PHOENIX — With MLB rosters set to expand by two players on Tuesday, the Phillies had two new faces in the clubhouse in Arizona.
On Sept. 1, the active rosters expand from 26 players to 28 players, which comes with a limit of 14 pitchers. The Phillies already stated their intention to reinstate Rafael Marchán (left knee patellar tendinitis) from the injured list to use the additional position player slot on a third catcher, but joining Marchán at Chase Field Monday afternoon was right-hander Grant Holman.
Marchán and Holman are expected to be active on Tuesday.
The Phillies claimed Holman off waivers from the Detroit Tigers on May 7. He has dealt with injuries this season, but has a 3.66 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 32 innings in triple A. Holman has reached another level in 10 appearances in August, though, posting a 0.68 ERA. He struck out six and walked just one batter this month.
Holman, 26, last appeared in the major leagues in 2025 for the A’s.
He is more effective against right-handers, holding them to a .218 batting average in the minors. Lefties average .279 against him. He has a three-pitch arsenal of four-seam, splitter, and slider.
Grant Holman last appeared in the major leagues in 2025 for the A’s. Scott Marshall
“He’s big,” interim manager Don Mattingly said of Holman. “I know that he’s been throwing the ball, sounds like the best down there, and they all thought he was throwing the ball good.”
Marte returns
The Diamondbacks got a reinforcement ahead of a key series against the Phillies, as second baseman Ketel Marte was activated from the injured list on Monday. He was in the lineup at designated hitter for the series opener, batting cleanup.
Marte had previously been placed on the restricted list by the Diamondbacks after failing to show at the ballpark for a game in Boston two weeks ago. He was later moved to the injured list with knee inflammation. Monday marked his first time at the ballpark since his absence, and he met with the media and also apologized to his teammates.
Marte told reporters through an interpreter that he didn’t show up to the Red Sox series due to a “moment of frustration,” but did not elaborate further.
He is hitting .249 with a .760 OPS this season. Marte leads the Diamondbacks with 67 RBIs and his 21 homers are tied with Nolan Arenado for the team lead.
“I try not to worry, get into anything that happens on the other side, and what they’re doing,” Mattingly said when asked about Marte’s return.
Extra bases
Catcher J.T. Realmuto got a day off on Monday, with Garrett Stubbs taking over behind the plate to catch Aaron Nola. Mattingly has paired Stubbs and Nola for four of Nola’s last five starts. “Just seems to work out that way, most of the games, because of the guys we try to keep J.T. with. So it’s kind of worked out that way,” Mattingly said. … Jesús Luzardo (12-5, 3.09 ERA) is scheduled to start Tuesday opposite Diamondbacks left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (14-4, 2.50).
The Eagles’ drafts from 2021 to 2024 were successful, first and foremost, because the team identified talented prospects, particularly in the first three rounds. But hardly ever forcing a positional need with a draft pick expanded the pool and decreased the expectations that often come attached with being selected early.
Makai Lemon wasn’t necessarily drafted in the first round to replace A.J. Brown. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman had the parameters for a trade that would move the discontented wide receiver to the New England Patriots in place by the time Lemon was chosen with the 20th pick overall. But Roseman had already begun the process of restructuring the position.
It wasn’t a complete rebuild, of course. DeVonta Smith was returning as the now-bona fide No. 1 receiver. But Roseman signed free agents Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore and traded for Dontayvion Wicks by the time the draft arrived. Having them already on the roster would allow Roseman the freedom to take a receiver in the first round and potentially not rush him.
But what became apparent over the course of training camp was that the Eagles had not only intended for Lemon to play meaningful snaps from the jump, they needed him to start in the slot. Wicks, Brown and Moore all had their moments during the summer — to varying degrees — but the dropoff from Smith was significant.
Lemon, meanwhile, missed three weeks — including the increasingly important joint practices with the Patriots — with a recurring hamstring injury and didn’t play in the preseason until Saturday’s finale vs. the Cincinnati Bengals.
It was a small sample, but he looked far from ready to make an impact. He was receiving passes from a quarterback he hardly worked with in camp, but it wasn’t as if he had popped when Jalen Hurts was throwing during practices in which he was healthy.
The Eagles knew that tight end Eli Stowers would likely need more development, particularly as a blocker. But they had envisioned a scenario in which he would thrive as the “F” tight end on passing downs, much as Zach Ertz did in his first season with the team 13 years ago.
Eli Stowers struggled to make an impact in camp and did not work with the first-team offense. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
But Stowers never worked with Hurts in team drills throughout camp. And just when it seemed like he was making progress, a hamstring injury put him on the shelf for the final week of the preseason. Even before the injury, there was a question of whether the former quarterback would be active for the season opener on Sept. 13.
Roseman isn’t panicking — at least on the surface.
“This is the only business that you look at how guys are doing right away and sometimes there are early judgements made. Any other business there’s a long-term view,” Roseman said when asked about Lemon and Stowers contributing right away. “And we see it on our roster, guys how they have developed over two, three, four years. And I understand there are big resources into those guys — first- and second-round picks.
“Tremendous confidence in who those guys are as players, what their skill set is. Obviously, they had some setbacks here physically and we looked at that as a staff and a group and maybe can figure out some changes here to get those guys going a little bit sooner from a skill position perspective.
“But don’t have any doubt about what they’re going to be in the NFL over time. Still believe they’re going to contribute to our 2026 team.”
