and the Phillies hitting coach, Kevin Long, had invited him to take some swings at Citizens Bank Park. Long’s son, Jaron, worked for the agency that represented McGonigle. He asked his father if he would hit with his client, who was a Delco native, a big Phillies fan, and poised to be taken early in the 2023 MLB draft.
“I said, ‘I’d love to. Let me check out what this guy’s got,’” Long said.
Long is used to working with major leaguers. On the Phillies, he oversees the second-oldest group of hitters in baseball. McGonigle was on the cusp of being selected 37th overall by the Tigers, but at the time, he was still a high schooler at Bonner-Prendergast, still a teenager.
The session was a memorable experience for both of them. They spent about half an hour swinging in the cages. And when they were done, McGonigle still had more questions.
“Hey, can you show me Bryce Harper’s routine?” he asked Long. “Can you show me Kyle Schwarber’s routine?”
Long would demonstrate, explaining how and why a certain player would approach a drill. And so the session went on for another half an hour, with McGonigle emulating the major leaguers he’d grown up admiring, in their batting cage.
“I had a feeling he was going to be special,” Long said. “Had a feeling he was going to be in the big leagues. This quick of success probably surprised me a little bit.”
Bonner-Prendergast’s Kevin McGonigle was the 37th overall selection in the 2023 draft.Heather Khalifa / Staff Photographer
This week, McGonigle will return to the same stadium, this time as a major leaguer himself. The 21-year-old Tigers infielder will make his Citizens Bank Park debut in the All-Star game, just over three years after that session with Long.
The Tigers drafted McGonigle during Competitive Balance Round A, which falls between the first and second rounds. He went 10 picks after the Phillies selected shortstop Aidan Miller 27th overall.
During the 2025 All-Star festivities in Atlanta, McGonigle was one of the top prospects selected to play in the Futures Game. He was playing for Detroit’s double-A affiliate at the time. But after making the Tigers’ opening day lineup in March, the kid from Delco has put together a sparkling rookie season.
“Growing up wanting to go to an All-Star Game in Philadelphia just as a fan, it was always a dream of mine,” McGonigle said. “Just to go experience it and watch the All-Star Game in Philly. But now I get to have a front-row seat and actually play in it, so I haven’t really been able to think of words to describe the way I feel.”
He has a .285/.394/.424 slash line in his first 92 games, and will be an infield reserve on the American League team.
McGonigle will be staying at home with his parents for the festivities. He said about 35 friends and family members will be in attendance at the game. He also had plenty of family in the stands over the weekend at Comerica Park to see him face his hometown team, a trip planned before McGonigle was selected for the game.
None of this has sunk in yet for him.
“I think it’s gonna all hit me either when my name gets called or the national anthem, somewhere in the lines of the All-Star Game,” he said.
His phone started blowing up immediately on Friday after McGonigle took starter Aaron Nola deep in the series opener. In the third inning, he sent a sinker 414 feet into the Phillies’ bullpen in right-center field.
After the game, Nola gave an unprompted shoutout to McGonigle, who grew up a fan of his. He was 10 years old when Nola debuted for the Phillies in 2015.
“Good hitting, right there,” Nola said of McGonigle. “Hit that ball pretty hard, out of one of the deepest parts of the field. So hat off to him on that one.”
McGonigle was excited after seeing the clip.
“He gave me some props on that, which was really nice of him,” McGonigle said. “So hopefully, I can run into him at some point, and just get to know him a little bit and thank him for the good words he said about me.”
McGonigle briefly chatted with Harper on the field in Detroit. The first baseman was one of his favorite Phillies growing up, after Chase Utley. He hopes to get the chance to talk more during the All-Star festivities.
“I was nervous to say something to him, and it was just like a normal conversation, which was awesome,” McGonigle said. “I think that’s the best part about it. All these superstars are just normal guys, and you get to build relationships with them, learn from them, and just get to know them.”
He and Long have kept in touch over text since their hitting session three years ago. They haven’t been able to connect in person in Detroit because Long’s duties usually keep him busy in the batting cages underneath the stadium.
