The All-Star festivities continued this weekend as the MLB draft was held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, marking the first time that Philadelphia has hosted the event.
However, for the second consecutive year, there wasn’t a single draftee in attendance. Spectators certainly showed out. Fans repping jerseys from across the league filled the space to celebrate future MLB talent.
MLB Network’s Siera Santos and Robert Flores, along with Eliza Andrus served as the draft hosts, and fans were treated to a parade of mascots, karaoke, and Home Run Derby prize tickets while teams were on the clock. The West Powelton Steppers, also known as the Phillies Bassline, also contributed to energizing the crowd.
League commissioner Rob Manfred was met with a chorus of boos as he offered his opening remarks, where he highlighted the city and America’s 250th.
“There’s no place more fitting to celebrate the games future than a city that has helped define its past,” Manfred said.
Fans cheer during the 2026 MLB draft at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Saturday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
“From Hall of Fame legends Dick Allen, Richie Ashburn, Steve Carlton, and Mike Schmidt, to World Series champions Cole Hamels, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, and Chase Utley, generations of Phillies greats have inspired the passionate fans in this city. [On Saturday], that historic spotlight turns to a new wave of players who may one day evoke the same type of admiration for these young men and their families. Today marks a life-changing milestone on their journey.”
Rollins was in attendance and made an appearance on stage with Greg Luzinski. Hamels was also present as one of the analysts for the draft coverage, alongside Mark DeRosa, Harold Reynolds, and Dan O’Dowd. MLB Network’s Greg Amsinger was the broadcast’s host.
Saturday consisted of the first four rounds and Sunday will conclude the remaining 16. Here’s a look at the locals who were selected on Day 1.
Texas outfielder Aiden Robbins during an NCAA baseball game against Coastal Carolina on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke).Michael Wyke
Third round
The first area player off the board was Holy Ghost Prep graduate Aiden Robbins, a Yardley native, who was selected by the New York Mets with the 92nd overall pick.
The 6-foot-2 outfielder transferred to Texas this past season after spending his first two years of college at Seton Hall, where he led the Big East with a .422 batting average.
With the Longhorns, Robbins was among the team leaders in average (.333), OPS (1.122), runs (68), hits (79), total bases (165), and slugging percentage (.696). He also was a key contributor to Texas’ run to the College World Series. The Longhorns were eliminated by Georgia and finished fifth nationally. Robbins capped his junior season with 24 homers and was named SEC Newcomer of the Year.
Moorestown High product Ryan Lynch was drafted 97th to the San Diego Padres.
Lynch, a 6-3 right-handed pitcher, spent most of his freshman year with North Carolina in a reliever role, before earning starts in the postseason. Following his freshman season, Lynch earned freshman second team All-American honors by D1Baseball and Baseball America, along with a spot on the 2025 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.
As a sophomore, Moorestown native Ryan Lynch started in 18 of his 19 appearances, finishing the season with a 4.21 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 98⅓ innings pitched.Vera Nieuwenhuis
This year, as a sophomore, he started in 18 of his 19 appearances, finishing the season with a 4.21 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 98⅓ innings pitched. He finished his two years with a 10-5 record, 161 career strikeouts, 61 walks, and a 3.72 ERA.
During the Tar Heels’ run in the College World Series, Lynch pitched in North Carolina’s first win over West Virginia, throwing 4⅔ innings, giving up two runs. In Game 2 of the final series against Oklahoma, Lynch left the game in the fourth inning with an oblique injury after recording five strikeouts and giving up two earned runs.
In 2023, the Phillies used their first-round pick on an infielder who graded highly among high school hitters but slipped in the draft because of an injury.
With the 36th overall selection — a 10-pick penalty for exceeding the second luxury-tax threshold last year — the Phillies took Tyler Spangler, an 18-year-old shortstop from De La Salle High School in Northern California who didn’t play at all this year because of a back injury.
“We have an extensive medical review on the player and just felt comfortable taking him,” scouting director Brian Barber said Saturday from the Phillies’ draft room in Citizens Bank Park. “We’ve looked at everything that there is to look at there and felt completely comfortable taking the player.”
Barber declined to discuss the nature of the back injury.
Spangler, a 6-foot-3 left-handed hitter, was projected in early mock drafts as a first-round pick, in which case he would’ve been off the board long before the Phillies picked. But he injured his back after a mid-January tournament that the Phillies attended, Barber said, and missed his senior season.
Teams were finally able to see Spangler hit last month at the MLB draft combine in Phoenix. The Phillies watched him again in a workout on June 30. Barber said he has been given “a clear return to action,” and the Phillies are “hoping to see him on the field in [minor-league] games at some point this season.”
Tyler Spangler is back 👀
After missing his high school senior spring with a back injury, Spangler is on the field participating in drills at the MLB Draft Combine. He ranks No. 32 on BA's latest draft rankings and at one point ranked among the top high schoolers in the class… pic.twitter.com/0GvM39v2Dr
That would suggest the Phillies are confident that they can sign Spangler, who committed to attend Stanford. It may require a bonus larger than the $2.76 million slot value assigned to the 36th pick. But without a pick in the first round, the Phillies are likely to meet Spangler’s price.
Clubs have until July 27 to sign their 2026 draft picks.
If Spangler’s injury saga sounds familiar, Miller slid to the Phillies at No. 27 overall three years ago because of a broken hamate bone in his left hand. He recovered from that injury and became the organization’s top prospect, but hasn’t played this season because of a lower back condition that necessitated a spinal procedure in June.
