“ … Hold up, wait a minute, y’all thought I was finished?”
The line from Meek Mill’s “Dreams and Nightmares” felt even more apt the second time it boomed through Citizens Bank Park on Monday, as Jesús Luzardo warmed for the ninth inning for the first time in his career.
Earlier this season, he changed his walk-out song to the Philadelphia rapper’s signature track, a nod to the city that Luzardo officially adopted after signing a five-year extension in March. As the Phillies lefty walked back out to the mound for the ninth and final time against the Braves, the second verse played again. Most of the 41,820 in attendance were on their feet.
In reality, though, there had been no question, not in Luzardo’s mind, nor in interim manager Don Mattingly’s, that he would pitch the ninth. Even before Kyle Schwarber finally broke the scoreless tie with an eighth-inning homer to the second deck, it was always going to be Luzardo’s inning with the way he had been throwing.
Watching Schwarber’s swing put him in position for the win, Luzardo had just one thought: Go get a shutdown inning.
And while he issued his first walk of the game to Ronald Acuña Jr. — before that, Luzardo only had two three-ball counts all day — Luzardo fought back to strike out Drake Baldwin looking on a sinker. A fly out sealed the 1-0 win over Atlanta, the series split, and Luzardo’s first career shutout.
“Unbelievable game by him,” Schwarber said. “‘Efficient’ is a great word. But he keeps finding a way to keep getting better and better, which is awesome.”
Bullpen collapses contributed to the Phillies’ two losses against the Braves this series, and had put the rickety bridge from their starters to closer Jhoan Duran under a microscope. But although Luzardo had never taken the ball in the ninth before in his professional career, he made that a moot point on Monday.
Jesús Luzardo induced 12 swings-and-misses on his sweeper.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
He limited Atlanta to just two hits. Despite racking up 12 strikeouts and 23 total swings-and-misses, Luzardo was extremely efficient, with 92 pitches through eight and 109 overall. His trademark sweeper was as effective as ever. In the second inning, Michael Harris II was fooled so badly that he chased a sweeper ultimately caught by J.T. Realmuto in the opposite batter’s box.
“We took advantage of an offense that’s very aggressive. They’re very good, and I think that’s what makes them good, is how aggressive they are,” Luzardo said.
Luzardo’s excellence gave his offense chance after chance to break through. But it took them until the eighth inning to take advantage. They left the bases loaded in the first inning, a missed opportunity that started to loom larger as Braves starter Grant Holmes began mowing through the lineup.
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Holmes retired 10 consecutive Phillies hitters, striking out the side in the third inning on three different pitches.
After Schwarber’s leadoff single to start the game, Holmes didn’t allow another hit until Brandon Marsh’s single in the fifth. The Phillies couldn’t advance him, and they also failed to cash in on Trea Turner’s double in the sixth.
Even so, Mattingly liked the Phillies’ at-bats.
“There was a lot of balls like ‘em when I marked my sheet: good at-bats, balls hit hard. There was a ton of them in there. We didn’t get a lot for it,” Mattingly said. “But still, I thought the at-bats were good. The approach was good. Their guy kind of dialed it in. I think after the first, he has the breaking ball going.”
But they finally got just enough in the eighth. With two outs in the inning, Atlanta manager Walt Weiss had a left-hander up in the Braves bullpen, but opted to leave righty Didier Fuentes in to face Schwarber. Fuentes had been carving up the Phillies since relieving Holmes in the seventh, but he made one mistake against the wrong hitter.
Schwarber powered a middle-middle fastball 415 feet to right field to break the stalemate.
“You’re trying to find a way on base,” said Schwarber, who hit three homers against Atlanta this series. “It’s not thinking slug. It’s not thinking anything like that. It’s just trying to find a way on, and obviously [he has] a really good heater and good other pitches, but leaves one [in the] middle and it’s just able to get the barrel there to it, and it takes off.”
It ensured that Luzardo’s spectacular outing didn’t go to waste. The lefty has completely rewritten the narrative of his season after a rocky start. A 1.31 ERA in August won Luzardo pitcher of the month honors, and he has already started out September even better.
“I think everyone dreams about being a guy that your team relies on,” Luzardo said.
When he walked back out for the ninth, Luzardo tried not to think about the potential shutout awaiting him after the third out. He instead tried to calm his adrenaline, and then focus on the game plan.
Luzardo wants to take a few mementos from the best performance of his career so far. But he won’t keep them for himself. He plans to save the game ball and give it to his parents, along with maybe the jersey he wore or the lineup card.
“I think I’m just a piece,” Luzardo said. “As a team, we win as a team. We lose as a team. So I think I wanted to go out and do my part, do my job, and help out any way possible to get the win.”
Next week, U.S. men’s soccer team manager Mauricio Pochettino will announce his roster for the team’s upcoming games in late September and early October. As hopes grow for some of the Union’s young rising stars to get called, Pochettino acknowledged Friday that he’s been watching them, and has been impressed.
“Philadelphia has good young players, good kids, that maybe we will call a few [of],” he said in a roundtable meeting with reporters on Monday. “New York, yes, Orlando, Nashville, Atlanta — I can keep going, no? But I think, yes, we are so excited, because I think we can add young kids that can bring a fresh start, and you can feel something different.”
Pochettino didn’t give specific names, and made clear from the start of the meeting that he wasn’t going to. But his acknowledgment was enough, amid that list of clubs with notable prospects.
Cavan Sullivan (left) has blossomed into a big-time player for the Union this summer.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The door is open to them and other emerging players, from MLS and across the Atlantic.
“The idea now is, it’s about to start to work for the project that is 2030,” the year of the next men’s World Cup, Pochettino said. “And of course, the next camp is going to be the opportunity to bring players that can be involved in that four-year process, with the possibility to arrive to 2030 in the best condition. I think we need to work for the present because we need to win games, we need to be competitive; but I think it’s a different approach than it was in the last period when we arrived.”
He also will be factoring in candidates for the 2028 Olympic team. It’s an under-23 squad, and U.S. Soccer wants a big performance on home turf in Los Angeles. Westfield and Pierre are prime candidates at that level, with Westfield projected as the potential starting right back.
Goalkeeper Andrew Rick is another Olympic candidate, though he faces longer odds to make this senior squad. But those odds improved when Pochettino said he expects to have four goalkeepers on his 26-player roster.
Andrew Rick (center) got great experience spending the World Cup with the U.S. team as a practice player.Jonathan Tannenwald
“We have a core of young players that need to play the Olympic Games, because it’s an objective for our federation and for the country to try to be a contender for the gold medal,” he said. “And I think it’s important: It’s going to be in our country, and we are going to support that.”
So expect to see Olympic team coach Steve Cherundolo working with Pochettino this fall. And file away that this specific FIFA window is an especially good chance to get Olympic team candidates into the senior squad.
The next three windows are the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals in the fall, the final four in Los Angeles in March, and the Gold Cup next summer. Pochettino will want the stars for those games, but he doesn’t need them all for the friendlies.
“It’s a decision that we are talking [about] now,” he said. “I think it’s a very important thing if we can provide them, the players that maybe Steve believes can be important in two years, in the Olympic Games — it’s a window that maybe we can provide minutes and international experience.”
Mauricio Pochettino (right) had four Union alumni on the World Cup team this summer, including centerbacks Auston Trusty (left) and Mark McKenzie.Jonathan Tannenwald
But there are some caveats to the youth movement. One is that the squad for the upcoming four-game slate — against Peru, Chile, Mexico, and Canada — won’t just be prospects. There are veterans from the World Cup squad whom Pochettino wants, to help get results and to help set the tone for the new generation.
“We are going to do a mix,” he said. “Experienced players with young players that can fit together and start to work, and [help] how the young kids start to manage the pressure to play in the first team.”
Pochettino is watching the prospect class to see not just how they play, but how they conduct themselves.
Neil Pierre has won rave reviews this summer for his play at centerback and his charming character.Steven M. Falk / For The Inquirer
“When you are young, of course, you need to be confident, you need to have trust in yourself, and belief that you can perform, and that you can do well — but I think there is a limit, no?” he said. “I think you are only entitled to talk a little bit out of order if you are [Lionel] Messi — if you’ve won eight Ballon d’Or [world player of the year awards], OK, you can talk with a certain arrogance. But even Messi, you aren’t going to feel or hear him talking in this way.”
He spoke of his own role in that, too, knowing how a high-profile manager’s words can be magnified in the media.