That may end up the case. But Roseman’s 53-man roster construction suggests he went deeper at receiver and tight end than he did a year ago to account for Lemon’s and Stowers’ stunted starts.
Moore, as the sixth receiver, could shoulder some of the load on concepts designed for Lemon if he struggles early. And while EJ Jenkins, as the fourth tight end, won’t factor much as a pass catcher, his blocking ability will allow for Dallas Goedert to line up more in the “F” role.
Howie Roseman did not make a trade as the roster came together, but will continue to look for ways to improve the roster. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Roseman’s actions, ultimately, will demonstrate how he feels about both positions. He’s yet to make a trade during this period — which is uncharacteristic — but he has a week until on-field preparation for the Washington Commanders begins and has other avenues to add players if necessary.
But Roseman seems to want to follow his own advice, which is to be patient. And that may apply to the new offensive system as much as it does the youngsters. Coordinator Sean Mannion kept his cards close in camp, joint practices, and the preseason. But the offense was objectively scattershot.
“I think that there has to be a level of patience about how guys are going to look,” Roseman said. “We’re not showing everything in the preseason. That’s not what anyone’s doing. You get an opportunity. The first four games of the season have always been kind of another ramp-up period for your football team.
“You get an opportunity to evaluate. The trade deadline’s a long way away.”
And this year the deadline was extended a week to Nov. 10. But Roseman doesn’t have to wait that long to address a need, and he doesn’t even have to part with a commodity if he wants someone sooner.
Ertz is on the street and available. There’s a question about his recovery from the knee injury that ended his season last December with Washington. But the 35-year-old is open to returning and finishing his career where it started. And he could step into the “F” spot, while also being the ideal mentor to Stowers.
“First, I’d say what an unbelievable player, what an unbelievable person, tremendous respect for him,” Roseman said when asked about Ertz. “At the same time, love what we have going in our tight end room, too.”
Could decorated tight end and fan favorite Zach Ertz be an option for the Eagles? DAVID MAIALETTI / Staff Photographer
Goedert will run the majority of routes in the new scheme that asks for more point-of-attack blocking from its “Y” tight ends. That’s why Johnny Mundt was signed in the offseason and why Jenkins got the nod over Cameron Latu, who was claimed off waivers by New England.
“You see in this league where the position is going, where it’s trending,” Roseman said. “A lot of similar offensive systems to some of the things we’re running where these “Y” tight ends, they’re highly valued in free agency, they’re highly valued in the draft.”
And they may have even more value in the Eagles’ version of the Kyle Shanahan-Sean McVay offense because its effectiveness will likely be contingent on how well they can run the ball. There have been signs that the new wide-zone blocking scheme will capitalize on strengths at offensive line and running back.
But the health of the O-line, in particular left guard Landon Dickerson and 36-year-old right tackle Lane Johnson, warrants monitoring. And if defenses are once again allowed to focus on slowing Saquon Barkley, the deficiencies of the pass offense could be exposed.
And A.J. Brown, despite his issues last season, won’t be around to alter coverages and win one-on-ones. And it’s unclear whether Roseman did enough to offset his departure, especially if Lemon and Stowers need significant time.
Jalen Hurts (left) will have to find a way to get by in the post-A.J. Brown era. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
For the first time since Nick Sirianni became coach and Hurts his starting quarterback, there is some mystery to the offense. The element of surprise could be a good thing vs. defenses. Or it could be bad, with even Roseman unsure of how it will look.
Either way, the quarterback will be central to how it unfolds.
“I think Jalen’s adjusted really well to the new offense. Now again, we’re at a moment in time, we haven’t played a game,” Roseman said. “This isn’t in reference to Jalen; this is in reference to anything else. I think that a lot of the things that we’ll do during the regular season when we have game plans, I think from an offensive perspective, they’re going to be different than what we’ve done in the past.
“Jalen’s embraced it. He’s excited about it, and obviously we’ve got to be better than we were last year.”
Even if that’s a relatively low bar to clear, it is an uncertainty.
Who will back up Jalen Hurts when the Eagles host the Washington Commanders on Sunday, Sept. 13, to kick off their 2026 season?
The Eagles delayed publicly revealing their decision when they opted to keep all four of their quarterbacks — Hurts, Andy Dalton, Tanner McKee, and rookie Cole Payton — on the initial 53-man roster Sunday night, and Howie Roseman’s day-after press conference did little to clear up the pecking order behind the starter.
“Anything that goes into preparations for Washington, we’re going to keep close to the vest,” Roseman said when asked if the team had named a No. 2 quarterback.
Why did the Eagles go the unconventional route of keeping all four? The man who coined the term “Quarterback Factory” called it “the most important position in sports” on Monday.
“I feel like all those guys have value for our team,” Roseman said. “Obviously some is short-term value, some is long-term value when you think about Cole. And so as we went through the process here, just thought it was the right thing to do for our football team.”
It’s possible, perhaps even likely, that Roseman shopped Dalton and McKee around over the weekend. There were teams with holes in their depth chart at the position, and while some of them have been filled, a few remain. But considering neither quarterback separated themselves during training camp as the clear No. 2, it’s fair to wonder what kind of value either has on the trade market. Dalton, whom the Eagles acquired for a seventh-round pick in March, is almost 39 and four years removed from being a starter. McKee, 26, has shown flashes but did not have a strong camp and has one year remaining on his rookie contract.