But they have been messaging. McGonigle had a bat sent over to Long at his request. And watching him from the opposite dugout, Long still recognizes the high schooler he swung with back in 2023.
“That’s the same kid,” Long said. “He’s tough. He’s gritty. He puts together these at-bats, it’s like, ‘Wow.’ Takes a really good swing. He’s not trying to baby his swing. He’s letting it kind of eat a little bit, which I like.”
He recalled seeing similarities between a younger McGonigle and former Red Sox infielder Dustin Pedroia, based on his size, demeanor, and his toughness.
What makes him a tough at-bat now for the Phillies to plan for is McGonigle’s discipline at the plate, Long said.
“His swing is a little bit unorthodox, but it’s a tight, compact swing,” Long said. “He controls his barrel very well. Uses the whole field. And his toughness. You can just see it. You can see it as soon as he goes to that at-bat, and overall, what he does at the plate. You sense that he’s not going to get out, or he’s going to make it really tough on the opposing pitcher.”
Long was so impressed by McGonigle back then that he later stopped by one of McGonigle’s games at Bonner in his senior season, to get a look at how he played defense.
He was blown away.
“I’m very proud of him, and I’m glad that we were able to cross paths,” Long said. “Something he’ll remember for a long time, and I’ll never forget it.”
Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Cole Hamels — the core of one of the greatest eras in Phillies history — will record a live podcast on Tuesday at All-Star Village at the Convention Center.
The recording will be an episode of Rollins and Howard’s “6-1-1 Podcast,” which is produced by Major League Baseball. Fans attending All-Star Village on Tuesday will be able to attend the hourlong live show, which begins at 10:30 a.m. Rollins and Howard launched their podcast in 2024 and have been joined this year by Freddie Freeman, Darryl Strawberry, and rapper Raekwon of the Wu-Tang Clan.
“That’s big bro, right there,” Howard said of Rollins. “Jimmy took me into his house when I first came up. He showed me the ropes and showed me what it’s like to be a big leaguer. It was always natural with Jimmy and us being ourselves around each other.”
Howard said Rollins was a good landlord as he didn’t charge him rent after he moved in during the end of the 2004 season. Rollins did the same a season later for Shane Victorino.
“We kept it clean,” Howard said. “Despite what he might try to tell you about the ‘Dishgate.’ He’ll try to talk about me not cleaning up dishes and stuff like that. I beg to differ. He probably had the cleanest dishes when I was there.”
Howard said the Phillies from his era remain close years later because they always cared about more than what happened on the field. The four players many symbolized from those years will be together on Tuesday.
“That’s what gave such a great bond,” Howard said. “We still have a text chain now where we update each other and try to see about getting together for a golf trip. It was a great time. It was a fun time.”
LAS VEGAS — Nick Nurse’s view entering the 76ers’ offseason was similar to the outside consensus — that his team did not have much financial “wiggle room” with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George all on max contracts.
Then the Sixers pulled off the stunning blockbuster trade for All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown. They surrounded that big swing with complementary moves, adding Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, and Ariel Hukporti in free agency and drafting Labaron Philon Jr. The Sixers are now among the threats in a deep Eastern Conference.
“Sitting here right now,” Nurse told a small group of reporters from a Las Vegas hotel Saturday, “I think, obviously, we’ve had a really good summer so far. … It was some good teamwork, some good maneuvers.
“I’d like to think we got better at several positions: younger, faster, depth, shooting, rebounding. There [were] a lot of areas to address, and I think we addressed some of them.”
One giant potential free-agency domino could still fall, of course, if all-timer LeBron James chooses to sign with the Sixers. Nurse did not comment on that possibility, since he does not hold the front office’s role in recruitment and negotiation. Bob Myers, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment’s president, already made his pitch as a guest on Game Over podcast hosted by James’ agent, Rich Paul.