“The balance is the most important, and one of our responsibilities is to protect these guys,” Pochettino said. “Because sometimes if you play well and you are 17, 16, or 18, and you play well, people start to talk about that you are Messi or you are a big star in the world because you do a few good things. If after [that], you are confused and you don’t manage [it] well, that can be dangerous for your career, and that is what we don’t want.”
Matt Suhey, a fullback who helped Walter Payton and the Chicago Bears win the 1985 NFL championship, has died. He was 68.
The Bears confirmed Suhey died on Sunday morning. No other details were provided.
Suhey played for Chicago for 10 seasons after he was selected by the Bears in the second round of the 1980 draft. He helped clear the way for Payton to become the NFL’s career leading rusher, a record Payton held until Emmitt Smith surpassed his total on Oct. 27, 2002.
Suhey and Payton were close friends. Payton served as the godfather for Suhey’s youngest son, Scott.
Penn State’s Matt Suhey runs against Temple in 1979 at University Park.Fred Prouser
“Matt watched my dad’s back, kind of like being a bodyguard or protector,” Walter’s son, Jarrett, said in “A Football Life,” an NFL Network show. “He blocked for him. He took a lot of hits, making sure that my dad would get the glory, and Matt kind of just sat back in the background, very unselfish.”
Suhey, a Pennsylvania native, played his college ball for Penn State, following in the footsteps of his father, Steve, a guard who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1985.
Matt Suhey rushed for 2,818 yards and 26 touchdowns on 633 carries for the Nittany Lions. He also caught 39 passes for 328 yards and two TDs.
Suhey was Chicago’s second-leading rusher when the Bears went 15-1 during the 1985 regular season, finishing with 471 yards on the ground. Payton rushed for 1,551 yards and nine touchdowns that year.
The 1985 Bears shut out the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs before routing New England 46-10 in the Super Bowl. Suhey scored the first TD against the Patriots on an 11-yard run in the first quarter. He finished with 52 yards on 11 carries, and he also had a 24-yard reception.
The durable Suhey played in 148 regular-season games during his 10 years with the Bears, starting 100. He had 828 carries for 2,946 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also had 260 receptions for 2,113 yards and five TDs.
Tanner Banks is eligible to be reinstated from the 60-day injured list on Monday, but the Phillies want to give him more time to build up.
The left-hander has been on the shelf since July 9 with a left forearm strain, and has already made four rehab appearances for triple-A Lehigh Valley as he works to rejoin the major league bullpen. But the Phillies want to continue building him into the three-inning range, so he can be a bulk option for the major league club.
“He’s getting to the point where he’s pretty much ready if needed,” said interim manager Don Mattingly.
Banks has been efficient in his rehab outings. Across 6⅔ innings, he has allowed just two hits and one earned run. He is next scheduled to throw three innings or 40 pitches on Tuesday for the IronPigs.
“I think you can see how we’re building him right now, is that we would look at him as more of a length option; be able to come in, throw multiples, do different things like that,” Mattingly said. “We’re sitting with three lefties [José Alvarado, Tim Mayza, and deadline acquisition Brooks Raley]; they’ve all been actually pretty good lately. So it would be hard to say I got to force Banks into that, in one of those roles.
“But I think the way we’re building, is that he is a guy that can come into a game and throw two or three innings, if he’s been built up to a pitch count where you’re comfortable and he’s used to that.”
Tanner Banks had a 7.14 ERA and 2.00 WHIP in 29 major league innings when he went on the injured list on July 9.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Before his injury, Banks was having a down season and was even optioned in June. He had a 7.14 ERA and 2.00 WHIP in 29 major league innings in 2026, a stark drop-off from his 3.07 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in the majors in 2025.
“You just keep paying attention, who’s rolling and who’s getting their outs, things like that,” Mattingly said of his bullpen mix. “But this is our team. This is our club. Roles are semi-set, but I think you try to make decisions based on what’s best right now, and not necessarily how it’s been all year long.”
Nestor Cortes on Tuesday will see his first official game action since signing with the Phillies on Aug. 19. The left-hander is scheduled to be reinstated from the seven-day injured list and pitch for low-A Clearwater.
Mattingly said he wasn’t sure if Cortes would start the game for the Threshers, but he is scheduled to appear at some point. Cortes, 31, was signed to a major league deal as organizational pitching depth, but he has been on the injured list since Aug. 25 to give him time to build up. He last appeared in a game on Sept. 3, 2025, for the Padres before undergoing arm surgery that sidelined him for most of 2026.
Extra bases
Andrew Painter (3-8, 5.55 ERA) is scheduled to start Tuesday’s series opener against Astros right-hander Hayden Wesneski (4-1, 3.18).
The two-time defending NFC East champion Eagles begin their season Sunday, with the Washington Commanders coming to town for the Week 1 opener at the Linc (4:25 p.m. Fox). With that in mind, let’s meet every member of the 53-man squad. Players are listed by expected order on the Eagles’ depth chart.
Quarterbacks (4)
Jalen Hurts
College: Oklahoma | Years pro: 6 | 6-1, 223
Another year, another new offensive coordinator and play caller for Hurts, who has dealt with constant change since he was in college. All eyes are on the quarterback as the Eagles enter 2026 with a revamped offense under new coordinator Sean Mannion. How will Hurts take to running an offense that has him taking more snaps from under center, utilizing more play action, and one that may even ask him to run a little more often? How will he deal with a wide receiving corps that doesn’t have A.J. Brown anymore? There are a lot of question marks hanging over the offense, and Hurts is under the spotlight. — Neiburg
Andy Dalton struggled in the preseason. Could he still be a trade target?Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Andy Dalton
College: TCU | Years pro: 15 | 6-2, 220
The Eagles traded a seventh-round pick for Dalton in hopes that the 38-year-old could compete for the No. 2 job behind Hurts or, if Tanner McKee outperformed him in camp, could be used as trade bait to a quarterback-needy team. Neither happened, and so Dalton enters the 2026 season either second or third on the depth chart. Dalton has played a lot of football, but he’s four years removed from being a starter. — Neiburg
Tanner McKee
College: Stanford | Years pro: 2 | 6-6, 231
Coach Nick Sirianni and GM Howie Roseman are hesitant to name a backup quarterback, so McKee will either be the No. 2 or No. 3 guy behind Hurts on the depth chart. It’s a clear battle between him and Dalton, who might have the edge due to his experience. McKee has shown flashes over the years — tossing 269 yards and two touchdowns in a meaningless game against the Giants in 2024 — but he hasn’t quite jelled with Mannion’s offense. — Novozinsky
Cole Payton
College: North Dakota State | Years pro: 1st | 6-3, 232
Payton, a rookie fifth-round pick from North Dakota State, fell victim to the QB battle in front of him this summer. He saw some garbage-time action in the preseason, but it wasn’t nearly enough to showcase his dual-threat potential. Roseman and Sirianni (rightly) gave his reps to Dalton and McKee, who are still battling for the QB2 job. — Novozinsky
Saquon Barkley’s effectiveness in Sean Mannion’s offensive scheme will be a major storyline. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Running Backs (3)
Saquon Barkley
College: Penn State | Years pro: 8 | 6-0, 233
The offense took a step back last year in part because Barkley could not come close to replicating his 2024 season, when he became the ninth player in NFL history to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season. Doing it again would have been a big ask, but Barkley’s ability to pile up yards was hampered by an offensive line that was injured and an offensive scheme that couldn’t find ways to get him the ball in space. This year, the Eagles are implementing a wide zone running scheme that should favor Barkley and a running game that will be pivotal to the team’s success. — Neiburg
Tank Bigsby
College: Auburn | Years pro: 3 | 5-11, 215
The Eagles acquired Bigsby a few weeks into the 2025 season and the backup running back was one of the few bright spots on offense. He rushed 58 times for 344 yards (5.9 per carry) but had more than four carries in only three games. A new-look rushing attack could ask for Bigsby to spell Barkley more often this year. — Neiburg
Will Shipley
College: Clemson | Years pro: 2 | 5-11, 209
Shipley enters his third season with the team as the third-string running back behind Barkley and Bigsby and as a key special teams contributor, particularly at kick returner. He won’t likely have ample touches on offense, but he acquitted himself nicely in the preseason, both as a runner and as a receiver. Mannion could find a role for him in the offense in certain situations. — Reiner