It’s fair to wonder, too, if the Eagles would be comfortable with Payton as the No. 3 right now, which, when combined with the value of their own backups, makes it all the more likely they still have four quarterbacks on the roster by next weekend.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman (left) and head coach Nick Sirianni have a surplus of QBs on the roster. Monica Herndon / Staff Photo
It’s unorthodox, but the Eagles aren’t the only team with four quarterbacks on their active roster right now. The Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Minnesota Vikings all kept four quarterbacks on Sunday, though Minnesota released one on Monday.
The Steelers’ situation is most aligned with what the Eagles have. There’s an obvious starter (Aaron Rodgers), and then a bit of uncertainty behind him. Mason Rudolph figures to be the No. 2, but Pittsburgh has drafted a quarterback in each of the last two seasons and seems to want to continue to develop both players. They drafted Will Howard in the sixth round last year and Penn State’s Drew Allar in the third this year.
Roseman alluded to his own team’s sixth-round pick from last season, Kyle McCord, when talking about the quarterback situation on Monday. McCord struggled in camp last year and the Eagles made a move to acquire Sam Howell as the No. 3. McCord was waived after camp and spent the year on the Eagles’ practice squad. He then left the organization and joined the Green Bay Packers in free agency. But after a solid camp this summer, the Packers flipped him to Miami on Sunday for a 2028 sixth-round pick.
That surely factored into Roseman’s decision-making when it came to Payton, the team’s fifth-round pick, whose athleticism and upside the Eagles covet but who still needs a lot of time to develop after only throwing 282 passes at the collegiate level. Payton had limited reps during training camp and in preseason contests, but the Eagles didn’t want to risk losing him to waivers.
Andy Dalton (left), Cole Payton (center) and Tanner McKee are the backups to Jalen Hurts, though their order on the depth chart is in question. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
McKee would have had to clear waivers, too, and while Dalton is a vested veteran who isn’t subject to the waiver wire, he would have been free to sign with any team and there’s no guarantee he would have accepted a role on the practice squad.
“These guys are valuable,” Roseman said. “They take time to develop. At the same time, that position is so valuable to this organization over a long period of time. [We] want to be strong there and think both those guys behind Jalen have value, have shown that over the course of their careers, and we kind of take all the information at our disposal to make these decisions.”
Quiet August
For the first time since 2020, an August has come and gone — at least at the time of this writing — without Roseman making a trade. He did try, he said, but couldn’t find a partner.
“With the way that practices went and the games went, there wasn’t an opportunity to do some of the player-for-player trades we like, to get kind of looks at guys just because of where our numbers were,” Roseman said.
“I think you guys know me well enough to know that I like the action and was trying, but it just didn’t make sense for us at the time, we would’ve just been doing it to make a move.”
The Eagles kept four tight ends on the initial roster. Dallas Goedert is at the top of the depth chart, and behind him is a group that includes Eli Stowers, Johnny Mundt, and EJ Jenkins. Mundt and Jenkins are blocking specialists while Stowers, this year’s second-round pick, projects as a weapon in the passing game.
But the rookie doesn’t appear to be ready to make an impact with the offense just yet, which could lead Roseman to make a move.
According to a report from PHLY, a reunion with Zach Ertz is “on the table.”
Zach Ertz could be in the market for a reunion with the Eagles. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Ertz, who turns 36 in November, is recovering from a season-ending right leg injury and is a free agent. He had rejuvenated his career with the Commanders before suffering the injury in December. Signing him after Week 1 probably would be more palatable given that his contract wouldn’t be guaranteed for the entire season.
Roseman, when asked about Ertz on Monday, didn’t reveal much.
“What an unbelievable player, what an unbelievable person, tremendous respect for him, and at the same time love what we have going in our tight end room, too,” Roseman said. “I would say I’ve talked to Zach over a period of time, obviously rehabbing his ACL, and the relationship [is] just like our former players who have been here.”
ANAHEIM, Calif. — It was a changeup, of course, perfectly placed to just nick the bottom outside corner of the strike zone.
Angels shortstop Zach Neto swung nearly out of his shoes trying to chase it, his momentum bringing him down to a knee over the plate. Cristopher Sánchez hardly reacted. He turned and walked off the mound, another strikeout added to his tally on Saturday night.
But this one had a bit more significance than usual, marking Sánchez’s 200th of the year. He became the second Phillies pitcher to eclipse the milestone this season, joining Jesús Luzardo, who reached it in Seattle earlier this week.
“We just have to keep going,” Sánchez said afterward, through team interpreter Diego D’Aniello. “This doesn’t end now.”
They’re in elite company in Phillies history. Since Sánchez and Luzardo also reached 200 strikeouts in 2025, it marks the first time the Phillies have had multiple lefties with more than 200 strikeouts in consecutive seasons since Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee in 2012 and 2013.
Even though they are neck-and-neck in strikeouts — Luzardo ranks fourth in baseball with 203 and Sánchez is fifth with 202 — it’s not something they ever discuss.
Cristopher Sánchez surpassed 200 strikeouts for the season against the Angels on Saturday in Anaheim, Calif.Mark J. Terrill
But there is an element of friendly competition within the Phillies rotation as a whole, and not just between the two top lefties.
“I think every single guy in the rotation wants to be the top, whether it’s innings, strikeouts,” Luzardo said. “Everyone just always wants to be the best, in a friendly competition way.”
When Sánchez puts up seven innings, like he did Saturday, the next starter’s goal is to put up eight. If he gives up two hits, the next pitcher wants to give up fewer than that.