In Spangler’s case, there’s also the matter of De La Salle suspending its varsity baseball team for the first five games this season for what the school described as “violations of school policy, team rules, and code of conduct.”
Barber said the Phillies interviewed Spangler at the combine and were confident that whatever happened (De La Salle officials didn’t specify the violations) “had nothing to do with Tyler.”
The Phillies drafted Spangler one pick before catcher Daniel Jackson went to the Rockies. Jackson won the Golden Spikes Award this year as the top collegiate player in the country.
Spangler is tall for a shortstop, prompting comparisons to lefty-hitting Corey Seager. Barber said the Phillies believe Spangler “probably moves a little bit better than, let’s say, Corey did at 18″ and that he won’t need to switch positions.
Ty Spangler goes to the Phillies at pick No. 36.
55-grade hit and power tools with not one tool projecting below 50.
But it’s his bat that most impressed the Phillies.
Barber said Spangler showed “a little bit of rust and stiffness” at the combine. But when the Phillies saw him hit a week later, he appeared “more loose and free,” as they remembered when they scouted him as a junior.
“We think it’s just a really advanced 18-year-old swing,” Barber said. “The path is just perfect to be able to add to his power game, as well. It’s a hit-first with a really good feel for the power in the future.
“The opportunity to be at pick 36 and get this player that we identified going back two years, saw him play all throughout the summer and fall last year, we just think he’s a very good player.”
Here’s how the Phillies rounded out the first day of the draft:
Caden Bogenpohl broke Ryan Howard’s Missouri State school record with 20 homers as a freshman in 2024 and finished with 39 homers in three seasons.Colin E Braley
Round 2
Caden Bogenpohl, OF, Missouri State
A few weeks ago, after the college season, the Phillies took the unusual step of inviting the 6-6 left-handed hitter to their facility in Clearwater for a one-on-one workout with farm director Luke Murton.
“Unfortunately, we did that before the Combine, where he was able to [go to] the Combine and put on an absolute show out there,” Barber said, laughing. “But it did help us answer some of the questions about why the exit velocity was at the elite level, but the home runs didn’t go with it.”
Indeed, Bogenpohl broke Ryan Howard’s school record with 20 homers as a freshman, then hit only 19 over the last two years. But after their private workout, the Phillies believe they can unlock the power that has gone missing.
A farm system that lacks home-run hitters can use it.
After pitching as a reliever for two years at Texas-San Antonio, he transferred and became a starter. That’s how the Phillies plan to use him in the minors because of a five-pitch repertoire from multiple arm slots.
The 23-year-old righty is on the older side, but Barber believes he’s also more advanced than most draftees.
“It’s now stuff,” Barber said. “It’s now strikes. It’s now pitchability.”
Deven Sheerin (RS-SO @LSUbaseball) funky crossfire with lively heater 96-97 T98. Sweeper has an extra gear to miss barrels. Backend mentality on the hill. ‘26 elig. pic.twitter.com/ajUxgnKjQD
— PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) May 20, 2026
Round 4
Deven Sheerin, RHP, LSU
Most relief pitchers get drafted as starters and move to the bullpen as they go through the minors. But Barber left no doubt about the 20-year-old righty’s future role.
“We see him as a high-upside leverage reliever,” he said.
Sheerin throws a slider and upper-90s fastball from a low-slot delivery, a combination that Barber described as “just completely loud stuff.”
Oh, and he grew up in Reading, home to the Phillies’ longstanding double-A club.
Kentucky pitcher Jaxon Jelkin had a 4.08 ERA in 17 games last season.Mike Buscher
Jaxon Jelkin, RHP, Kentucky
A collegiate nomad, he left Nebraska as a freshman for junior college in Arizona, then transferred to Houston, where he had Tommy John elbow surgery before going to Kentucky. But he’s 6-5 with four pitches from a low three-quarters arm slot. At age 23, he could start at a more advanced level of the system than younger draftees.
“It’s older, but we’re just not using a lot of projection there,” Barber said. “What we try to do with these [older college] guys is acclimate them to pro ball, get them on a professional routine, and then just try to optimize their pitch package a little bit more.”
DETROIT — Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler declined to be added to the National League All-Star team when approached by MLB on Friday, he said.
“Because they disrespected me, so I’m not going to participate in it,” Wheeler said. “I’m not going to be disrespected.”
Dodgers left-hander Justin Wrobleski was named a replacement instead on Saturday for Reds pitcher Chase Burns. Wrobleski has a 2.69 ERA and 1.01 WHIP over 100⅓ innings pitched this year.
Despite a 2.28 ERA in his first 14 starts, Wheeler was not named to the initial roster through the player vote. Nor was he included in the first round of player replacements for pitchers who opted out of appearing in the game. Phillies lefty Jesús Luzardo was added to the NL team on Tuesday and is set to make his first career All-Star appearance.
Wheeler was almost certainly initially excluded because of the Phillies’ rotation schedule, which has him starting Sunday’s series finale in Detroit. Typically, pitchers who start the final game before the All-Star break are unable to appear in the All-Star Game.
However, following his start Tuesday in Cincinnati, Wheeler said he would be willing to throw an inning anyway. After striking out 14 Reds over seven innings, Wheeler said the snub had been on his mind.
After his start on Tuesday in Cinncinnati, Zack Wheeler said his seven inning, 14 strikeout start was “kind of a reminder for whoever needs to be reminded.”
Carolyn Kaster
“I feel like that’s kind of a reminder,” Wheeler said, “for whoever needs to be reminded.”