is DeVonta Smith ready to embrace WR1 status?David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Wide receivers (6)
DeVonta Smith
College: Alabama | Years pro: 5 | 6-0, 170
With A.J. Brown shipped off to the Patriots, all eyes are on Smith as the Eagles’ WR1. Prominent members of the organization, including Sirianni and Roseman, have stated they believe Smith is ready to take on a bigger role in the offense. Smith, who turns 28 in November, could be the team’s leading receiver for the first time since 2021. He missed most of training camp with a hamstring injury, but he is expected to be available for Week 1. — Reiner
Dontayvion Wicks
College: Virginia | Years pro: 3 | 6-1, 206
The Eagles acquired the 25-year-old Wicks from the Green Bay Packers this offseason. He made the most of his opportunities throughout camp, and with Makai Lemon sidelined for a significant portion of the offseason with a hamstring injury, Wicks made his case for the WR2 job. Wicks’ best season came in his rookie year in 2023, when he racked up 581 yards and four touchdowns on 39 receptions. The two seasons that followed paled in comparison. Wicks will look to prove he’s capable of taking on a greater workload in the Eagles offense. — Reiner
Can Makai Lemon recover from a low-impact preseason and training camp?Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Makai Lemon
College: USC | Years pro: 1st | 5-11, 192
Fans and pundits will be looking at Lemon under a microscope this season — and for good reason. The 22-year-old rookie was drafted in hopes that he could help replicate Brown’s production in the aggregate, alongside the Eagles’ other weapons. Lemon isn’t off to the best start, missing the majority of training camp then struggling in his lone preseason appearance (3 yards on three catches and a drop that led to an interception). — Novozinsky
Darius Cooper
College: Tarleton State | Years pro: 1 | 5-11, 210
Last year’s training camp darling earned a roster spot by doing a lot of what Sirianni called the “dirty work.” The Eagles asked Cooper mostly to be a blocker and play special teams. He was targeted just 11 times on 212 offensive snaps. Cooper had a good start to training camp but seemed to fade a little down the stretch. That being said, there’s an opportunity for Cooper to have a bigger role in the offense this year. — Neiburg
Hollywood Brown is a former 1,000-yard receiver who is looking to revive his career in Philly. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Hollywood Brown
College: Oklahoma | Years pro: 7 | 5-9, 170
Roseman signed Brown to a one-year deal in free agency worth $5 million guaranteed after Brown followed up an injury-shortened 2024 campaign by catching 49 passes for 587 yards and five touchdowns last year with Kansas City. He’s not the same receiver he was when he broke into the league as a 2019 first-round pick with Baltimore, but Brown could be a reliable third or fourth option despite being invisible at times during his first training camp in Philly. — Neiburg
Elijah Moore
College: Ole Miss | Years pro: 5 | 5-10, 178
Out is A.J. Brown, in is his college friend and teammate. The Eagles signed Moore to a one-year deal to add some depth to the position group. The 2021 second-round pick then went out and earned his spot with a strong training camp. Moore’s 2025 season with the Bills and Broncos was rocky, and he came to the Eagles facing a career crossroads. He could have a revival, especially if Lemon struggles early and the Eagles ask Moore to be their slot receiver. — Neiburg
Video: unCovering the Birds: Is tight end the biggest area of concern?
Tight ends (4)
Dallas Goedert
College: South Dakota State | Years pro: 8 | 6-5, 256
Goedert is back with the Eagles for a ninth season after the team signed the 31-year-old to a one-year deal. Goedert is coming off a productive 2025 season where he had more touchdowns (11) than he did in the previous three seasons combined. Goedert will again be relied on in the passing game, but the Eagles will need him to give a little more as a blocker in a run scheme that asks more of the tight ends than the previous one did. — Neiburg
Johnny Mundt
College: Oregon | Years pro: 8 | 6-4, 245
Blocking from the tight end spot was a struggle at times for the Eagles in 2025, so they tried to rectify that by signing Mundt, who has become one of the better blocking tight ends in the NFL over the last few seasons. What’s more, he’s also experienced in the Eagles’ new style of offense, having played on multiple teams that deploy some version of the Kyle Shanahan-Sean McVay offense. — Neiburg
Eli Stowers’ ability to make a Year 1 impact is in question. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Eli Stowers
College: Vanderbilt | Years pro: 1st | 6-3, 239
The Eagles selected Stowers with their second-round pick in part because it’s past time they started planning for the future at the position. Stowers is a former quarterback who transitioned to tight end in college after a shoulder injury. The Eagles loved his athleticism and think they’ll eventually be able to take advantage of some mismatches when he’s running routes, but it’s unclear how involved the rookie will be in the offense early in the season. — Neiburg
EJ Jenkins
College: Georgia Tech | Years pro: 1 | 6-6, 245
Jenkins was one of the bubble offensive skill players who made the initial 53-man roster. He has been with the Eagles for most of the last three years, primarily on the practice squad, and he has appeared in 14 games between the regular season and the postseason. Jenkins checks the box as another “Y” tight end responsible for lining up inline and blocking, a coveted role in the Shanahan/McVay offense. — Reiner
Jordan Mailata returns as one of the Eagles’ most reliable players. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Offensive linemen (9)
Jordan Mailata
College: N/A | Years pro: 8 | 6-8, 365
While most of the offensive line was hampered by injury last season, Mailata was one of the unit’s healthiest members, starting in all 16 games that the starters played (not including Week 18). He has seemingly improved with age — according to Pro Football Focus, Mailata conceded two sacks in 2025, the second-lowest total of his career (he gave up one sack in 2024). Two years ago, he earned second-team All-Pro honors. Can he earn leaguewide acclaim in 2026? — Reiner
Landon Dickerson
College: Alabama | Years pro: 5 | 6-6, 332
Dickerson admitted that last season, he returned to action too quickly after undergoing meniscus surgery. He had a full offseason to recover from his various injuries, which included traveling to Colombia to receive stem cell therapy to manage his pain. Now, Dickerson says he’s healthy as he aims to bounce back in his sixth season as the starting left guard. Can he get back to the standard he established from 2022-24 when he was an original-selection Pro Bowler for three straight years? — Reiner
A healthy Cam Jurgens would be a mark in the Eagles’ favor in 2026. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Cam Jurgens
College: Nebraska | Years pro: 4 | 6-3, 303
Chronic back pain slowed Jurgens at times in 2025, though he still was named to the Pro Bowl for the second consecutive season. Like Dickerson, Jurgens sought to rid himself of that pain by flying to Colombia for stem cell therapy treatment during the offseason. Jurgens says he’s feeling a lot better, and he appears to be moving around a lot better, too. The new running attack should fit his athletic profile. — Neiburg
Tyler Steen
College: Alabama | Years pro: 3 | 6-6, 321
Steen is heading into his second season as the starting right guard. He was solid in his first season, conceding just two sacks, according to PFF. His teammates have lauded his improvement throughout training camp as he heads into a contract year. Steen will have an opportunity to play his way into a pay raise, either in Philadelphia or elsewhere. — Reiner
Lane Johnson said 2026 will probably be his last go-round. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Lane Johnson
College: Oklahoma | Years pro: 13 | 6-6, 325
Johnson’s reign at right tackle is nearing its end. During training camp, Hurts’ 36-year-old protector said that 2026 will “probably” be his final season. Johnson played just 10 games last season, as he was sidelined with a Lisfranc foot injury. The six-time Pro Bowl, two-time All-Pro right tackle will have an opportunity to end his career on a high note in a new offense featuring a different blocking scheme in the run game, so long as he can stay healthy. — Reiner
Fred Johnson
College: Florida | Years pro: 7 | 6-7, 326
Johnson has been a quiet mainstay in his previous three seasons with the Eagles, appearing in all 57 of the team’s games from 2023-25 (51 regular season, 6 playoffs). He’s mainly played on special teams units but has also earned 14 starts as the swing tackle during his time in Philly, including eight last year. Whether he serves as the primary tackle backup this season remains an open question — the team is high on rookie Markel Bell — but Johnson will provide veteran depth no matter his place on the depth chart. — Novozinsky