Nurse, though, lauded the early collaboration with new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, saying he could “feel a good organizational blueprint” entering the offseason. The coach has long been impressed by Brown’s versatility on both ends of the floor, his year-by-year improvement, and his winning resume as an NBA champion and Finals MVP.
“He’s sitting in his prime,” Nurse said of Brown. “It’s amazing that he’s going to be a Sixer.”
Now Brown joins the dynamic backcourt of Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, along with the 2023 MVP (though oft-injured) Embiid. The goal is for this configuration of top-end talent to be healthy enough to gain consistency — Embiid, Maxey, and George played only 36 games together in two seasons — while building enough depth “to have some more gas in the tank to make a longer [postseason] run.”
Jaylen Brown (right) will join the Sixers’ dynamic backcourt, including leading scorer Tyrese Maxey.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
After a thrilling comeback to upset the Boston Celtics in the first round, the Sixers were swept by the eventual champion New York Knicks. Nurse acknowledged he “pushed all the chips in [for] Game 2 in New York,” and that it was difficult to rebound after they lost that down-to-the-wire matchup.
“It’s a hell of a lot longer tournament than one round,” said Nurse, who won the 2019 NBA title with the Toronto Raptors. “ … We were tired as hell Game 1 [in New York]. We were spinning from that. They were on a heater of beyond proportions, and it was like, ‘We’ve got to knock them off this heater,’ and Game 2 was our chance to do it.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t make enough shots in the fourth quarter, because they were wide open. … The gas tank was pretty low. We just need some more depth. We need a little bit more experience. We need to not be totally drained out of that after one round.”
Here are three more takeaways from the wide-ranging offseason conversation with Nurse.
Other newcomers
Nurse reiterated that he would not hesitate to immediately insert Philon into the rotation, a belief rewarded by the crafty guard’s terrific start to Summer League play. He totaled 24 points and six assists in the Sixers’ overtime win over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday afternoon at Cox Pavilion, after compiling 18 points and seven assists in Thursday’s opening win over the Detroit Pistons.
“I just feel like he’s talented enough,” Nurse said. “I think we liked him enough as a staff. … I think he’s going this direction [up] quickly. I think he’s got some confidence to him that I don’t think he’ll be afraid. I think he’ll make the most of the opportunity.”
Nick Nurse said that he believes first-round pick Labaron Philon Jr. will “make the most of the opportunity.” Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Nurse offered similar (and warranted) trust in Edgecombe to become a Day 1 starter last season, and in then-rookie Jared McCain to instantly contribute before his 2024 knee surgery.
Wade, meanwhile, is what Nurse called an “opportunity scorer” and, more importantly, a rebounder and versatile defender at 6-foot-9 and 225 pounds. Hukporti’s addition means a competition with Adem Bona for the backup center job — which becomes a starting role when Embiid is sidelined — is “all in play, as of now,” Nurse said. The coach also believes Simons, in addition to his high-volume shooting, can handle the ball and play in the pick and roll.
“We may be a touch small at times [or] whatever,” Nurse said of the guard group. “But I’ll certainly take the speed and athleticism. Then it’s just up to our staff to put them in the right spot.”
Though Brown has become the Sixers’ flashy offseason addition, much of their present and future will be fueled by Maxey, an All-NBA third-team selection last season, and Edgecombe, who finished third on a terrific NBA Rookie of the Year ballot.
When asked where Edgecombe can most develop in his second NBA season, Nurse highlighted extending his three-point range — he connected on 35.4% of his 5.6 attempts, but had a knack for crunch-time makes — to provide more spacing for teammates. Nurse also wants to see Edgecombe progress toward becoming a lockdown perimeter defender, and to go coast-to-coast more frequently when he gets the ball in transition.
“Instead of two of those a game,” Nurse said, “I’d like to see 10. Or at least try. I just think there’s a little bit more pace he can add to his game offensively.”
Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe grew into a dynamic backcourt for the Sixers last season.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
For Maxey, Nurse again emphasized the midrange game between his explosive drives to the basket and deep three-pointers.