“We push each other to be better as a rotation, in general,” Luzardo said.
When he was traded to the Phillies from Miami in December 2024, Luzardo didn’t know much about Sánchez. But he’d been impressed from afar. Sánchez was coming off his breakout season, and had signed an extension with the Phillies that June.
They have since re-extended Sánchez, signing him to an unprecedented six-year, $107 million deal in spring training that runs through 2033. It came just a few weeks after the Phillies made a long-term commitment to Luzardo, signing him to a five-year, $135 million extension.
Luzardo remembers Sánchez pitching a complete game, the first of his career, against the Marlins in 2024. That season, Sánchez came on the scene from almost nowhere, transforming from a bubble player to an All-Star and future cornerstone of the Phillies’ rotation.
Jesús Luzardo has posted two straight 200-strikeout seasons as a Phillie.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
“As the years went on, obviously he progressed and became who he is now,” Luzardo said. “A superstar.”
Once he arrived in Philadelphia and got to know his new teammate, Luzardo saw commonalities between their trajectories. Luzardo and Sánchez struggled earlier in their careers and spent time as relievers before eventually finding their footing as starters.
“I love the way he goes about his business,” Luzardo said. “He’s so routine-oriented and an incredibly hard worker.”
Stylistically, they appear different. They both throw left-handed, but visually that’s where the similarities end. Sánchez stands 6 inches taller than Luzardo, and his 6-foot-6 frame gives him elite extension. Sánchez on average releases the ball 6.9 feet in front of the rubber, which gives the batter less reaction time to differentiate his 95 mph fastball from his changeup or slider.
On the other hand, Luzardo only has 5.7 feet of extension, which is in the bottom fourth percentile of MLB pitchers. But he makes up for it with velocity that’s a few ticks higher. His fastball averages 96.9 mph.
On the surface, their arsenals also look quite different. But en route to surpassing 200 strikeouts, Sánchez and Luzardo each mainly relied on one key pitch that is the best of its kind in baseball.
For Sánchez, it’s his changeup. For Luzardo, it’s his sweeper.
Sánchez’s changeup has a run value of plus-16, which is the highest of all changeups, according to StatCast. Luzardo’s sweeper, which he only started throwing last season, has a run value of plus-20, highest of all sweepers. The stat attempts to capture how many runs have been prevented by a given pitch based on its outcomes.
Phillies All-Stars Cristopher Sanchez (left), Kyle Schwarber (middle) and Jesús Luzardo sit in the National League dugout during the All-Star Game on July 14 at Citizens Bank Park.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
“He’s way taller, has a low arm slot, throws heavy, bowling-ball sinkers and changeups and a good slider, and then I’m kind of the opposite,” Luzardo said. “I got a better slider with an alright changeup. We’re lefties, but we’re so different that it kind of does a good job of mixing and matching.”
Even though they may look different on the mound, and they may throw different types of pitches, Sánchez and Luzardo have a lot they can learn from each other. When they are both lined up to face the same team, Luzardo watches how the opposing hitters attack Sánchez’s changeup, because it’s a fair bet they will try to go after his sweeper the same way.
“Are they sitting on his really good pitch? Because maybe they’re going to sit on mine. Or are they swinging early, because they don’t want to get to that pitch? So then that means they’re probably going to swing earlier for me,” Luzardo said. “Little things like that.”
The two of them also maintain a constant dialogue on the bench, giving each other tips about certain hitters and their tendencies. It’s helped Sánchez and Luzardo become co-left-handed aces for the Phillies rotation this year.
And as far as the strikeouts go, Sánchez and Luzardo view 200 as a cool feather to place in their cap and not much more. Luzardo said he sets goals for himself at the start of every spring training that he hopes to reach, like 200 innings or 200 strikeouts. But it’s only at the end of the year when he looks back and evaluates his overall progress.
On a day-to-day, the focus isn’t the milestones.
“That’s just kind of like on the side for me,” Luzardo said. “Really, at the end of the day, winning a World Series, even if I threw 100 innings, it would be unbelievable.”
Harriton High School’s varsity football season has been suspended due to low participation, concerns over player safety, and questions about “the sustainability of maintaining a competitive program,” according to a letter sent to families on Monday.
“We recognize that this is disappointing news for our student-athletes, families, coaches, and the entire football community. We understand the time, effort, commitment, and excitement that goes into preparing for a football season, and we do not make this decision lightly,” the letter, signed by principal Stu Warshawer and athletic director Shawn Albert, read.
The Lower Merion school board in May approved the formation of a cooperative between Lower Merion and Harriton’s football programs for the upcoming school year, however the cooperative is awaiting approval from the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA). Under PIAA rules, schools can merge athletic teams under specific conditions, including low participation numbers or “lack of success” in a sport.
Michael Barber, chairman of PIAA District 1, which serves Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, and Delaware Counties, did not immediately respond to questions about the status of the proposed cooperative.
School officials said in the letter that the cooperative has been requested through the PIAA and that exploring the merger “may help create the participation numbers and competitive structure necessary to build a safer and more sustainable football program for our students.”
While Harriton’s varsity season will be suspended, the district is actively exploring maintaining a junior varsity season, according to the letter.
The letter to families noted that “this decision is not a decision to end football in our district.”
“The district remains committed to providing opportunities for football in the future and to identifying a sustainable path forward for our student-athletes and programs,” it stated.