Markel Bell could be the Eagles’ starting tackle of the future. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Markel Bell
College: Miami (FL) | Years pro: 1st | 6-9, 346
The Eagles identified Lane Johnson’s heir apparent when they selected Bell in the third round of the draft. Throughout camp, he made the transition to right tackle, as he had primarily played at left tackle in college. Bell will have the opportunity to develop this season behind Johnson. If the 14-year veteran gets hurt, the Eagles don’t necessarily have to turn to Bell right away, as they also have Fred Johnson in a reserve role. — Reiner
Drew Kendall
College: Boston College | Years pro: 1 | 6-4, 308
The Eagles drafted Kendall, a college center, in the fifth round last year and then started cross-training him at guard. A year working behind some veteran offensive linemen and getting in an NFL training facility has done wonders. Kendall is bigger, stronger, and looks ready to step in if called upon to play any of the three interior offensive line positions. — Neiburg
Willie Lampkin was one of the stories of training camp for the Eagles. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Willie Lampkin
College: North Carolina | Years pro: 1 | 5-11, 290
The Eagles claimed Lampkin at the end of camp last season after the Los Angeles Rams waived him with an injury designation. He spent the entire season on injured reserve. Finally healthy, Lampkin impressed throughout the preseason despite his undersized stature and earned himself a spot as a depth interior lineman on the initial 53. Can the Eagles find a way to get him on the field in specialized personnel packages this season? — Reiner
Micah Morris
College: Georgia | Years pro: 1st | 6-5, 334
It’s easy to see why the Eagles, in search of offensive line depth, used a sixth-round pick on Morris this year. He has the body type and athleticism to play guard in the NFL. Morris showed some flashes during training camp and in preseason contests. He’s likely the last guy on the depth chart and won’t be called upon to play much, but the 23-year-old could be an intriguing prospect for the future. — Neiburg
Jalen Carter (left) and Jordan Davis are both looking to deliver in 2026 after earning huge offseason contract extensions. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Interior defensive line (5)
Jalen Carter
College: Georgia | Years pro: 3 | 6-3, 314
He got paid. Now can he bounce back? Last season, Carter generated a career-low 7.7% pressure rate while facing a double-team on a career-low 41.7% of his pass rushes, according to Next Gen Stats. This came after his wildly successful 2024 season, during which he helped propel the Birds to a Super Bowl win. Now recovered from injury and 10 pounds lighter, Carter should be one of the top defensive tackles in the league this season. — Novozinsky
Jordan Davis
College: Georgia | Years pro: 4 | 6-6, 336
It’s clear that Davis has a different mindset entering this season. Look no further than the fact that the Eagles named the 26-year-old a first-time captain on Friday. Davis, who inked a three-year, $78 million extension in March, is going to be a force in Vic Fangio’s defense once again this year. He’s coming off a career-best 72-tackle and 4.5-sack season and should replicate that this season. — Novozinsky
Moro Ojomo had a strong training camp for the Eagles. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Moro Ojomo
College: Texas | Years pro: 3 | 6-3, 292
Ojomo watched Carter and Davis — who sit ahead of him on the depth chart — become two of the highest-paid defensive tackles in the league this offseason. The 2023 seventh-round pick is using that as motivation. The trio of Carter, Davis and an extra-motivated Ojomo have a chance to form the best DT trio in the NFL this season. — Novozinsky
Byron Young
College: Alabama | Years pro: 3 | 6-3, 292
Young is sort of the otherguy along a defensive interior front that could be among the best in the NFL with Carter, Davis and Ojomo. But Young has more than held his own when the Eagles have called his number. He played in all 17 games last season and tallied 37 tackles. He had three tackles for loss and four quarterback hits while playing 30% of the defensive snaps. With a healthier Carter, Young could see fewer snaps, but the Eagles certainly like what they have with their No. 4 defensive tackle. — Neiburg
Ty Robinson was a preseason standout. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Ty Robinson
College: Nebraska | Years pro: 1 | 6-5, 288
Robinson has been on “life support” for the past year, according to Fangio, as he struggled to get on the field in his rookie season. His defensive coordinator said he “came to life” as training camp progressed. Robinson led the Eagles with three sacks in the preseason. He will have the opportunity to make an impact in a depth role behind the top trio of Carter, Davis, and Ojomo. — Reiner
Edge rushers/outside linebackers (5)
Jonathan Greenard
College: Florida | Years pro: 6 | 6-3, 263
Greenard was the biggest acquisition of the offseason. The Eagles during draft weekend sent two third-round picks to Minnesota to acquire Greenard and a seventh-round pick, and then quickly signed the 29-year-old to a four-year deal worth nearly $100 million. But Greenard missed all of training camp after suffering a pectoral injury late in the offseason and his availability for Week 1 is uncertain. When he’s healthy, the Eagles will need Greenard to consistently get after the quarterback. He had at least 12 sacks in 2023 and 2024 before his injury-shortened 2025 season. — Neiburg
Video: unCovering the Birds mailbag: Analyzing Jalyx Hunt’s productive training camp
Jalyx Hunt
College: Houston Christian | Years pro: 2 | 6-3, 252
Hunt arguably had the best training camp of any Eagles player this summer. The 25-year-old edge rusher lived in the backfield during training camp, sweeping past the Eagles’ best offensive tackles with ease. With Greenard potentially injured to start the season, look for Hunt to take his reps and thrive. He had a 6.5-sack season last year. It’s not a stretch to say he might double that this year. — Novozinsky
Nolan Smith Jr.
College: Georgia | Years pro: 3 | 6-2, 238
Smith re-injured his triceps last season, forcing him to miss over a month of game action. His production declined, going from 6.5 sacks in 2024 to three in 2025. Now healthy, Smith had a strong performance in training camp opposite Hunt while Greenard was sidelined. He’ll look to take his game to the next level with the opportunity for a contract extension looming. — Reiner
Former Penn State and Temple star Arnold Ebiketie (17) is looking to make his name as an Eagle. Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Arnold Ebiketie
College: Penn State | Years pro: 4 | 6-3, 256
After four years with Atlanta, Ebiketie hit free agency and found a team in the Eagles who needed to fill out the depth chart on the edge. His playing time dropped off a bit in 2025. He was on the field for 35% of the defensive snaps after playing 49% a year earlier. The Eagles have some workhorses at the top of the depth chart in Greenard, Hunt and Smith, but Ebiketie may need to play a little more if Greenard isn’t ready for Week 1. — Neiburg
A.J. Epenesa
College: Iowa | Years pro: 6 | 6-6, 260
It was a weird offseason for Epenesa. The Browns signed him to a one-year deal worth up to $5 million before balking at the deal weeks later, reportedly due to a failed physical. Now, he finds himself on a loaded Eagles defensive front — and he couldn’t be happier. The 27-year-old looked sharp in camp too, recording a handful of sacks and nabbing an interception on Day 2. — Novozinsky
Zack Baun is a linchpin of the Eagles defense. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Inside linebackers (4)
Zack Baun
College: Wisconsin | Years pro: 6 | 6-3, 225
Three years ago, Baun arrived in Philadelphia as an expected special teams ace and a prospective edge rusher. Since then, he’s become an All-Pro, two-time Pro Bowl, Super Bowl champion inside linebacker and one of the most important players in Fangio’s defense. After Nakobe Dean signed with the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency, Baun is set to take on green dot responsibilities as the on-field defensive play caller this season. — Reiner
Jihaad Campbell
College: Alabama | Years pro: 1 | 6-3, 235
Campbell made an immediate impact in his rookie season, playing in all 17 games and recording a decent stat line of 80 tackles, one interception and three pass deflections. Can he have an even stronger sophomore year? He’ll have help in the room — Campbell, Zack Baun and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. form one of the deepest linebacker corps in the league. — Novozinsky
Is this the year Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (54) breaks through on defense? Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Jeremiah Trotter Jr.
College: Clemson | Years pro: 2 | 6-0, 225
Trotter heads into his third season with the Eagles as the next man up behind Baun and Campbell. But the 2024 fifth-round pick has demonstrated in the preseason that he could start in any other defense. He finished behind Robinson with two sacks in the preseason, plus one tackle for a loss. Should either Baun or Campbell go down this year, the Eagles ought to feel comfortable with Trotter taking their place. — Reiner
Smael Mondon Jr.