“He’s got that in his game,” Nurse said of Maxey, who ranked fifth in the league in scoring last season (28.3 points per game). “He’s just so good at the other stuff [that] he doesn’t hardly ever get put in those positions. But I think it’s an area of growth for him.”
Optimism for Embiid?
At Embiid’s end-of-season news conference, he expressed optimism that the Sixers’ medical and training staff had “figured out” how to manage his knee following multiple surgeries. He expects that will make him more available after logging 96 total games the past three seasons. Last month, Myers reiterated that Embiid had no procedures scheduled, allowing him to spend more time on basketball work.
When Nurse was asked Saturday if he shared Embiid’s optimism that the big man will be able to play more in 2026-27, Nurse said, “I do” but did not elaborate much further.
“I think that he’s feeling pretty good,” Nurse said. “I think he’s working pretty hard right now. So I do think I share his optimism.”
Ricky Bottalico often walks NBC Sports Philadelphia with a hockey stick, pacing the newsroom like a third-line enforcer before it’s his turn to dissect that night’s Phillies game.
Bottalico battled that same restlessness during his 12-year major league career, often bothering fellow relievers with his inability to simply relax in the bullpen while they waited for the phone to ring. It’s only fitting that he prepares for TV the same way.
“He’ll take slap shots at people,” said Sean Kane, a senior producer who oversees the network’s Phillies coverage. “People are trying to get work done, and he’s shooting hockey pucks. He’s all amped up talking to people. It’s just how he is. How he’s wired. And it makes for good TV.”
Bottalico pitched with intensity — he once started a brawl by beaning Barry Bonds and cursed at his old manager after earning a save — once he left those jitters in the bullpen. His fastball was blazing, and his stare was glaring. Bottalico had an edge. So does the guy who carries the hockey stick around the newsroom.
The 56-year-old Bottalico has made his name on TV as a no-nonsense analyst who isn’t afraid to criticize the Phillies, even though the team owns part of the station. Bottalico is irate after a loss, fumes when relievers don’t throw strikes, and blows his lid when fundamentals are lacking.
He does praise the Phils when they deserve it and is just as heavy-handed with the opponent. But it is his barbs against the Phils — “This is pathetic,” he said after a rough loss one night — that players have bristled at over the years. Bottalico pitched seven seasons for the Phils, and it’s uncommon for a former player working as an analyst on the station that carries the games to have as strong opinions as him.
The former player said he never takes a cheap shot as he speaks solely on what happens on the field. It’s never personal. He’s doing his job, just like he did when he was on the mound. Bottalico is throwing strikes.
“I’m sure there are some guys who are pissed at me,” Bottalico said. “You don’t want to piss anyone off. That’s not why we do it. I’m sure there are some people who enjoy teeing off on players. I don’t enjoy teeing off on something that happens in a game, but you have to. It’s part of the job. The way I look at it is if you can look in the mirror and see that you had a bad game or you made some bad pitches, then everything is status quo.”
Ricky Bottalico (left) prepares for “Phillies Pregame Live” with senior producer and digital contributor Sean Kane and host Michael Barkann on Thursday at the NBC Sports Philadelphia studio inside Xfinity Mobile Arena.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Truthful to the fans
Bottalico started with the network, then called Comcast SportsNet, late in the 2007 season. He retired two years earlier and was looking for the next chapter.
“You get your first summer off in 15 or 20 years,” Bottalico said. “And I’m like, ‘This is going to be great.’ Then you realize that it’s not everything you thought it would be. You’re sitting around a lot. Everything is getting stale. I missed the game.”
Bottalico’s TV gig gave him a chance to get back to baseball. He didn’t have much experience, but station fixture Michael Barkann said the former All-Star closer had what it took to be in front of a camera: knowledge, passion, and an opinion.
“He’s just so good at conveying what’s going on on the field,” said Barkann, who hosts the pregame and postgame show. “Many people will say baseball is just as simple as ‘See ball, hit ball, field ball, and throw ball.’ But it’s so much more than that situationally. When you absolutely live it and it just runs right through you and it’s a language you can speak with other people who have been there, it enables you to explain the game in a much more clear way. That’s him.”