But because the league didn’t approach him until three days later, Wheeler said he felt like their “fifth option,” which he found disrespectful. If the league had invited him earlier in the week, his answer would have been different.
Making the All-Star team is one of three goals Wheeler sets for himself every year, along with winning a Cy Young Award and a World Series. He has three career All-Star selections, but has only appeared in the game in 2021. He did not pitch in 2024 or 2025.
“There’s other years where they ask me to be in it, and I said no, but I was maybe struggling through some stuff or whatever it may be, but this time it’s pure disrespect,” Wheeler said.
Wheeler believes his numbers speak for themselves, and doesn’t think that his return from thoracic outlet decompression surgery less than a year ago should have factored into the league’s decision. The right-hander had a rib removed last September to treat his venous thoracic outlet syndrome.
It’s a procedure that has ended other pitchers’ careers, but Wheeler has not missed a step.
“I don’t need somebody saying, ”Oh, he’s had major surgery. Look at him now.’ No, I don’t need that. That was my plan to come back as who I was, or even better,” Wheeler said.
Zack Wheeler has a 2.28 ERA in 14 starts since his return from thoracic outlet decompression surgery.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Although he felt disrespected by the league, his teammates made sure that he knew they valued him. Following Wheeler’s postgame interview Tuesday, catcher Garrett Stubbs had T-shirts made with Wheeler’s quote on them, which he distributed to everyone. The shirts also featured a rooster with Wheeler’s No. 45, a nod to his walk-out song, “Rooster” by Alice in Chains.
“He deserves being an All-Star. And it’s [B.S.] that he’s not,” Stubbs told The Inquirer on Friday.
While Wheeler didn’t wear the shirt himself, many of his teammates did, along with Phillies staff and coaches. Even interim manager Don Mattingly wore one during his media availability on Friday.
“I really just don’t say much. So when I do, I guess they think it’s funny and stuff,” Wheeler said. “So they just made a funny T-shirt and supported me. So I appreciate it.”
Adding to Wheeler’s overall frustration was the fact that this snub could affect him post-career. Along with other factors, All-Star selections are sometimes taken into account by some Hall of Fame voters evaluating a player post-career.
“People who vote on stuff after your career might look at that too,” Wheeler said. “And for somebody to kind of take that away from me, it doesn’t sit well with me. So that’s why I’m kind of saying what I’m saying.”
He added that he doesn’t want to hate on the All-Star Weekend festivities and hopes his six teammates attending the festivities in Philadelphia — Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Brandon Marsh, Cristopher Sánchez, Jhoan Duran, and Luzardo — enjoy it.
“I don’t want to sit here and sound like I’m just hating on the whole thing. It’s fun. It’s a privilege,” Wheeler said. “There’s something to it, especially after your career, you have those accolades next to your name. Two-time All-Star, or seven-time All-Star. Obviously, the seven sounds a lot better.
“But at the same time, it was kind of just personal. I just don’t want to be disrespected as a person or at my job. I take it very seriously, and it’s just me as a person, too. Like I said before, maybe I didn’t earn it from the get-go, but maybe the second choice. Once I feel like they kind of messed that up, I’m out.”
Extra bases
Justin Crawford (left knee soreness) was out of the Phillies starting lineup Saturday for the second consecutive game after slipping on the grass pregame Friday. He woke up Saturday feeling better and without swelling, so Mattingly said there currently isn’t a plan for him to get imaging. He could possibly be a pinch-hit option Saturday. … Andrew Painter struggled Friday for triple-A Lehigh Valley, giving up seven earned runs on eight hits over just 2⅔ innings. He walked four batters. … Wheeler (9-1, 2.28 ERA) is scheduled to start opposite Tigers lefty Tarik Skubal (5-4, 3.06) Sunday in the Phillies’ final game before the All-Star break.
The former Phillies World Series champion made his way to the Mitchell & Ness flagship store on Saturday morning to help Make-A-Wish dreams come true. Afterward, the three-time All-Star went to Dilworth Park for an All-Star rollout with Xfinity.
“I know a lot of us are doing things,” Rollins said. “Shane [Victorino] is going to be doing things. Chase [Utley] is doing a lot. … Ryan [Howard]. We’re the last team to win a championship for baseball here. So, it’s only right that we’re here representing the city the way we are.”
Fanatics hosted a private shopping experience for five Make-A-Wish kids at the new Mitchell & Ness flagship. Their families will also attend All-Star Weekend festivities.
Each child was given a $250 gift card and were surprised with a special appearance from Rollins, who was in charge of helping the children shop. For 11-year-old Braxton Ham, he had his eyes set on a classic Rollins Phillies jersey.
Fanatics hosted a private shopping experience at the new Mitchell and Ness flagship for five Make-A-Wish kids and their families ahead of attending their All-Star Weekend festivities.Fanatics
When Rollins noticed, he decided to gift Ham a separate item.
“I got Braxton over there the store exclusive All-Star basketball warmup for baseball,” Rollins said. “You can only get it at this store. He’s the only one that went for it. It’s fire, he’s wearing it right now. He got the green Phillie Phanatic hat on. And that was courtesy of me. He spent his $250 on my jersey and I couldn’t just let him walk away with one thing.
“So, I was like lets go through, lets get something. He was looking at me [with his] eyes big. I was like you bought my jersey, let me return the favor. He’s over there fitted. He’s going to look clean at the Home Run Derby.”
Throughout the hourlong shopping spree, Rollins searched the racks and got to know the kids a little more. The three-time All-Star even tried to make a few important Facetime calls.