Harriton’s football team played its first regular season game on Aug. 28, losing to Pottstown 53-0. Harriton was scheduled to play Radnor, its first conference game of the season, on Sept. 3.
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Both members of the Eagles from the International Player Pathway — Uar Bernard and Joshua Weru — cleared waivers on Monday and later signed with the Eagles’ practice squad.
Bernard and Weru occupy two spots on the 13-player practice squad the team announced Monday afternoon. The Eagles will be allowed to keep 17 players on the practice unit instead of the normal 16 since they’ll be able to designate one of them as an IPP player.
Bernard is the Eagles’ designated IPP player on the practice squad, according to an updated NFL transactions list, and will not count toward practice squad limits. Previously, teams were able to protect IPP players from being signed away by other teams, but the rules recently changed. IPP players are like any other practice squad player. They can be signed to another team’s active roster at any time.
Roseman stressed what Vic Fangio said earlier in training camp, that all of this is new to both players and they need more time to develop.
Uar Bernard was retained to the Eagles’ practice squad.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
“From our perspective, development is real,” Roseman said. “These guys have tremendous ability to be developed. They want to be developed. They have tools in their body. They have great character.”
There was a thought process involved in placing them on waivers, of course, one that included some necessary context.
“We put a lot of time and effort during this week,” Roseman said. “Not only looking into what’s going to be out there, but by taking snapshots of what other teams are seeing in our guys and saying, ‘They don’t have the practices, they don’t have the individual periods, they don’t have these guys in the meeting rooms.’
“Still very excited about them, really glad that they did get through, certainly wasn’t certain about that.”
The initial practice squad the Eagles announced:
DT Uar Bernard (IPP designation)
LB Chance Campbell
WR Britain Covey
DT Gabe Hall
OLB Keyshawn James-Newby
C/G Jake Majors
T John Ojukwu
RB Dameon Pierce
S Maximus Pulley
OLB Mason Reiger
RB Carson Steele
OLB Joshua Weru
S Cole Wisniewski
The Eagles are also reportedly adding tackle Kiran Amegadjie, according to ESPN. The Chicago Bears drafted Amegadjie in the third round in 2024. He has six games of experience under his belt. Amegadjie would be one of two players from outside the organization who are on the practice squad, joining Reiger, who signed with Miami as an undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin.
Amegadjie would make 14 players on the practice squad, leaving the Eagles with three openings.
The Eagles, who were not awarded any players on waivers Monday, lost four players to waiver claims, more than any other team. The following players were claimed:
Cameron Williams (Atlanta)
Myles Hinton (Cincinnati)
Kapena Gushiken (Indianapolis)
Cameron Latu (New England)
Additionally, safety Andre Sam, who suffered a left leg injury during the preseason finale Friday night, cleared waivers and reverted to injured reserve.
Veteran outfielder Tommy Pham will get another chance to play in the majors this season. But it won’t be with the Phillies.
With the Phillies deciding to carry a third catcher when active rosters expand to 28 players on Tuesday, they traded Pham to the White Sox for cash considerations, a league source confirmed Monday. Because Pham will be in the White Sox’s organization before Sept. 1, he will be eligible to play in the postseason.
Pham, a 38-year-old right-handed hitter, signed a minor-league contract with the Phillies in June. But the Phillies didn’t promote him from triple A because they have gotten production from righty-hitting outfielders Derek Hill and Bryan De La Cruz.
In 189 plate appearances for Lehigh Valley, Pham batted .250 with nine doubles, two triples, three homers, and a .772 OPS.
This will be his second stint with the White Sox. He has played for 10 major league teams since he debuted for the Cardinals in 2014.
Argentina superstar Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international soccer on Monday, ending 21 years of national-team duty capped by winning the World Cup in 2022.
“It was a decision that hurt — and still hurts deeply — but I understand that the time has come,” Messi, 39, said via his Instagram account.
Messi, who will continue to play at club level with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, played in a record-tying six World Cups. He won it four years ago in a tournament he dominated in Qatar and also led Argentina to the title match in 2014 and again this year, when the Albiceleste lost to Spain in extra time inside MetLife Stadium.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi (center) reacts after the World Cup final against Spain on July 19. Stephanie Scarbrough
Messi stands shoulder to shoulder with Diego Maradona, a compatriot with whom he was so often compared, and Brazil icon Pelé as the greatest players of all time.
For many, he’s the best.
“I swear to you that I always gave it my all — not just in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too,” Messi wrote. ”I always fought and left everything on the field for this jersey, to bring you joy and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football.”
Messi played 207 games for Argentina and finished as its all-time leading scorer with 125 goals, 21 of them in World Cups. Only one player has more goals in men’s internationals — his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who has 146 and has yet to announce his retirement from Portugal duty.
Messi became the all-time leading World Cup scorer for a month in the recent tournament in the U.S., Mexico and Canada, but finished one goal behind France’s Kylian Mbappé.
In a long social-media post, Messi explained he wrote his retirement letter on July 21 — two days after the World Cup final in which he struggled to make an impact — but waited to publish it because his father was facing health issues that eventually claimed his life.
The news marks the second time Messi made the decision to retire.
A decade ago, he retired from the national team following Argentina’s defeat in the 2016 Copa America final to Chile on penalty kicks — one of which he missed.
A public campaign led by Maradona and the president changed his mind, and Messi shook off the notion of not being able to win the big matches, returning to the Argentina team and continuing to star for Barcelona, then Paris Saint-Germain, then MLS’s Inter Miami.