College: Georgia | Years pro: 1 | 6-2, 224
The 2025 fifth-round pick played just 14 defensive snaps last season but was a core special teamer. That shouldn’t change much in 2025 unless the Eagles suffer a few injuries. Linebacker is arguably their deepest position. Mondon seems to be developing nicely and held off a few challengers for a roster spot. — Neiburg
Quinyon Mitchell (27) and Cooper DeJean are seeking to build on All-Pro seasons. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Cornerbacks (6)
Quinyon Mitchell
College: Toledo | Years pro: 2 | 6-0, 193
In his rookie season, Mitchell proved he was a stud in the making, being named to the All-Rookie team and finishing second in Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. He took it another step last year when he was named an All-Pro and a Pro Bowler. Can Mitchell keep leveling up in Year 3? Can he prove that he’s the best cornerback in the NFL (and deserves to get paid like it)? — Novozinsky
Cooper DeJean
College: Iowa | Years pro: 2 | 6-0, 198
DeJean followed up an impressive rookie season by being selected as a first-team All-Pro and being named to the Pro Bowl. DeJean is arguably the best nickel corner in the NFL, but he’s taking on a new job for 2026: safety. DeJean will play on the back line when the Eagles are in their base defense and return to the slot in nickel and dime packages. — Neiburg
Video: Riq Woolen amazed after meeting ‘swole’ Eagles legend Brian Dawkins
Riq Woolen
College: UTSA | Years pro: 4 | 6-4, 210
Woolen’s career with the Seahawks got off to a hot start. He was a Pro Bowler and All-Pro in his rookie season in 2022 and was a key member of their Super Bowl team last season. So, how did the Eagles manage to sign him to a one-year deal in free agency? Well, his inconsistency made him an occasional liability for Mike Macdonald in Seattle. Let’s see if the 6-foot-4 corner can find stability in Fangio’s defense. — Novozinsky
Jonathan Jones
College: Auburn | Years pro: 10 | 5-9, 190
Jones is expected to be the Eagles’ top backup cornerback. He spent last season with the Commanders — Philly’s Week 1 opponent — and signed a one-year deal, $2-million contract with the Eagles in March. He had 78 starts in his first 10 seasons, so he brings a wealth of experience if an Eagles corner goes down this season. — Novozinsky
Kelee Ringo remins a valuable secondary backup and special-teamer. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Kelee Ringo
College: Georgia | Years pro: 3 | 6-2, 207
Last training camp, Ringo was in competition with Adoree’ Jackson for the starting outside cornerback job opposite Mitchell. This year, Ringo wasn’t in the picture, with Woolen signing a prove-it deal in the offseason to command that post. Ringo isn’t even the first outside cornerback off the bench — that’s Jones’ job. But the 24-year-old cornerback is a valued special teamer, hence his roster spot. — Reiner
Mac McWilliams
College: UCF | Years pro: 1 | 5-10, 191
McWilliams looks like a more well-rounded version of his rookie self. He earned occasional reps with the first-team defense throughout training camp and made some plays when doing so. He won’t start if the cornerback room stays healthy, but don’t be surprised if he climbs up the depth chart and earns snaps. — Novozinsky
Can Andrew Mukuba (24) bounce back from the injury that prematurely ended his 2025?Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Safeties (3)
Andrew Mukuba
College: Texas | Years pro: 1 | 5-11, 186
Mukuba saw his rookie season cut short in late November when he fractured his fibula. Now healthy, he will look to stay on the field in his role as one of two starting safeties in his sophomore season. Despite missing the last two months of the 2025 season, Mukuba did not see any preseason action, reinforcing the confidence that the Eagles have in him to do his job come Week 1. Fangio lauded Mukuba’s improved “knowledge and knowhow of the defense” in training camp. — Reiner
Marcus Epps
College: Wyoming | Years pro: 7 | 6-0, 198
Epps is expected to serve as the starting safety alongside Mukuba in Week 1. It was a tough battle between him and Michael Carter II this summer, but Epps experience and institutional knowledge — he was a key starter on the Eagles’ 2022 Super Bowl team — won him the job. Now comes the hard part for Epps: Can he keep the job all season? Carter will be gunning for it every week. — Novozinsky
Michael Carter II will have a key role after a productive training camp and preseason. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Michael Carter II
College: Duke | Years pro: 5 | 5-10, 184
With Mukuba and Epps the likely Week 1 starters at safety, Carter figures to serve as the next safety off the bench. He is the expected backup to DeJean at nickel cornerback, too. Fangio also revealed that Carter will be the sixth defensive back on the field in the dime package. Even though it always seemed like Epps was the frontrunner for the starting safety vacancy this offseason, Fangio said Carter did “nothing but [help] himself” with his performance in camp. — Reiner
Specialists (3)
Jake Elliott
College: Memphis | Years pro: 9 | 5-9, 167
Elliott is coming off of another shaky season in which he went 20-for-27 on his field goal attempts (74.1% conversion rate; his second-lowest rate of the regular season). He is 48-for-63 over the last two regular seasons (76.2%). Still, the Eagles displayed their confidence in the 31-year-old kicker this offseason by restructuring his contract in 2026, agreeing on a $1 million pay cut but guaranteeing $5 million. He did not have any competitors in camp, further reinforcing that the job is his to keep so long as he can establish consistency. — Reiner
Braden Mann (10) and Jake Elliott (right) are back, but will have a new teammate doing the snapping on kicks. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Braden Mann
College: Texas A&M | Years pro: 6 | 5-11, 198
Mann had a good offseason. The 28-year-old punter got paid in March, signing a four-year, $14 million contract extension, and he looked rock solid in training camp. He’s a practice squad success story, with the Eagles initially picking him up from the Steelers in 2023. — Novozinsky
Rocco Underwood
College: Florida | Years pro: 1st | 6-3, 240
The Eagles had stability at long snapper from 2000-2024, with Mike Bartrum, Jon Dorenbos and Rick Lovato all being good enough to earn multiple contracts. They’re hoping Underwood can be that next guy — though things aren’t off to the best start. Underwood, who has shown potential in the past, winning the 2024 Patrick Mannelly Award for the nation’s best long snapper, had a rough start to training camp due to a few bad snaps. He’s since turned it around, but it’s hard to forget those early mistakes. For now, they’ll have to deal with his possible inconsistency and bank on his potential. — Novozinsky
When Brett Callahan was called up by the Detroit Tigers on Aug. 16 to make his major league debut, he became the fifth player in St. Joseph’s baseball history to reach his sport’s peak.
Callahan, who was drafted in the 13th round in 2023, then hit a two-run triple to left on the first major league pitch he saw in a 7-5 Tigers loss to the Chicago White Sox.
“Whenever a guy that you coached gets to the pinnacle of the game, it’s a thrill,” Hawks coach Fritz Hamburg said. “It’s a thrill for us as coaches. It’s a thrill for his teammates. It’s a thrill for, obviously, his family. And I mean, it’s just so cool to see. There’s no other way to say it.”
Callahan follows in the footsteps of Fritz Henrich, Jamie Moyer, Jimmy Yacabonis, and Brian O’Keefe, representing a long line of St. Joe’s baseball players who have chased, or are chasing, that dream. (A sixth MLB player, Allan Travers, was a student at St. Joe’s but not on the team when he played one game for the Tigers in 1912 under strange circumstances.)
Thirty-seven St. Joe’s players have been MLB draft picks, and another 25 have signed with MLB or independent clubs in free agency. Seventeen of those draft picks have come under Hamburg, who’s entering his 19th season with the Hawks.
Sunday: MLB debut, 2 RBI Monday: 2 more RBI Tuesday: the first Major League home run ever hit by a Hawk
Earlier this summer, three Hawks pitchers were picked on the second day of the MLB draft — Andrew Gaines, in the 10th round by the Brewers, Christian Coppola two rounds later by the Phillies, and Duke McCarron in the 17th round by the Marlins. A few weeks later, left-handed pitcher Cole Fehrman signed a minor league contract with the Rangers on July 24.
While there is an excitement to hearing his players’ names called each summer, Hamburg also said it’s “a viable and an important part to any program.”
“First and foremost, it’s most important for the players, them having the confidence in our program, our coaching staff, and the development process,” Hamburg said. “That we’ve been able to have the number of players that have worked to have the opportunity to be drafted and to play professionally is, for me personally, really important. That’s always been a big driving force for what we do, and it speaks to, I think, the overall experience that the guys have in our program.”
Gaines, Coppola, McCarron, and Fehrman transferred into St. Joe’s ahead of the 2026 season, in which the program won a school-record 36 games, won its second Atlantic 10 regular-season title, and won the most conference games in A-10 history before falling in the consolation bracket of the conference championship.
Despite their short time with the program, Hamburg said their four pitchers’ careers “took off this year.” He credited that to both the pitching coach, Scott Boches, and to the players themselves, who put in the work with the Hawks.
When the group first committed to St. Joe’s, there was no pitching coach on staff. Boches’ hiring wasn’t announced until Aug. 18, 2025. But the group trusted Hamburg and the program. When Boches was hired, Coppola said it was clear Hamburg was blending metrics with “old-school baseball,” and the recipe worked for the Hawks.