“These events are very special,” Rollins said. “We have a chance to make an impact. … I was speaking to [one of the kids], a big Red Sox fan. Of course, I called David [Ortiz], no response. I called Pedro [Martinez], no response. But, Tuesday after the All-Star game, I told him I would be in the studio with Pedro and we’re going to Facetime him. So, little stuff that I can add on top of this experience.”
The Fanatics Foundation serves as the official sports partner of Make-A-Wish, dating back to Oct. 2023.
“In the last three years we have already granted 1,000 sports related wishes,” said Grace Farraj, the executive director of Fanatics Foundation. “And again today, we’ll have the honor to grant five more wishes. Our mission is to engage our network of athletes and teams and leagues to bring to bear some amazing experiences in our local communities around the globe.”
Rollins and Xfinity’s All-Star rollout
Nearly an hour later, Rollins greeted a number of fans at Dilworth Park. The former NL MVP climbed inside a purple Xfinity All-Star rollout truck, handing out autographs and items like iPads, baseball gloves, socks, and hats. He posed with fans in front of a purple Xfinity lowrider afterwards.
“It’s a good event for the city,” Rollins said. “Xfinity is putting on and I’m here just to bring some smiles. I’m handing out some autographs, I’m here just to put on for the city to be honest.
“I’ve been here doing a lot of things. This is another activation. So, everything I got to do to bring joy to the city. It’s been 30 years since the All-Star Game was here last. I was drafted 30 years ago by this team and it’s been a fun ride growing up in this city.”
Xfinity’s All-Star rollout truck and lowrider will continue to tour the city, making stops at FIFA Fan Fest, Spruce Street Harbor, and the Comcast Plaza. Sunday, the truck will return to Dilworth Park with an appearance from John Kruk taking place between 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to have the All-Star game here,” said 21-year-old Eddie Mazurkiewicz. “There’s been a lot of excitement for a while now and I feel like people are ready for it.”
Numerous events will take place over the next four days in honor of the league’s All-Stars. And through all the festivities, there’s just one thing missing — or we should say, one person missing — Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler.
The right-hander has been left off the National League roster, which features six Phillies players: Brandon Marsh, Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, Christopher Sánchez, and Jesús Luzardo. The snub left many voicing their frustration, including World Series champion Jimmy Rollins.
“I 100 percent believe he was snubbed from being an All-Star,” Rollins said. “We’ve seen the guys they want to make stars come up and have five starts and become an All-Star because they have a name for themselves. Zack Wheeler has been doing it for a while and part of being an All-Star is having a reputation of being a great starter, that he is. He’s been Cy Young second place for a number of years. The guy over in Pittsburgh [Paul Skenes] is pretty good so we understand that.
“But for him to not be in the All-Stars, especially in this city, coming back with nine wins in the first half, that’s a pretty tough pill to swallow. And if I’m him I would be [ticked]. But I would want to make sure if I’m him, I’m taking it out on everyone who had a chance to vote me in. And we open against the Dodgers when we start the second half. So, that’s all I’m saying. I’m going to leave it at that.”
In Wheeler’s first 14 starts of the season since returning from thoracic outlet syndrome, he posted a 2.28 ERA.
Wheeler is currently scheduled to start on Sunday against the Detroit Tigers, making him ineligible to pitch for the midsummer classic two days later.
Various MLB players are displayed at the All-Star Village at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Saturday, and Zack Wheeler’s face is not among them.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
“Most over-hated player in baseball,” said 17-year-old Caleb Garbcht. “He should’ve been in over Luzardo. Should have a Cy Young to his name. Should be in the All-Star Game. I think this motivates him. I think we’re going to see him come back in the playoffs, throwing 97, 98. Honestly, he’s going to be more motivated than ever.”
Haley Garbcht, 22, Caleb’s sibling, added: “Yeah, Philly loves an underdog. So, Wheeler will just keep getting better and finally get the recognition he deserves.”
Following the Phillies’ 4-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday, which saw Wheeler tie a career-high with 14 strikeouts across seven innings, the 36 year old revealed he was bothered by the snub.
“I feel like that’s kind of a reminder for whoever needs to be reminded,” Wheeler said after his stellar performance.
The quote has now led to a new Garrett Stubbs T-shirt, featuring the outline of a rooster with Wheeler’s No. 45 inscribed on it, which pays homage to Wheeler’s walkout song “Rooster” by Alice in Chains.
“Stubbs always brings the energy and does everything he can to get the guys ramped up,” said 18-year-old Brian Donahue. “[Wheeler] will just prove that he deserved it during the season and in the playoffs, and people will regret not picking him.”
Ten-year-old Owen Villamayor approached the batting box with his bat held high and a determined look on his face.
As the pitching machine spat bright yellow balls across home plate, Villamayor, who plays Little League baseball in Chalfont, took a few strikes and hit a few fouls before he managed to drive a homer into the netting above left field.
“It’s a little harder than you think,” Villamayor said afterward. “The balls come in higher and you have to learn how to hit them.”
Villamayor was one of the dozens of early attendees Saturday morning inside the Convention Center at the Capital One All-Star Village, where the line for the home run derby quickly got as long as a theme park ride on a busy day. Old, young, boys, girls — everybody wanted to hit a dinger.
“This is so nice for all the families,” said his dad, Chris Villamayor, a 44-year-old nurse anesthetist. He said his family, decked out in Phillies gear, was excited for an All-Star Game where six Phillies were chosen to play.
A vintage Tug McGraw World Series jersey is seen on display in the Hunt Auction section at the All-Star Village at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pa., on Saturday, July 11, 2026.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Chris Villamayor said he was in middle school in 1996 when the All-Star Game last came to Philadelphia. So his excitement has been building since the league announced Philly would host the annual midsummer classic game that brings together some of its best players.