Bottalico’s work that season led to more postgame shifts in 2008 along with work as a color commentator for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. A Daily News review of broadcasters in 2009 said Bottalico would be a star once he lost “the alumni-bias that sometimes causes him to broad-brush obvious chinks in the Phillies’ armor.” That soon happened.
“You have to be truthful to the fans,” said Bottalico, who also cohosts an afternoon radio show on 97.5 FM. “I don’t like to beat around the bush. I learned early on that you have to be truthful about what happens because fans see what happens. But the other side of that is when they’re good, you point out that they’re good. I will say it’s a lot easier to do the show when they’re good.
“I’ve been doing this job for a long time. I now work with Cole Hamels. I see Ryan Howard around all the time. Jimmy Rollins, I played with and analyzed. They never had a problem with me. They might say, ‘Ah, you’re getting on me today.’ But that’s about it.”
The network started broadcasting Phillies games in 1998 and gave the team a share of the station in 2014 as part of its current $2.5 billion TV deal. So Kane said it can be “a little tricky sometimes” when the studio analyst working for the rights-holder takes a dig at the team.
Kane said he’s heard Bottalico might not be the most popular person if he walked into the Phillies clubhouse, but he’s never fielded a complaint from anyone. So Bottalico keeps bringing the heat.
“He’s going to tell it like it is, and I think that’s why fans love him,” Kane said. “He’s not going to worry about ‘Well, if I say this it might upset the players or it might upset the front office.’ I don’t think he takes cheap shots, but I just think he tells it like it is. If someone needs to play better or if someone needs to be more accountable, then he’s going to say it on TV.
“I’m sure over the years that has rubbed some guys in the clubhouse the wrong way. Like, ‘What’s this former player doing? He should be more protective. He should be more of a player-friendly analyst like, ‘They’re trying hard. That’s all you can ask.’ But I really don’t think he takes cheap shots. I just think he’s objectively watching this like a fan and ‘This guy needs to be better’ and ‘This guy needs to hustle’ and ‘This was a stupid decision’ and ‘They should’ve done this.’ When they’re not playing well, he’ll get angry. It’s not manufactured.”
Ricky Bottalico (right) with host Michael Barkann during a show on Thursday at the NBC Sports Philadelphia studio inside Xfinity Mobile Arena.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Treating it like football
If you think Bottalico is intense, he said you should watch a Phillies game with his dad in Connecticut.
“It’s unreal. It is unreal,” Bottalico said. “I’ll be there every once in a while and be outside with my brothers and we’ll hear ‘What the heck are they doing?’ You’re like, ‘Wow. OK. I guess I know where I got it.’”
The intensity Bottalico inherited from his father, Jay, proved to be a perfect match with Barkann, the host who rides an emotional roller-coaster every night during a 162-game season.
“He made a comment the other night and said, ‘You know what I love about Philadelphia is that we treat it like the Eagles, and they play once a week. That’s how we do every game,’” Bottalico said. “But it’s true. Because that’s our job. A lot of people don’t understand, ‘How are you getting so excited over this one game?’ Because that’s our job to bring what we feel that night. I think he’s a perfect example of what Philadelphia is and how intense the city has always been.”
Treating the result of a baseball game the same as a football score is the antithesis of how baseball players manage the grind of a season that often is characterized as a marathon. But how many viewers would tune in after a loss if the hosts simply said, “That’s baseball?” This is TV they’re making, and even the pitcher who ran those marathons for years had to become a sprinter.
“When you’re playing, you don’t do this,” Bottalico said. “But let’s face it: If I wasn’t true to what’s happening each and every game, I wouldn’t be doing this anymore. It’s one of those things where you have to have a love of the game, a passion for what you’re doing, and you have to be able to talk and explain it.”
The analysts know their tone may not resonate in the clubhouse, but their audience is the fans who are reeling — or riding high — like they are. The team’s postgame show meets the die-hards where they are.