“I think [Hamburg] has an understanding of what gets players drafted and what kind of pitching coach he needs to bring in to accomplish that,” Coppola said. “The fact that he’s still able to manage to recruit three draft picks and one free-agent signing in one portal transfer class, that’s amazing.”
In their final season with their previous programs, the quartet had ERAs in double figures. During the 2026 season with the Hawks, all four pitchers saw their ERAs drop and their appearances increase. Gaines also tied the school’s single-season saves record (10).
Gaines said the respect and trust from Boches helped. Boches offered open and honest feedback on how to improve the pitchers’ existing routines but didn’t try to change much. In return, this allowed them to pitch more free and loose.
“Obviously, you’re going to mess up, and they expect you not to be your best every single time. They expect you to go out there and do your job, but it’s baseball,” Gaines said. “At Pitt, I was super stressed about doing well because I wasn’t throwing well and worrying about what was going to be said, but [at St. Joe’s], it was so easy to go out there and do my job.”
For McCarron, the teammates surrounding him also made a difference.
“We were all pushing for each other,” he said. “Everyone around you is pushing for the same thing. It breeds a good environment. … Everyone really wanted the best for each other, and it was just a great team culture.”
Developing a reputation
The trio of pitchers were the second-most picks to come out of St. Joe’s in one draft. Four Hawks were selected in the 2024: pitchers Matt McShane and Luke Gabrysh, and outfielders Ryan Picollo and Ryan Cesarini.
Gabrysh and Cesarini are playing for the double-A affiliates of the Mets and Guardians, respectively. McShane is with the Red Sox’ high-A affiliate, the Greenville Drive. Picollo was released from the Mariners single-A affiliate in early August.
St. Joe’s has two other players playing in double A, one in triple A, and one in the rookie league. Yacabonis plays for the Diablos Rojos del México in the Mexican League. Of the dozen Hawks still playing, 10 are pitchers.
The most notable player to come from St. Joe’s, Jamie Moyer, who pitched in the majors for 25 seasons, said this is partially because all teams need good pitching, no matter the level.
“It’s always, ‘We need more pitching,’” said Moyer, a three-sport athlete at Souderton Area High School before his Hawks and major league career that included 2006-10 with the Phillies. “The game doesn’t happen without pitchers.”
Despite being months away, Coppola expects St. Joe’s to continue to get players drafted. Coppola projected that catcher Blake Primrose would be part of the 2027 MLB draft class. He set the single-season program records in home runs (24), runs scored (75), and RBIs (72), and was named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and a Buster Posey Award semifinalist as a sophomore in 2026.
With his 20th home run of the season on Sunday, Blake Primrose has set a new single-season program record! #THWNDpic.twitter.com/SS7c4l9BSC
— Saint Joseph's Baseball (@SJUHawks_Base) May 3, 2026
No matter what happens in 2027, St. Joe’s has a track record as a local school with draft success over the years, which Hamburg said is a “fun part” of the program that he’s proud of.
But what he remains most proud of is the players he watches every night on MiLB Network, talks to regularly, and learns from every time they come around.
“To have that and those guys remain part of our program, and to know that this is how people see our program, that we’re winning on the field and beyond, has always been a goal for me as a coach in my career, and something I’m very proud of,” Hamburg said. “Happy that those guys are getting to live out their dreams.”
The worst thing the Phillies can possibly do is allow Sunday’s misfortune to impact their handling of Alex McFarlane.
They have 22 days until the NL wild-card round begins. They will play 19 games before then. They don’t have any other options.
In a perfect world, McFarlane would not have been the guy standing on the mound in the eighth inning on Sunday afternoon. He would not have been the one watching his 100 mph, 1-2 fastball disappear over the outfield wall. He would not have suffered the indignity of seeing, feeling Ronald Acuña Jr. circle the bases, arms out like an airplane, dive bombing the Phillies’ division title hopes with a three-run home run that lifted the Braves to a 5-4 win.
It is not a perfect world. McFarlane was there for two reasons. One, he has the stuff to warrant it. Two, he is their best hope.
Nothing else matters at this point. With less than a month to go before the playoffs begin, the back of the Phillies bullpen consists of Jhoan Duran, Jonathan Bowlan, two guys who have shown that they can’t be trusted, and one guy who needs to show he can.
Interim manager Don Mattingly has no choice but to err on the side of the third guy. He needs to find out if McFarlane can handle the role.
There is a fun bit of trivia about McFarlane that is more quirky than significant but nevertheless provides an entry point to state the obvious: that the Phillies owe it to themselves, their clubhouse and their fans to spend the next month preparing McFarlane for a major postseason role.
Twelve games into his career, the 25-year-old reliever has already picked up four big-league wins. He ranks sixth on the team in that department — two behind Aaron Nola, one ahead of Andrew Painter — despite having yet to celebrate his first full month of major league service. McFarlane also has a page in the history books. Before him, no Phillies reliever had ever won four games in his first 11 appearances. In fact, over the last 60 years, only three had won two.
While McFarlane’s accomplishment is first and foremost a testament to the fluky nature of pitcher wins and their inadequacy as a measure of individual performance, deeper under the hood lies something real. It isn’t just his fastball that sits at 100 mph and has touched 102. By practically every measure of stuff and performance, McFarlane has been the second or third best arm in the Phillies bullpen since his promotion on Aug. 11. More importantly, those measures rank him among the upper tier of all big-league relievers, the realm in which legitimate postseason bullpens are constructed.
To get a sense of who a pitcher really is, you have to look at three different levels: the stuff itself, the hitters’ reaction to that stuff, and the end result. McFarlane has looked solid on all three levels.
Opposing hitters have swung and missed at 22% of Alex McFarlane’s pitches in the strike zone. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
1. The stuff
You don’t need numbers to see true sizzle. But, good golly, McFarlane’s numbers are impressive. Only two relievers in the majors have bettered his 100.2 average fastball velocity since his promotion. One of those relievers is the Dodgers’ Edgardo Henriquez. The other is Jhoan Duran.
The spin rate on McFarlane’s fastball and slider both rank among the top 10 in the majors among relievers.
2. Hitters’ reactions
Herein lies the biggest reason to be excited about McFarlane. That paradox of pitching is that you have to avoid hard contact while also avoiding walks. Plenty of guys throw hard. The real question is whether a pitcher’s stuff is putting hitters at a disadvantage. Are they getting good swings? Are those swings producing good contact?
The pitchers who have the advantage are the ones who can throw their pitches in the strike zone and still miss a bat. McFarlane has done it better than almost everyone in the majors over the last month. Opposing hitters have swung and missed at 22% of his pitches in the strike zone. That ranks 12th among relievers, just ahead of the Astros’ Josh Hader.
Contact in the zone is an important metric for McFarlane, in particular. One legitimate question about his eventual bullpen ceiling is his lack of a pitch that hitters will consistently chase outside the zone. Take Duran, for example. This season, hitters have swung at 35% of his pitches outside the strike zone. Hader is at 41%. McFarlane’s chase rate is about 29%, which is middle of the pack among relievers. His slider has played quite well overall, generating a 50% whiff rate on swings. But hitters have been laying off roughly two of every three pitchers outside the zone. All of this is per Fangraphs’ pitch split data.
3. The results
You can get results without having stuff, and you can have stuff without getting results. But the most sustainable bullpen arms generally do both. That’s what McFarlane has done in his limited sample of big league innings. His strikeout rate is rather ordinary at 11 of 34 batters, considering his fastball. But he has yet to allow an extra-base hit, thanks in large part to his ability to keep the ball on the ground. His 56% ground ball percentage ranks 19th among 96 big league relievers who have thrown at least 10 innings over the last four weeks. Two of the six hits he’s allowed have been infield hits. In general, the quality of contact has been a big positive.
Likewise with his situational performance.
Before Alex McFarlane, no Phillies reliever had ever won four games in his first 11 appearances.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Toward the end of the Phillies’ recent West Coast trip, Mattingly and pitching coach Caleb Cotham decided to begin the McFarlane experiment in earnest. One night after they called on him to protect a one-run lead in the seventh inning against the Angels, the Phillies gave McFarlane his most significant opportunity yet. Leading the Diamondbacks 2-1 in the sixth inning, Aaron Nola allowed the first two batters he faced to reach base. That prompted a call to the bullpen. McFarlane was the choice.
Three batters later, the Phillies were onto the eighth. McFarlane gave up a long fly ball to Lars Nootbaar before striking out Nolan Arenado and getting Tim Tawa to ground out weakly to third base.