“Bryce Harper is definitely our favorite,” Villamayor said.
John Hoesle of Northeast Philly brought his two teenage sons to the All-Star Village, and they got in line to try their hand at a home run. When it was Hoesle’s turn, he was all business, hitting ball after ball, no big deal.
“It was fun,” Hoesle said. He said he played baseball with the Police Athletic League when he was a teen, and never lost his love of the game. Now, he coaches his sons’ team in Bensalem. That has given him countless opportunities to talk to his sons about the lessons that come with the game.
“You’re by yourself when the baseball is hit to you, you feel like you got to make the play, and your teammates are counting on you. It’s just a great feeling for kids to have,” Hoesle said.
Michael London, of Fort Washington, Pa., is at the “Home Run Robber” with his dad Stephen London, of Ambler, Pa., at the All-Star Village at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pa., on Saturday, July 11, 2026.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
At a nearby scaled-down baseball diamond, an array of children tried their best on the turf, while their parents cheered them on.
Amber Green, 40, took the train from Deptford with her family so that her 4-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter could join in the fun.
“It’s really exciting,” Green said. She and her sister were at Game 5 of the 2008 World Series, when the Phillies beat the Tampa Bay Rays at Citizens Bank Park, winning their first World Series since 1980.
Her 4-year-old son has little connection to that generation, Green said, but he recently got to meet Phillies All-Star pitcher Cristopher Sánchez, and now he’s a fan.
“The season is so long, and they can start at such a young age,” Green said. “And to live so close to a major league team, we feel lucky.”
Green said her son had turned to YouTube to prepare for the “Home Run Robber,” a fan event that puts participants in aVelcrosuit and lets them jump into a Velcro wall that looks like an outfield wall, simulating what it would be like to rob a batter of a home run.
“You just jump right up there,” said Walt Diamond, a 14-year-old high school baseball player who came to the All-Star Village with his parents.
The All-Star Village, which is broken into five sections named for areas of Philadelphia, includes tons of other activities. One of the more moving displays charts the history of the Negro Leagues from baseball’s segregated past through the mid-20th century, when Jackie Robinson became the first Black player in MLB.
The MLB All Star Brass Band provided by BD Entertainment is seen performing at the All Star Village near the South Philly section at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pa., on Saturday, July 11, 2026.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
One big draw is the autograph area and clubhouse, where retired Phillies greats Cole Hamels, Bobby Abreu, and John Kruk are set to make appearances, along with other pro players and even some mascots. With events and autograph signings scheduled through Tuesday, when the All-Star Game starts at 8 p.m., baseball fans still have plenty of time to take in the experience.
The most pleasant surprise of the recent memoir from the most elegant studio host in sports is, deliciously, all of the boobs and balls and cussing.
“Did you find it too racy?” Rich Lerner asks, bemused but earnest, as if the aristocracy at the exclusive, tennis-whites Philadelphia Cricket Club might look sideways at him during the party that is to follow. He uncrosses his legs, adjusts the perfect collar of his white shirt tucked just inside his slim, tailored blue blazer, and grins like a little boy proud of his mischief.
No. I found it authentic. Him naked in a Scottish bathtub, him learning the ways of the world from the profane teaching pro at his dad’s pitch-and-putt in Dorneyville, Pa., him wisecracking with Tiger Woods in much, much happier times.
Still, why push the envelope with “Aren’t you that Golf Guy?”? Why risk the 30-year reputation of the man who, as the voice of diplomacy and reason on The Golf Channel, has steered the game through the perilous waters of Tiger and LIV and Phil?
“Because that was my experience, and I wanted to be authentic,” Lerner said. “This was not going to be ‘polished Rich’ at the desk. This was going to be Richie in the newsroom, Richie in the compound, Richie with his friends, Richie growing up — schticky, schticky Dicky.”
Lerner has served in various roles at the Golf Channel, most recognizably in marathon sessions of Golf Central: Live From at golf’s biggest tournaments. On that set, analysts dissect each day’s topics with the finesse of a chainsaw, while Lerner more steadily guides them through the wilderness with nudges of stiletto wit.
Lerner generously addresses Phil and LIV and, of course, Tiger, Tiger, Tiger. At 65 and still brimming with energy, he’d set out to write a Tiger book but there was so much more to his three decades on the set and his six decades in the game.
Besides, who needs another Tiger book when you can write a book about the greatest broadcaster to come out of the Lehigh Valley? Perhaps — with apologies to Ernie Johnson, who babysits Shaq and Charles — the best sports studio host on television?
That’s what Lerner ignores in the book, subtitled “Doglegs and Detours from a Life in the Game.” He affects complete avoidance of his colossal presence in the bigger picture of the game. His typical and innate humility serves only to amplify his significance. Jim Nantz and Mike Tirico deliver the live action with trademarked flair that may or may not be contrived, but neither has to act as referee to the two most brilliant and relevant analysts in sports, former pro golfers Brandel Chamblee and Paul McGinley.
It’s hard to put down but easy to set aside and pick up again. It’s great for the beach, the bathroom, or the briefcase, if you travel for work. When it’s light, it’s as light as cotton candy, and he radiates the joy of the game both in the book and in the flesh.
It isn’t all light; ever less so these days, it seems. The stickier subjects affect Lerner far differently. In speaking with The Inquirer at Cricket in the moments before the event, Lerner delighted in culinary discussions concerning Yocco’s hot dogs (IYKYK) or Dalessandro’s cheesesteaks, one of which he was gnawing, standing up, when I walked into the ballroom.