At 39, Lionel Messi will continue to lead Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami franchise, who look to defend their MLS title. Steven M. Falk / For The Inquirer
In just his fourth season in MLS, he’s a two-time MVP and was the star in Miami’s run to an MLS Cup win last season.
“He is pure history,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said during the recent World Cup. “History. A legend.”
In the letter, Messi did not say how long he intends to continue playing. The recent World Cup showed he’s still one of the best players in the world, as did a four-goal display for Inter Miami at the weekend in a 7-1 victory over CF Montreal.
“I leave with the peace of mind and pride of having given you — along with my teammates — moments we once only dreamed of. Experiencing this with you was incredible. I love you all,” he added.
Less than 24 hours after the Eagles announced their 2026 roster, The Inquirer’s Jeff Neiburg conducted an AMA (ask me anything) session with Eagles Reddit users, discussing topics including the quarterback plan, the possibility of general manager Howie Roseman making a deal or two, and what’s going on at tight end (including the possible return of fan favorite Zach Ertz).
The following has been edited for length and clarity.
What do you think of the roster? Any mistakes? Many concerns? How much are we winning the Super Bowl by?
Neiburg: Well, I’m both surprised and not surprised. In my final 53-man roster prediction that I submitted Friday night when the game went final, I had the Eagles keeping four quarterbacks. Just didn’t see a trade materializing over the weekend.
Mistakes? Howie Roseman has won two Super Bowls and I’m, well, me. So I can’t say there are any mistakes.
That being said, I did find a few things surprising. I didn’t expect both IPP players to get waived. I had both on my final 53, and I thought Joshua Weru was basically a lock. I don’t expect either to be claimed when waivers process today (Monday), but I thought the Eagles would avoid the risk, especially with Weru. (Editor’s note: Neither player was claimed and have been listed on the practice squad.)
Joshua Weru (46) being exposed to waivers was a mild surprise. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
I know EJ Jenkins is a great blocker, and Eli Stowers is a bit behind, but I didn’t expect Jenkins to be on the roster.
I will say I’m pleasantly surprised Elijah Moore made the team. I had them cutting him simply because he’s a vested veteran that wouldn’t have needed to clear waivers, and they could have brought him on the practice squad and promised him a gameday elevation. But Moore outperformed Hollywood Brown during camp and good camps deserve to be rewarded. Plus, he could’ve signed anywhere else if the Eagles released him, too, and given their question marks in a world without A.J. Brown, keeping six makes some sense.
Re: the last question … I wouldn’t be shocked if the Eagles won the Super Bowl. The defense is that good. But — spoiler alert — I’ll have them losing in the NFC title game to the Los Angeles Rams when our season preview comes out.
Which cut surprised you the most based on what you saw day to day throughout training camp?
Neiburg: I was a little bit surprised by the IPP guys just based on the risk and whatnot. But that’s not really the spirit of your question. Besides them, I’m not really sure. I did nail 50 of the 53 in my final projection. I guess I’ll say Cameron Latu being cut in favor of EJ Jenkins was a bit surprising, but Jenkins is a really good blocker.
Any positions you see the team adding someone at before opening day or do you think the roster is set?
Neiburg: I do not think the roster is set. And I wouldn’t be surprised if they brought in players at two or more positions between now and opening day.
Let’s list some spots.
Tight end: Eli Stowers doesn’t look ready to play NFL football right now. That’s not to say the pick is a bust. It’s way too early to say that, and anyone who believes he is a bust right now is being hyperbolic. But besides Dallas Goedert, there’s not another reliable weapon in the passing game in the room right now. Johnny Mundt and EJ Jenkins are block-first tight ends. Those are important in this new offense, but what good is 12 or 13 personnel if the defense knows one or two of the tight ends isn’t a real threat in the passing game?
Could Andy Dalton (14) still prove expendable?Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Quarterback: Is it possible the QB2 isn’t on the roster right now? I think so. Not saying it’s likely the Eagles trot out on opening day with a quarterback not named [Andy] Dalton or [Tanner] McKee backing up Hurts, but there’s definitely a chance. It’s easy to overreact to preseason games. But they are relatively meaningless and only one small part of the evaluation process. Fans don’t get to watch practice. I can tell you, though, that everything you’ve read about practice is true. Neither player was that good. If I’m the Eagles, I’m not sure I want to enter a season with Super Bowl aspirations and have either one of those dudes as my primary backup.
Safety: It’s still the thinnest position on the roster. They kept only three guys on the initial 53. But because Cooper DeJean will be on the field there at base, the need for multiple reserves isn’t really there. Still, besides 30-year-old Marcus Epps, there’s a dearth of experience at that spot. Drew Mukuba played 11 games last year as a rookie and is coming off a season-ending injury. Michael Carter II has primarily been a slot corner. DeJean might be an all-world defensive back, but he hasn’t really played safety at the NFL level.
Who was the ‘Camp MVP’ that stats or preseason games might not have fully captured, but who consistently stood out in practice drills and scrimmage situations?
Neiburg: Jalyx Hunt probably was the most consistent performer in camp (and you definitely didn’t see him play in a preseason game). Moro Ojomo was also a wrecker, and Jalen Carter, too. Based on what else was going on around him, Elijah Moore had a really good camp, too. Darius Cooper gets a lot of love, but Moore was super consistent throughout camp I thought, and he was deserving of a roster spot.