These are exactly the sorts of situations that Mattingly and Cotham should be seeking for McFarlane between now and the end of the regular season. They are the exact sort of situation they thrust him into on Sunday. Three-run lead. Must-win game.
It didn’t work out this time. McFarlane came on to face the 8-9-1 hitters. Austin Riley lined out, and then Mike Yastrzemski singled to center to bring the top of the order to the plate. Drake Baldwin doubled. Acuña did what he did. It happens. The key is finding out how McFarlane responds.
For most of the year, the biggest reason to doubt the Phillies has been their lack of a solution for Jose Alvarado’s regression and Orion Kerkering’s implosion. Kerkering may have rendered himself unplayable after a two-run eighth inning against the Braves in Friday’s 5-2 loss. In his last six appearances before Sunday, he’d allowed 12 of 30 batters to reach base with seven runs allowed and just four strikeouts.
At this point, Mattingly has little choice but to operate as if McFarlane will be the man who will fill the vacuum in the postseason. A lot will depend on his ability to continue to throw strikes. But for a team that has no other options, McFarlane is one that could break right in a big way.
Riq Woolen had made up his mind. In early December 2019, the 6-foot-4 athlete — who had spent the final few games of that season at cornerback, despite playing wide receiver his whole life — walked through the door of the UTSA coaches’ room, ready to tell the new staff that he wanted to revert to his old position.
His decision made sense. NFL defensive backs are approximately 5-foot-11 on average, according to Stathead data, and wide receivers typically are taller, so Woolen figured his best shot of making the league was on offense.
Then a former Eagle changed his life.
“He walks in the door, and I’m like, ‘What the frick? This dude looks like a basketball player,’” said Nick Graham, UTSA’s cornerbacks coach who played defensive back for the Eagles in 2007. “So then I watched his film with him, and I was like, ‘Oh hell yeah, you don’t need to move back to receiver. If you stay at corner, you’ll be a league guy, no doubt.’”
Graham’s gambit paid off. Two seasons and one successful combine performance later, Woolen was selected by the Seahawks in the fifth round (153rd overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft. The decision continued to pay off in Seattle, where Woolen became a Pro Bowler and All-Pro in 2022 and a key member of their Super Bowl team last season.
And yet, when Woolen finally hit free agency this spring, league-wide interest was low because of his inconsistent play in 2025.
Riq Woolen burst on the scene as a rookie in Seattle but was allowed to leave in free agency four years later. Lindsey Wasson
That’s when Eagles general manager Howie Roseman stepped in. In signing Woolen to a one-year deal worth up to $15 million, Roseman utilized a strategy that has worked well for him: Sign an underappreciated, perhaps disgruntled, player to a one-year deal and hope it pays off.
Linebacker Zack Baun — who signed a one-year deal with the Eagles in 2024 — went from an afterthought with the New Orleans Saints to a two-time Pro-Bowler under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, running back LeGarrette Blount, and cornerback Patrick Robinson, all of whom signed one-year deals in 2017, helped the team to its first Super Bowl win that season.
Can Woolen, 27, be Howie’s next one-year wonder in Philadelphia?
“I’d bet on Howie for sure, and I’d bet on Tariq for damn sure,” UTSA coach Jeff Traylor said.
Before examining Woolen’s likelihood of living up to that, we must first dive into how he got here. Critical mental errors over the last two seasons were his downfall. Woolen experienced a nadir in Seattle’s 2025 season opener, when he gave up a 45-yard completion near the sidelines and a touchdown in the end zone on the San Francisco 49ers’ game-winning drive. In the first six weeks, Woolen ranked near the bottom of the league in passer rating against (116.3). He corrected this in the final 12 weeks, climbing up to the sixth-best number among cornerbacks (57.2).
The damage had been done, though. The fluctuating nature of Woolen’s play was the final straw for the Seahawks. Those closest to Woolen believe coach Mike Macdonald’s regime didn’t trust him as much as Pete Carroll’s — which is the driving force behind the “big chip on his shoulder” this season.
“The thing that I’m excited for him is the clean slate,” Graham said. “He’s going to a place where he’s wanted. I know the first regime in Seattle wanted him … I don’t know that it was like that with the second one.”
Riq Woolen (27) won a Super Bowl in Seattle, but some trust might have eroded with Mike Macdonald’s coaching staff. Kevin Ng, Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
On paper, Fangio’s scheme should reignite his Pro Bowl form. Woolen had one of the best seasons in recent years in man coverage — according to Next Gen Stats, his 27.6% completion rate allowed in man coverage was the lowest by any defender to face 20-plus targets in man since at least 2018. The Seahawks deployed man coverages on just 15.2% of their defensive snaps, which was the sixth-fewest in the NFL, according to Sharp Analytics. The Eagles, meanwhile, used man coverage on 24.5% of their snaps last season.
If this trend continues (and Woolen stays consistent), Fangio could have one of the best cornerback trios in the league in Woolen, along with Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, who are Pro Bowlers in their own right.
How has the chemistry been with that group so far?
“It’s pretty cool because it’s just learning how to fit in with these guys,” Woolen said. “I know my personality. I get along well with everybody. So just being able to become close with these guys, that’s all I really care about.
“I’ve got to be the best version of myself, and for me to do that, I’ve got to be comfortable with them, and they’ve got to be comfortable with me, and they’ve got to get to know me, and I’ve got to know them.”
Unlocking the “best version” of Woolen is no simple task. This offseason was a microcosm of his career — with peaks during OTAs, when he looked like the team’s best defender, and the valleys on Day 1 of the Eagles’ joint practice in New England, when A.J. Brown and the Patriots wide receiving corps torched him (before Woolen redeemed himself with a pair of interceptions on Day 2).
Riq Woolen spent training camp getting adjusted to Vic Fangio’s scheme. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Fangio perhaps put it best when asked about Woolen in early August.
“At times he can get a little lazy or sloppy with his technique and have a bad down or two, but he’s still showing everything that I think he can do,” Fangio said. “He’s just got to get in such great shape and calloused to football that those don’t happen.”
Graham has a different interpretation of Woolen’s work ethic — and believes that, under Fangio’s defense and direct coaching style, he’ll earn an even bigger contract next season.
“I think that Riq makes stuff look so easy sometimes that you almost think it’s lazy — but it’s really not,” Graham said. “I know Vic coaches hard … but he’s probably Santa Claus compared to me. Because [Fangio’s] still talking to pros. I coached extremely hard. So I don’t think that type of stuff bothers him. But I think there is a next level … I think he’s a $15 to $20 million per year corner, long-term.
“I think other people believe that, too, but you know how the league is — it’s very small. Somebody says something [about a player], and then that’s gospel. He’s excited to go prove all these people wrong.”
It’s unlikely Woolen will be an Eagle for long. The team handed out a massive extension to defensive tackle Jalen Carter this offseason and still needs to extend Mitchell and Cooper. Nevertheless, it’s clear his teammates are ecstatic to have him — even if he’s just a one-year wonder.
“A lot of people [across the NFL] talk bad about him, and I’m like ‘What are you talking about?’” said Jordan Mailata. “He’s a f—ing tree. He’s built like a tree, son. We watch the film of practices, you can see the impact that he has on that defense, just being able to be on the island. All day every day, the ground he can cover, he’s f—ing big.”
There’s something about a rookie who throws 100 mph that thrills a jam-packed crowd. In September, amid a tightening pennant race, it can overstimulate even the public-address announcer.
Over to you, Dan Baker.
“Now pitching for the Phillies … number 71 … Aaalexxx McFaaaaaaarlane!”
To be fair, there was juice in the ballpark as the eighth inning began Sunday. Aaron Nola got not three but five outs in the seventh to hold a one-run lead before Derek Hill and Kyle Schwarber homered, leaving the Phillies six outs from shaving the Braves’ division lead to three games.
Baker kicked in extra oomph only to suit the mood.
If only McFarlane had met the moment.
Instead, making his 12th major-league appearance, the 25-year-old righty gave up back-to-back one-out hits and a game-tying three-run homer to arms-flapping, stutter-stepping Ronald Acuña Jr. that exposed the Phillies’ most-glaring flaw and put a crimp in their chase for a third consecutive NL East crown.
“It was a tough one today,” Nola said after a 5-4 loss shoved the Phillies back to five games out of first place with 19 to play. “No doubt about it.”
Said interim manager Don Mattingly: “It’s one of those where you feel like it’s a tough one.”