“You want to be true to them,” Barkann said. “If you treat 162 games like Don Mattingly treats 162 games or Dave Dombrowski does, then come on. You want people to watch the program. You want people to get excited. You also understand as a fan that it’s not one of 162. It’s everything on that particular day or night. I pride our program on the fact that we do get excited, maybe a little over the top, about every win or every loss.”
Ricky Bottalico had a 3.70 ERA and 78 saves over seven seasons with the Phillies, and was their lone All-Star in 1996 at Veterans Stadium.INQ LODRIGUSS
A natural edge
Bottalico signed his first professional contract with the Phillies in 1991 in the backseat of a scout’s car after being discovered in a men’s league in Hartford, Conn. He was a catcher who didn’t start pitching until his junior year of college before going undrafted. Bottalico reported to Clearwater, Fla., and another pitcher wondered how Bottalico fell through the cracks.
“He looks at me and goes, ‘You throw harder than anyone else in here,’” Bottalico said.
It would have been easy to be bitter about the route he needed to take, but Bottalico never felt slighted. The edge he pitched with was not because he was overlooked. It was just him.
“I had it in Little League,” Bottalico said. “And I’m being honest. In Little League, I wanted to win every game. I wanted to get a hit every at-bat. At that point of your life, you don’t realize that the game is a game of failures. I always wanted to win. I always had that desire to make everyone on the team better, no matter where it was. I just think you’re born with that fire and desire.”
Five years after being undrafted, he was the lone Phillies’ All-Star in 1996 at Veterans Stadium. He was a big league closer, which meant the reporters flocked to his locker after a blown save but practically ignored him after a 1-2-3 ninth. Like a kicker, the closer usually makes news only after a botch. Bottalico understood the game.
Ricky Bottalico says “If you can look in the mirror and self-evaluate, then you don’t have a problem with getting ripped apart.”Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
“John Marzano was doing pre- and postgame, and he would rip us apart,” Bottalico said. “But I thought it was funny. I never took it offensively. I’d be like, ‘OK, John. Get on me. What are you going to do? Rip me tonight.’ It was just one of those things. I was always the look-in-the-mirror-first guy. We used to have to stand in front of our lockers, and if I had a bad game, I would tear myself apart before they even asked a question. I was true to myself. If you can look in the mirror and self-evaluate, then you don’t have a problem with getting ripped apart.”
The analyst who presses the Phillies every night once was the player who got pressed. He didn’t have issues taking it, so he has no issues dishing it out. Bottalico is doing his job just like Marzano was. The guy who carries a hockey stick around the office can still pump one by you.
“Let’s face it: People criticize me,” Bottalico said. “You know what I do? I laugh at it. OK. You have your opinion, and I have mine. I’ve never thought about it as a critical thing. It’s just that I have a job to do. I’m doing my job, and they have a job to do, and they do their jobs.”
DETROIT — As he crossed the infield to return to the Tigers dugout, Zach McKinstry took off his helmet and tipped it toward Derek Hill.
There wasn’t much else McKinstry could do. Not after watching Hill cover tons of ground in center field at a dead sprint. Without slowing down, without taking his eye off the ball, Hill left his feet and snagged the ball midair. The spectacular play robbed McKinstry of extra bases and the Tigers of a run.
Hill contributed on both sides of the ball in the Phillies’ 4-2 win over Detroit on Saturday night. Cristopher Sánchez gave up 10 hits but held the Tigers to two runs in his final audition for the starting job at Tuesday’s All-Star Game.
The decision will come down to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who is managing the National League squad. But Don Mattingly, who accepted an invitation to serve on Roberts’ staff, believes his lefty has earned it.
“Not my call, but I mean, obviously, Sánchy in Philly would be a great story,” Mattingly said. “And I don’t know everybody’s numbers and everything else and what they look into that, but I would think he would have a good shot at starting, especially being in Philly.”