Temple grad and Allentown native Rich Lerner (left) with The Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee. NBC Sports
But when the talk turned to Tiger, who just went through rehab again, and Phil, whose spiraling disgraces have attained a level of surreality, Lerner became subdued, like a man whose gifted children have lost their way.
“I think it’s sad,” he said.
He looked sad.
He seems especially troubled about Mickelson’s issues and choices, clearly because Lerner, who adored Arnold Palmer (Golf Channel’s co-creator), knows the game needed its next Arnie, and, just as clearly, the next Arnie was Phil. But then came LIV, and now there are allegations of sexual misconduct, and it appears that Mickelson’s window is closed.
“When he should have been embraced — he should have been the Ryder Cup captain, probably twice. You can just keep going,” Lerner said. “He would have had that Arnold Palmer ambassadorship — show up at a major when you’re 65 and hold court, reminisce about the shot you hit off the pine straw in 2010 — that was his.
“America’s a forgiving country. You never say never, but at this point, he seems adrift.”
Lerner offered that piece of poignancy off the cuff Monday night. He writes it even better in the book, especially in the chapter, “Impossible to F— Up.” Spoiler: Phil F—’s it up.
Lerner is golf’s chief negotiator. He is a conciliator at his core. He loves the game as much for its inherent morality as for its incredible, rewarding difficulty. The difficulty remains even as the morality leeches away.
This turmoil, for him, is torture.
He grew up in the game, twice a champion at old Berkleigh Country Club out in Kutztown, a real-life Danny Noonan, 6-foot-4 and lean and complete with the thick, unruly hair. He began college at Lehigh, recalibrated to Temple, became a local TV legend young — well, I’ll let him tell that story. He’s so good at it; his video essays on The Golf Channel are masterpieces of depth and nuance, and his autobiographical descriptions of the people who made and make him are just as good.
You’ll meet grateful firefighters and graceless pro-am hacks and a couple who fostered at least 80 children, which was my favorite part of the book.
You’ll learn he loves basketball — Big 5 legend Fran Dunphy attended, as did celebrated Sports Illustrated hoops writer Jack McCallum — and, though he was on Broad Street in 1983 when Doc and Moses brought it home, Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway stole his heart when he moved to Orlando, where The Golf Channel began. Now he and it are both in Connecticut, where he never misses an Eagles game and catches the Phillies whenever he can.
The book also talks about the lure of alcohol on the course and in the booth, and, between that and the boobs and balls and the cussing, you might think it’s not a worthy review for a man so austere.
LAS VEGAS — When the 76ers face the Indiana Pacers in Saturday’s Summer League matchup, they will see a familiar face in Alex Reese.
With his unconventional — and meaningful — jersey number.
Reese, a power forward who played in 14 games for the Sixers on a two-way contract during the 2024-25 season, is again wearing No. 65 with the Pacers’ Summer League team. Those digits are more often associated with football offensive linemen than NBA players. But last July, Reese shared with The Inquirer and Philly Voice that he chose the number because it aligns with the birth year of his mother, Rebakah, and continues to honor her after she died in 2024 from early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
“It just helps me think of her when I’m playing,” Reese said then from the Sixers’ practice facility, days before the team waived him before this story could run during Las Vegas Summer League. “It makes it easy for me to look down and see why I’m doing what I’m doing.”
Reese did not always have a specific jersey number that he coveted. But while scanning the limited options upon joining the Rip City Remix, the G League affiliate of the Portland Trail Blazers, 65 instantly caught his eye. He felt the connection between it and his mother while she fought the debilitating cognitive disease. Rebakah died with two games remaining in that first season he wore it.
“Now I have a reason to keep it,” he said.
Alex Reese (right) was briefly with the Sixers’ Summer League team before being waived before game’s started last year.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Reese described his mom as “super sweet” and said she “loved everybody.” She drove him to baseball practices and games across the Southeast from their home near Birmingham, Ala., then to the gym or playground courts for workouts once basketball became his sport of choice.
Reese became a star at Pelham High School in Pelham, Ala. and signed with the University of Alabama in 2017. Rebakah was diagnosed just before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, while Alex was rehabbing after hip surgery during a “really tough” summer. She still made the short trip to Tuscaloosa for college games — and, more importantly, his 2021 graduation.
After he went undrafted, Reese took a year off from basketball to return home to spend time with Mom and his support system, including brothers Nate and Zach, Brian, his father, and extended family and friends. He worked jobs such as laying sod, moving furniture, and bartending.
“I needed it,” Reese said. “I didn’t know if I was going to make the push to try to play professionally. Once I took the year off, got my mindset a little bit better, and got back into it after I worked a couple jobs that I don’t want to work anymore.”
He went overseas to play in Luxembourg, then found opportunity in the G League. He wore No. 15 in his NBA debut with the Oklahoma City Thunder, scoring two points in less than two minutes in October 2024. After returning to the Remix, he signed a two-way contract with the Sixers in February 2025 and remained with the team for the rest of the season.
Alex Reese (right) averaged 5.3 points in 14 games with the Sixers in 2024-25.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
By the time Reese chose No. 65, Rebakah was past the point that she could understand what the gesture meant. He has seen the perplexed comments from fans over the years about his choice, assuring that they “[don’t] bother me at all.” He has shared his reason for the number with a handful of Portland teammates, and with Sixers teammates such as Justin Edwards.