Is a Nick Sirianni and Zach Ertz reunion in the offing?David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Is there a world where Zach Ertz ends up on this roster, maybe after Week 1? What are the implications for the other tight ends if it happens?
Neiburg: There is definitely a world. My former Inquirer colleague EJ Smith, who now works at PHLY, reported that a return to the Eagles is possible.
If it happens, my guess is it happens after Week 1. Why? The Eagles wouldn’t need to guarantee his salary if he’s not on the roster for Week 1. If Ertz doesn’t work out, it’s not a waste of resources. Plus, this scenario allows them to play a game and see where they’re at, too.
I do think there’s a need for a second reliable pass catcher at the position given that Eli Stowers needs some more seasoning. The implications of signing Ertz or trading for a tight end for the others would be one of them gets cut (looking at you, EJ Jenkins).
Which wide receivers will be on the field most frequently for Jalen Hurts?Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
What is the expected WR depth chart? We know Devonta [Smith] is locked at WR1, [Dontayvion] Wicks seems to be 2. Has [Makai] Lemon done enough yet to get WR3?
Neiburg: Good question. I’m not sure there’s a firm answer yet, but I’d guess the depth chart looks like: Smith, Wicks, Lemon, Brown, Cooper, Moore. Not sure there’s a need to distinguish between WR2 and WR3 for Lemon, who will mostly line up in the slot. I don’t see him being on the field often in two-receiver sets.
Do you think Uar Bernard or Joshua Weru will provide any long term value to the team? What’s your record prediction? I say 12-5
Neiburg: The odds say no. But they both have athletic profiles worth trying to develop, and I think the Eagles would be thrilled if both cleared waivers and they had a chance to keep working with them. That’s the most likely outcome. It’s hard to imagine another team bringing either into their building on signing them to their 53, knowing they aren’t ready to play and won’t be for a while.
But the Eagles will only be able to designate one of them as their IPP player and theoretically will only be able to control one of them that way.
If I had to guess, I’d say Weru has the better chance at playing NFL snaps than Bernard.
I’m with you at 12-5, and I think the season ends in a conference title game loss to the Rams.
Will Jonathan Greenard be ready to make his Eagles debut in Week 1?David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Any concern at linebacker with the final number that made the roster?
Neiburg: If we’re talking off-ball linebacker? Absolutely not. Arguably the best position group on the team. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. would start on some teams, and Smael Mondon is progressing nicely and is a reliable special teamer (like Trotter). I didn’t see a reason for the Eagles to keep five off-ball linebackers, no matter how much Vic Fangio professed his love of Chance Campbell. Plus, UDFA Deontae Lawson might’ve been the one pushing for that fifth spot anyway.
If we’re talking outside linebacker/edge rusher, I do think there’s some concern entering the season. Jonathan Greenard may not be ready for Week 1, but since the Eagles didn’t put him on PUP/IR, they do expect him back within the first four games. Good sign. And Jalyx Hunt had an excellent camp and may reach double-digit sacks this year.
But beyond the top two, I think there’s some question marks. Nolan Smith Jr. is coming off another injury and has been passed on the depth chart by Hunt. Arnold Ebiketie is on a sort of prove-it one-year deal. A.J. Epenesa was signed off the street in June after things didn’t work out when he tried to sign with Cleveland. There’s some upside overall in the room, but there’s a low floor, too.
Saquon Barkley’s evolution in the Sean Mannion offense is worth watching. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Do you think the run game will improve this year? If so why?
Neiburg: Yes. If only because it can only go up?
Joking aside, the offensive line seems to be healthier right now. Cam Jurgens is moving around great and says he feels much better after getting his stem cell treatment in the offseason. Lane Johnson looks good, too. I still would be concerned about Landon Dickerson getting through the season if I were the Eagles, and they’re probably thrilled Drew Kendall is progressing well.
Besides the health of Saquon Barkley’s blockers, the wide zone blocking scheme should favor him and most of the linemen. The Eagles have an athletic bunch up front. They have some capable blockers at tight end in Johnny Mundt and EJ Jenkins and even Dallas Goedert.
It’s hard to imagine Barkley not having more holes to run through this year, and given the wider nature of some of these running plays, he should find himself in more advantageous situations with the ball in his hands.
A pivotal week for the Phillies begins in the desert with three games against the Diamondbacks that will have implications in the National League wild-card race.
It’s a good time, then, to check in with Arizona general manager Mike Hazen.
Hazen, nearing the end of his 10th season at the helm of the Diamondbacks, joined Phillies Extra to discuss several topics. Among them: the situation involving star second baseman Ketel Marte, who unexpectedly left the team a few weeks ago, went on the injured list with an inflamed knee, and was spotted at a Phoenix-area casino.
The Phillies begin the week with a 4½-game lead over the Diamondbacks in the wild-card race. And Marte is expected to return to Arizona’s lineup, spicing up a series that already has plenty of sizzle.
Hazen also recalled the Diamondbacks’ upset of the Phillies in the 2023 NL Championship Series, playing in the same division with the Goliath Dodgers, and more.
Watch the full interview below and subscribe to the Phillies Extra podcaston Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Q: The Phillies still have scars from the 2023 NLCS because not only did the Diamondbacks demystify that home-field advantage by winning Games 6 and 7 in Philly, but I think your scouts and your pitching people at that time also provided maybe a little bit of a blueprint for how to attack that lineup. I wonder about the effect of that series on your organization in terms of setting a course for going for it every year. How much did that series and that run shape you guys?