Hill started in place of Justin Crawford, who was out with a sore left knee, and manufactured the Phillies’ first run. In the third inning, he reached on a throwing error from Delco native Kevin McGonigle, stole second base, and then stole third. It put him in position to score when Trea Turner hit a sacrifice fly to center field.
Derek Hill made a leaping catch to take away a hit in the third inning.Lon Horwedel
Hill is very quick on his feet — he has a 98th percentile sprint speed — but it still marked the first time in his career that the outfielder had multiple stolen bases in a game, let alone an inning. He swiped another base in the fourth inning for good measure.
“Doesn’t mean much,” Hill said. “I just want to go out there and help my team win. I mean, whatever it takes, whether it’s three bags or a catch or getting a guy over with a bunt, it doesn’t matter to me. Just whatever it takes.”
The defensive play against McKinstry came in the bottom of the third, with a runner on first. Off the bat, Hill knew he had a chance. It helped that he has a lot of familiarity with Comerica Park and how the ball flies there. The Tigers drafted Hill in the first round in 2014, and he spent the first part of his career with the organization until he was designated for assignment in 2022.
“I knew it was going to hang up just a little, a little bit longer than other spots,” Hill said.
Brandon Marsh, playing in left field, assisted him by communicating how much distance he had until the wall.
“He’s a tremendous guy and a tremendous player,” Sánchez said of Hill, through team interpreter Diego D’Aniello. “Both with his offense and his defense, and even with his speed.”
The outfielder also delivered an RBI single in the fourth, contributing to a three-run rally against Tigers starter Casey Mize.
Catcher J.T. Realmuto’s batting average had dipped below .200 entering Saturday’s game after some extended struggles at the plate. But he showed some promising results with a big two-run double to the left field corner.
Bryce Harper snapped an 0-for-22 skid with a double in the first inning. He added a single in the fifth, but was thrown out trying to steal second.
Cristopher Sánchez pitched into the eighth inning and allowed 10 hits and two earned runs.Lon Horwedel
Four runs were a big enough cushion for Sánchez to earn his 11th win, even though he gave up a lot of contact. Of the Tigers’ 10 hits off the lefty, only one was for extra bases when Eduardo Valencia hit a solo homer in the fifth. Sánchez’s defense helped him out, too. In addition to Hill’s catch, the infield turned three double plays — one each in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings.
He struck out seven batters, six on his changeup.
“Bend, but don’t break today,” Mattingly said. “The pitch to Valencia, kind of left one up just a little bit. I think he’s probably just trying to sink him out there. Left it up a little bit, but still the guy hits the ball to right center. Pretty good swing.”
A day after his move to pull Aaron Nola after five innings and 84 pitches backfired, Mattingly let Sánchez begin the eighth with his pitch count at 97. Considering the struggles the Phillies bullpen has been experiencing lately — especially the left-handers — Mattingly hoped to get Sánchez through McGonigle, a lefty due up second in the inning.
Things did not go according to plan. Sánchez walked Matt Vierling to lead it off and then McGonigle got to him with a single. Sánchez wasn’t able to record an out, and Mattingly handed the ball to Jonathan Bowlan.
The right-hander hit the next batter to load the bases. Bowlan then forced Spencer Torkelson to ground into a double play that conceded a run, but helped him limit the damage. He walked the next batter before inducing another groundout to end the inning.
“Bowlan came in and kind of got it done for us,” Mattingly said. “Obviously sixth, seventh, and eighth [inning] double play balls are huge. With traffic, we’re able to get two outs out of those, keep those innings down.”
Bowlan passed the baton to closer Jhoan Duran, who pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 24th save.
The next time Sánchez takes the ball, it will be at the All-Star Game on Tuesday. He doesn’t know yet if he will be given the opportunity to start it in front of the hometown crowd, but with a 2.62 ERA and 10.18 strikeouts per nine innings this year, Sánchez has made his case.
“It would be awesome to start the All-Star Game at home,” he said. “With the fans, it just would be an awesome thing. It’s another accomplishment and another goal, for sure.”