He honored her in 14 NBA games with the Sixers. And 65 remains his number of choice, including in Saturday’s Summer League matchup.
Because it is not unconventional to him. It means everything.
“I obviously wish she was here to see it,” Reese said, “and see where I’ve made it now.”
Artist Charles Fazzino’s work jumps out at you. And it sparkles.
Renowned for capturing colorful cityscapes and big sporting events, Fazzino has for decades handcrafted three-dimensional pop-out art to mark major occasions from the Grammys to the Olympics — and, in recent years, the annual MLB All-Star Game.
With the game in Philadelphia this year, Fazzino is in town as the official commemorative artist and he is bringing along the MLB All-Star Game portrait and some of his bedazzled baseballs, bats, and helmets to the MLB All-Star Village at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
The MLB All-Star Game portrait spotlights the city of Philadelphia, featuring the skyline, Benjamin Franklin Bridge, SEPTA buses, and, of course, Citizens Bank Park.
Artist Charles Fazzino displays his hand painted baseballs available at his booth at the Capital One All-Star Village, Philadelphia Convention Center, on Thursday, July 9, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
The portrait is one of his signature 3D pop-out pieces. Fazzino started making these pieces in the 1990s inspired by pop-up books. First, he prints drawings on a special cardboard-like material called museum board, made of cotton rags, and proceeds to cut out each person, landmark, and building with an X-ACTO knife. Then he meticulously arranges the figures using gobs of glue to create the three-dimensional artwork; the glue is not just an adhesive but a layering tool as well.
Finally, he applies Swarovski crystals and acrylic paint to make the canvas glitter.
His work has been collected by a wide range of fans from Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton, to celebrities including Julia Roberts, Michael Jordan, and Reggie Jackson. To keep up with the demand, Fazzino runs a studio in New Rochelle, N.Y., with a staff of 60 who help with the painstaking process of cutting and gluing.
Artist Charles Fazzino created the official 2026 All-Star Game poster. His original 3D art that the poster is based on hangs at right. Fazzino was readying his booth at the Capital One All-Star Village at the Philadelphia Convention Center on Thursday, July 9, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
“The artwork is different because everything still is printed by hand, made by hand, cut out by hand, glued, assembled, and constructed all by hand,” said Fazzino, who found a passion for art thanks to his artist parents. “That’s what I think differentiates me from other artists, and why the pieces are so unique.”
Fazzino has been making artwork depicting Philadelphia for years, earning a substantial following in the region as local galleries have sold his work over the past 30 years.
Artist Charles Fazzino displays a custom-made batting helmet that will be available at his booth at the Capital One All-Star Village at the Philadelphia Convention Center on Thursday, July 9, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
“I’ve been going [to Philly] so many years, so I include the Mummers Parade or the Art Museum, Rocky sculpture, all the cool hotels, and the food culture,” he said.
In addition to the All-Star art, he made a piece commemorating the Semiquincentennial, featuring major landmarks from all 50 states.
Fazzino’s original 3D art costs between $3,000-$7,000 with framing, depending on the size, but he also sells posters at lower price points, in addition to a variety of baseball-related art.
At his booth at the Convention Center, visitors can see his Phillies-themed decorative baseballs as well as the ceremonial home plate that will be used in the first pitch at the All-Star Game on Tuesday.
The All-Star Game returns to Philadelphia in coming days with more than baseball.
It arrives with two sprawling shopping destinations, hundreds of exclusive products, and a merchandising operation at both the Convention Center and Citizens Bank Park. Fanatics, the sports-commerce giant, will anchor All-Star Village with a flagship store, while Aramark has transformed the two-level Phillies New Era Team Store at the ballpark into a showcase of All-Star-exclusive merchandise.
Like the FIFA World Cup, Super Bowl, Formula One races, and the recent PGA Classic at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Major League Baseball treats its marquee events as multiday fan festivals. The result: The Midsummer Classic has become as much a retail event as a baseball event.
All-Star-theme baseball gloves on display at All-Star Village inside the Convention Center.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
“Commercially, it ranks in our top three events,” said Jamie Leece, a senior vice president with MLB. “From a business perspective, I’d say it’s our most important because we’re bringing every team together in one place.”
Unlike the postseason, where only a handful of teams remain, the All-Star Game draws fans from all 30 teams. MLB expects more than 80,000 people to visit All-Star Village over the four days.
“We have passionate fans who travel to multiple All-Star Games, and we also have people attending for the first time,” Leece said. “We want to make sure they have an incredible experience and can find merchandise that reflects their fandom.”
A temporary retail city
The biggest attraction inside All-Star Village may also be its biggest business.
The merchandise at All-Star Village inside the Convention Center includes posters and original art.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Fanatics, led by Philadelphia-area entrepreneur Michael Rubin, will operate a 16,000-square-foot flagship store at the Convention Center — its largest All-Star retail footprint since Los Angeles hosted the game in 2022. The company says the store, open to ticket holders, will carry more than 400 product styles from Nike, New Era, Mitchell & Ness, Homage, WinCraft, ’47 Brand, and Fanatics.
The assignment is fitting for a company with deep local roots. Fanatics traces its modern growth to Rubin’s King of Prussia-based GSI Commerce, which acquired the business in 2011. After eBay purchased GSI, Rubin bought Fanatics back and transformed it into one of the world’s largest sports-commerce companies.
Today, analysts say the privately held company expects about $13 billion in revenue this year and employs more than 22,000 people worldwide. In addition to operating licensed merchandise for the major professional leagues, it owns Topps, the baseball-card maker, and has expanded into collectibles, sports betting, live events, and media.