A: Not a ton. That’s been our mindset since we’ve been here. I mean, we won 52 games in 2021, and we were trying to compete that year. I think that sort of puts the exclamation point on how bad we were that season. We’ve never rebuilt since we’ve been here. We went for it in Year 1, made the playoffs in ’17. We were in first place in September of ’18, and just missed the playoffs in ’19. And then, obviously, kind of the world shut down for a couple years, and things kind of went into chaos there for a little bit for us.
We’ve gone for it every single year. That’s not going to change. We try to position ourselves to do that every year with regard to having enough young talent coming through to be able to use the payroll how we need to. Been very fortunate to get the money we have, but that series didn’t really change a ton for us. And with all due respect, I’m not sure that we had any sort of blueprint. We just had a bunch of guys that went out and played really good baseball and knocked off the Phillies that one time, and it was amazing. We still talk about it everyday because it was definitely a shining [moment]. We know what it was like to go into that stadium and be able to take two games from them — nearly impossible. I know nobody was giving us even a chance, and we respect what we were able to do.
The Phillies are perennially a great team, always have been for as long as we’ve been here. And they’re always going to be. They have superstar players — I don’t really know how you get Kyle Schwarber out. I’m not sure we have any type of blueprint to do anything like that. And now with [Brandon] Marsh and [Alec] Bohm and those guys starting to rake, that lineup is incredible. It always has been incredible, and they have incredible pitching, and they’re just a really talented team. … They’re well run, and they were built well. So they’re going to be as formidable as anybody in the race. We understand our challenges. We know where we stand in the pecking order, but we’re going to go out and fight right until the very end.
Ketel Marte is expected to return to Arizona’s lineup this week.Daniel Kucin Jr.
Q: There’s never a good time to have to deal with anything involving one of your best players, and frankly, one of the best players in the National League when he’s at his best. But how tricky is the timing of all of this coming with Ketel Marte as we hit the stretch run, and you’re jockeying for a wild card, and now you’ve got to navigate questions about some off-field stuff?
A: … I’ve spent a lot of time down there. I spend every minute with [manager] Torey [Lovullo] talking through a lot of these things. Again, we talk to the players. I think we all are resolved to focus on playing and winning baseball games. This team has dealt with … we’ve lost four of our five starting pitchers to start the season for the better part of the entire year. We’ve had enormous amounts of injuries of players being out. We’ve relied on half of our team on a given night as guys that started the year in triple A we had no intention of putting on our team. The guy that hit a walk-off jack last night [Ryan Waldschmidt] was in triple A starting the season with no real intention of not having him develop in triple A for the season, and that’s just the way the season’s kind of gone for us.
I’m not sure that there’s a lot that this team hasn’t had thrown at it that it’s not going to be able to respond to. I actually see it as a huge strength of what I’ve watched. I think Torey has kept the car in between the lines on the road, even though [there] have been constantly some errors — some unforced errors — some injury-related things that you just have to deal with, and every team has to deal with adversity. You don’t know about all the adversity all the other teams are dealing with. What were the Phillies dealing with when they made the managerial change? They were terrible. Now look at them. Every team has to deal with those types of things during the course of a season.
The teams that are able to respond to those things are the teams that are going to be able to … when the lights shine the brightest in the playoffs, those are the teams I think that have the most resiliency. And you remember back in ’23, we glorify it now in our walls … When we walked out of Philadelphia after Game 1 and 2, getting trounced in Game 2. I don’t think anyone was looking at that series like the Phillies had their backs against the wall and didn’t look like an unbelievable team. And you see how those things change. So those things happen. We had to go down 2-0 and face getting blown out in Game 2 and then recovering. It’s that type of resiliency that allows you to figure out ways to win in October, and we’ve had a lot thrown at us, so we’ll see where that takes us.
Mike Hazen says he embraces the challenge of competing against Shohei Ohtani and the mega-payroll Dodgers in the National League West.Kyusung Gong
Q: Can you describe the challenge of going into every season looking up at the Goliath of our sport, the Dodgers, and knowing that you’ve got to go through them just to get out of the NL West?
A: I’m grateful for it, frankly. I don’t think you can truly understand the type of team that you can be until you have to go toe to toe with them all the time. We’re fortunate to have to do that. And the Padres as well. We’re fortunate to play in the division we do … people talk about getting to the playoffs. Fine, you want to win in the playoffs. I think you have to be able to go into Dodger Stadium and not get rattled. That you have to be able to do that. You have to be able to walk into Philly and not get rattled. Those people were standing for four straight games, never sat down, up or down, and you have to be able to deal with that. And if you don’t think that plays psychologically on players, not all the players, but some of the guys that you will be counting on in October, you’re crazy. It does. That effect is real.
And I think that you have to be able to handle those things in the most critical situations when things don’t bounce a certain way, and you have to be able to recover from that unfortunate event that happens. I feel like we get tested year in and year out, and there’s no excuses, and I like that. And I think ultimately, if we’re going to be successful and someday win the World Series, that’s going to be one of the reasons we do. … Yeah, it’s very challenging. I understand it. We understand it. The payroll disparities are the payroll disparities. There are some hidden advantages. It’s not a unilateral advantage. It doesn’t mean we can’t win, and we know that. So we go out there every day to compete, and we’re not going to back down from anybody.