Jhoan Duran (right) gave up the go-ahead run in the ninth inning of the Phillies’ 5-4 loss Sunday.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
OK, for the record, Jhoan Duran gave up the go-ahead run in the ninth on Ozzie Albies’ leadoff double and Austin Riley’s triple. It was only the second earned run allowed by the star closer since Aug. 1.
Before that, though, the worst fear of 42,793 paying customers at sold-out Citizens Bank Park — and the biggest concern for team officials — reared its head again. Because as well as the Phillies have played over the last three months, the bridge to Duran is as creaky as ever.
Jonathan Bowlan has emerged as the primary eighth-inning reliever, but Mattingly noted that “his stuff ticks down a little bit” when he pitches on back-to-back days. Orion Kerkering has faltered. José Alvarado is inconsistent.
The choice, then, with a 4-1 lead was McFarlane, who was still in double-A at the All-Star break but has the kind of big arm that leaves organizations dreaming that he could be an X factor in October.
McFarlane gave up a single on a first-pitch fastball to Mike Yastrzemski and a double to Drake Baldwin on a slider. He threw seven fastballs in a row — all 100 mph or more — to Acuña, the Braves’ best player and Public Enemy No. 1 these days in Philly baseball for his showboating home-run trot.
“That was the plan there,” McFarlane said. “Just trust [catcher Garrett Stubbs]’ calls and trust myself to make those pitches.”
Said Mattingly: “You feel like he beat him with most of those, and like the sixth pitch was the first one I felt like [Acuña] was on time. Maybe [go to] something different. But I’m just backseat quarterbacking.”
With a 1-2 count, McFarlane intended to put the seventh fastball above the strike zone. It wasn’t elevated enough, and Acuña drove it into the bleachers in left-center field.
Cue the boos. Watch the air leave the balloon.
Here, then, is the state of play in the NL East: By taking two of three in this four-game holiday weekend series, the Braves are assured of leaving town with no less than a four-game lead that would functionally be five games by virtue of winning the season series.
It appears the Phillies’ best path to the playoffs is the wild card, where they maintained a 4½-game cushion. They’re also still a half-game behind the Cubs for the top wild card, which brings a home series in the best-of-three initial round.
Oh, but think of what might have been if not for that eighth-inning collapse.
“I figured it was a good spot for Alex,” Mattingly said. “He’s been pitching well. You want to give him that shot. I think it was the right [move] for today. … Alex was rested. We felt like it was a good spot.”
Nola dazzled again, setting down the first 10 batters before allowing a one-out double to Acuña in the fourth. It wasn’t until the sixth that he gave up a run on a one-out walk, a single, and a sacrifice fly.
With Nola’s pitch count under control, Mattingly sent him back out for the seventh inning against the middle of the Braves’ order. And with one out, Mauricio Dubón doubled on a ball that Bryce Harper lost in the sun in right field.
Still, Mattingly stuck with Nola.
The sun blinded Alec Bohm on a foul pop down the first-base line with two outs. Nola regrouped to strike out Sean Murphy and hold a 2-1 lead. As Nola walked off the mound and reached out with his right hand to have it checked, the umpire almost had to get in line behind teammates who wanted to shake it.
Aaron Nola throws during the second inning against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
But the Phillies were still three outs from Duran. And given the state of the bullpen, there aren’t three more difficult outs for them to get.
Now, they’ll find out how McFarlane handles adversity.
“I think we see how he responds, and I think I feel good about the way he’s going to respond,” Mattingly said. “It’s going to happen to everybody if you play long enough, so we’ll see. I think he’ll be fine. He’s been a kid that’s handled everything.”
Except blowing a three-run lead in the eighth inning.
“Just come to the field the next day, flush it, and just believe in yourself,” McFarlane said. “Understand that you don’t let that moment define you and just accept failure for what it is and continue to keep pushing.”
Jhoan Duran unleashed a sinking, 99-mph splitter for a game-ending groundout, clapped his glove three times, and shook hands.
Ho-hum.
But Duran’s 11-pitch ninth inning in Saturday night’s 4-2 victory over the Braves was notable in that it marked his 30th save. And a Phillies reliever hadn’t recorded 30 saves in a season since … checks notes … Jeanmar Gómez in 2016.
“He makes me feel good when I’m able to say, ‘OK, let’s go to Jo,” interim manager Don Mattingly said before Sunday’s game. “It’s nice to have that guy out there.”
Just to prove he’s human, Duran gave up the go-ahead run in the ninth inning of Sunday’s 5-4 loss to the Braves. After Alex McFarlane allowed a game-tying three-run homer to Ronald Acuña Jr. in the eighth, Ozzie Albies doubled and Austin Riley tripled against Duran.
But Duran has been mostly automatic — 1.85 ERA, 99 strikeouts in 73 innings, 46-for-51 in save chances — since coming over at the trade deadline last season. The Phillies don’t take him for granted, though — and not only because they sent top-100 prospects Eduardo Tait and Mick Abel to the Twins to get him.
“When you feel like you have that guy that you can just hand him the ball in the ninth, it feels like it sets up the way we’re able to go get the ball to our bullpen,” Kyle Schwarber said. “He’s been so key for us.”
Duran converted his first 16 saves this season before a hiccup June 9 in Toronto. His only other blown save came July 27 in Miami. In 51⅓ innings, he has allowed one homer, a solo shot to pinch-hitting Kyle Manzardo that decided a 1-0 loss to Cleveland on May 22.
Phillies closer Jhoan Duran has allowed one homer in 51 1/3 innings this season.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
In fact, Duran’s dominance prompts the question of whether he’s having the best season ever by a Phillies closer.
Pitching in a bygone era for relievers, Jim Konstanty logged 152 innings, won 16 games and saved 22, and was named NL MVP for the 1950 Whiz Kids. Steve Bedrosian notched 40 saves and won the Cy Young Award in 1987. Brad Lidge famously went 48-for-48 in save chances, including the postseason, and threw the clinching pitch of the 2008 World Series.
But based on ERA, walks/hits per inning pitched, and opponents’ batting average, there’s only one instance of a Phillies closer being as unhittable as Duran this season:
Billy Wagner, 2005: 1.51 ERA, 0.837 WHIP, 87 strikeouts, 6 homers, .165 average
The Phillies likely will ask Duran to get more than three outs in postseason games. If anything, though, his presence amplifies the Phillies’ need to bridge the gap between the starter and their star closer when they have a lead in the seventh and eighth innings.
Jonathan Bowlan has taken over as the primary setup man, although lefty José Alvarado could also be in the mix, especially against pockets of left-handed hitters. McFarlane faltered for the first time Sunday as his role increases, especially given Orion Kerkering’s inconsistency.
But there’s no question about the ninth inning.
“I was excited at the beginning of this year to be able to get [Duran] from the start and really feel like we can get him where he needs to be,” Schwarber said. “And he’s been that guy since we traded for him. We’re lucky to have that guy at the back end.”
Phillies top prospect Aidan Miller played in his first game of the season Saturday night for low-A Clearwater.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Miller time
Top prospect Aidan Miller doubled off the left-field wall in his first at-bat of the season Saturday night for low-A Clearwater.
More significantly, he stayed off the injury report after the game.
“I know he got a hit — he got a double — and I know he was swinging the bat pretty good in the live [batting practices],” Mattingly said. “I don’t think any of that’s what you’re really searching for. You’re searching for him being on the field, bouncing back, all that kind of stuff, and being able to progress. I think that’s what we’re looking at.”
Miller, a 22-year-old shortstop, was sidelined since spring training by a low back condition that required a spinal procedure in June. He played five innings at shortstop in his first game, also drawing a walk and committing an error.
The Phillies could keep Miller in Clearwater for the Florida State League playoffs, which begin next week, before moving him through the system. Double-A Reading is closing in on an Eastern League playoff spot; triple-A Lehigh Valley’s season runs through Sept. 21.
Barring a setback, Miller is tentatively slated to play in the Arizona Fall League, although rosters haven’t been announced yet.
“I didn’t hear anything bad coming out of [Saturday night],” Mattingly said. “So, we’ll see where it goes.”
109.1 mph double for Aidan Miller in his first AB of 2026!
Veteran lefty Nestor Cortes, who signed a minor-league contract last month, is scheduled to pitch next week for Clearwater in a Florida State League playoff game, according to Mattingly. The 31-year-old had surgery last November on a torn tendon in his throwing arm. The Phillies took a flier in hopes that he can help down the stretch and in the postseason. … Jesús Luzardo (13-5, 3.02 ERA) is scheduled to start the series finale at 1:05 p.m. Monday against Braves righty Grant Holmes (9-5, 3.62).