A Phillies throwback jersey on sale at All-Star Village inside the Convention Center.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Under a long-term partnership with MLB and Nike, Fanatics manufactures and distributes much of Major League Baseball’s licensed fan apparel, making the All-Star Village store the public face of a merchandising operation that extends far beyond All-Star Week in Philadelphia. Most of the merchandise in the store was conceived, approved, manufactured, and shipped months before fans ever walked through the Convention Center doors.
This year’s assortment leans heavily into Philadelphia.
Shirts available at the All-Star Village at the Convention Center.Michael Klein / Staff
The company said host-city merchandise, particularly jerseys and hats, has become an increasingly important part of every All-Star collection. Philadelphia-themed offerings include Homage’s Grateful Dead-inspired Patriot T-shirt and “Always Sunny in Philly” shirt, ’47 Brand’s “Hit That Jawn” and cheesesteak-themed designs, and Sportiqe’s Elton John-inspired “Philadelphia Freedom” T-shirt.
Home-field advantage
If Fanatics anchors the Convention Center, Aramark — the Phillies’ concessionaire — is treating Citizens Bank Park as a shopping destination in its own right. Its two-story shop is open daily to the public except for Sunday.
After the July 2 home game against the Pirates, Aramark workers cleared the store of all regular Phillies merchandise and began loading in All-Star items. The store was expanded in the offseason to about 7,500 square feet.
Some of the 84 All-Star pins designed by Aramark that are for sale at Citizens Bank Park. Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Francis Winkey, Aramark’s senior merchandise manager at the ballpark, said the store has about 400 All-Star items, about 75% of them exclusive. Winkey, a pin collector himself, commissioned 84 pins, including one representing each major-league team.
Behind the displays is a manufacturing process that begins more than a year before the first pitch. MLB develops the event’s logos and branding, then works with dozens of licensed manufacturers specializing in a wide range of products — caps, jerseys, drinkware, collectibles, and other souvenirs. Companies submit designs for league approval before production begins, often months in advance, at factories overseas.
The biggest complication is that no one knows who will make the All-Star teams until shortly before the game. Most merchandise, therefore, celebrates the event or the host city rather than individual players. When player-specific products are planned, manufacturers often build in flexibility so they can be finished after the rosters are announced.
At Citizens Bank Park, Aramark’s Francis Winkey holds souvenir baseballs that were stamped with Bryce Harper’s name after he was named to the All-Star Game roster.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Take the commemorative baseballs that Winkey dreamed up. Last fall, he ordered Rawlings baseballs featuring bold All-Star graphics that intentionally had one blank panel.
Once the rosters were announced, Winkey had a domestic factory finish the baseballs. “When I knew Shohei Ohtani made the team, I could put Ohtani’s name on it,” Winkey said. “It’s a combination of long-term planning and a short-term reaction.”
The store carries six player editions, including Ohtani and Phillies sluggers Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, for $17 a throw.
Bigger every year
MLB executives say the retail operation has grown alongside the event itself.
“Whenever we’ve expanded the retail space, we’ve seen the business grow,” said Leece, of MLB. “It’s always a balancing act because All-Star Village is a celebration of baseball, not just a shopping destination. We want activations, interactive experiences, and things for fans to do beyond buying merchandise.”
The assortment has expanded, too. “We have more licensees creating more unique items,” Leece said. “International fandom has grown significantly, so we now have fans traveling from all over the world. As the audience has expanded, so has the variety of merchandise. One category that’s really emerged over the last several years is oversized chains and necklaces. They’re a good example of a product category that really came out of nowhere.”
A commemorative shirt from Fanatics affiliate ’47 available at the All-Star Village at the Convention Center.Michael Klein / Staff
Philadelphia’s role as host city during the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration also shaped the collection. “It always starts with the identity of the host city,” Leece said. “Philadelphia’s history aligns naturally with the Phillies’ identity.”
Across the ballpark, All-Star Village, and MLB’s online stores, about 600 products will be available during the week.
One operational change won’t be visible on the sales floor.
“We’ll have the largest on-site retail staff we’ve ever had, both at All-Star Village and the ballpark,” Leece said. “We want fans to spend less time waiting in line and more time enjoying everything else the event has to offer.”
Retail analysts say the All-Star Game occupies a unique niche in the licensed sports business.
Commemorative T-shirts on display at All-Star Village.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
“The All-Star Game is really about on-site souvenirs,” said Matt Powell, founder of the sports retail consultancy Spurwink River. “People are there and want something to commemorate the experience because it’s essentially a one-off event.”
Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, said demand tends to split between wearable keepsakes and collectibles.
“One is simple products like T-shirts or caps linked to the Phillies or the All-Star Game,” Saunders said. “The other is collectible items that can be more expensive. The real fans or those who love collecting are enthusiastic about these.”
The All-Star retail boom reflects the growth of licensed sports merchandise into a multibillion-dollar global business. One industry estimate valued the market at $38 billion in 2025, with North America accounting for more than half of sales. Apparel remains the largest category, helping explain why jerseys, caps, and other wearable souvenirs dominate event retail.
Unlike merchandise driven by blockbuster trades or new uniforms, Powell said, All-Star merchandise derives much of its value from the event itself.
Fans aren’t simply buying apparel. They’re buying proof they were there.
Yet for all the focus on merchandise, Leece said the larger goal is creating memories.
“I hope they slow down,” he said. “I hope they walk in, look around, and appreciate that they’re somewhere special. This is baseball’s World’s Fair. It only happens once a year, and for Philadelphia it only comes around every couple of decades.”
