Three big questions for the Phillies as they look to do to the Cardinals what they just did to the Marlins …
Zack Wheeler is going to be OK, right?
Only once in Wheeler’s seven years with the Phillies had he gone more than two consecutive starts without pitching at least 5⅔ innings. Never had he gone more than three. His current streak now stands at five, a career-high and by far the most important subplot of the Phillies’ stretch run.
The top-line key performance indicators suggest something more than bad luck is responsible. Wheeler’s ground ball ratio over his last five starts is half of what it was in the first two-plus months of this season. His soft contact percentage is down, while his hard contact percentage is up. His 10 walks over his last three starts are his most in a three-start span since 2019, his last season with the Mets. His strike percentage on Tuesday was his second lowest of the season.
The Phillies don’t sound too concerned. Wheeler’s pitch-level metrics don’t set off any health alarm bells.
His fastball velocity remains in line with his overall season average: 95.5 mph on the four-seamer and 95 on the sinker in his most recent start, per Statcast. Both are marginally above their season-long baseline. Wheeler’s spin rates haven’t changed much at all. He is simply struggling to locate.
Can Bryson Stott keep this up?
The Phillies don’t need Stott to be Albert Pujols, but it’s always a good thing when a player does something that nobody since Pujols had done. In Stott’s case, that something was walking 21 times with just four strikeouts in a 19-game on-base streak that ended earlier this week with an 0-for-4 outing against the Marlins.
The Phillies’ formula for a late-season surge has always required somebody in the bottom-third of the lineup to get hot. They are a completely different team when somebody at the bottom of the order is reaching base consistently. Few hitters have been hotter than Stott in recent weeks. Less than a month ago, his OPS was .692. As of Thursday, it was .755. That’s a remarkable jump this late in the season. The encouraging thing is what preceded it.
In his last 81 games, Bryson Stott is hitting .284 with a .375 OBP and a .429 slugging percentageYong Kim / Staff Photographer
Stott has been a well-above average big league hitter for half of a season now. In his last 81 games, he is hitting .284 with a .375 OBP and a .429 slugging percentage. That’s an .804 OPS, with 52 strikeouts and 41 walks in 326 plate appearances.
If Stott continues at this pace for the rest of the season, there is a conceivable world where Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber both get hot at the same time and the Phillies score runs with enough consistency to rattle off the kind of winning streak that can pressure the Braves.
Can the Phillies avoid overworking Jonathan Bowlan?
This is one of those questions that would have sounded like a foreign language at the start of the season. Not only has Bowlan worked his way to the back of the bullpen, the Phillies might not be able to survive without him. It’s worth noting, then, that the 29-year-old right-hander threw a combined 62 pitches in his last two outings with one day of rest between them.
Bowlan fits the profile of a guy who can handle the rigor of intensive bullpen action. With the Royals last season, he threw 63 pitches in a three-day stretch and 96 over four days and showed no ill effects. He was optioned to the minors but continued pitching regularly and returned to the big leagues later in the month, posting a 2.55 ERA in 17⅔ innings from late August through the end of last season.
All that said, the Phillies will need to exert some willpower with Bowlan, who has emerged as the most dependable arm in the bullpen this side of Jhoan Duran. He has walked just seven batters in 19⅓ innings since moving into a high-leverage seventh- or eighth-inning role on July 7. He has a 2.33 ERA during that stretch, even after allowing a couple of runs to the Marlins on Monday. Bowlan’s has been the kind of unforeseen emergence that a team needs to get where the Phillies want to go. Interim manager Don Mattingly and his athletic training staff are going to need to walk the perilous line that always exists when a manager trusts one reliever above all others.
The Philadelphia area, which is not exactly known for its voracious college football fan base, continues to produce high-end college football talent. Over the last decade, the area’s high school football programs have been a gateway for many players to reach the NFL.
Last year, the area featured a national-level player in La Salle College High’s Joey O’Brien, who’s now at Notre Dame. This year features two top-10 national players in their respective classes: Coatesville’s 6-foot-5, 305-pound offensive tackle Max Hiller, committed to Florida, and ranked No. 3 in the nation by ESPN and No. 1 offensive tackle for the Class of 2027; and Jett Harrison, the youngest son of Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison and younger brother of Marvin Harrison Jr., the former St. Joseph’s Prep star and Arizona Cardinal receiver who was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Jett is ranked No. 6 in the Class of 2028 and the No. 2 ranked wide receiver in the nation.
Here’s the area’s top 20 players, according to area coaches, college scouts, and recruiting services, to watch this season.
Cooper is committed to Louisiana State University after a junior season in which he caught 44 passes for 644 yards and six touchdowns. He is rangy, explosive, and impossible to cover one-on-one at the high school level, where his ability to high point the ball is nearly unstoppable. He’s an exceptional route runner and possesses a high-end work ethic.
Cade Cooper plans to play at Louisiana State University next fall.Steven M. Falk / For The Inquirer
Sammy Dantonka
Cardinal O’Hara, 6-2, 230 pounds, Edge, Sr.
Dantonka is one of the more underrated players in the area and really blossomed last season. He was the cornerstone of O’Hara winning its first District 12 Class 4A championship and first state playoff game in 2025. He committed to Wake Forest after a junior season in which he had 83 tackles (40 solo) as a defensive end. He had seven sacks and 15 tackles for loss. He may play both ways this season, possibly playing some tight end in addition to defensive end. He is projected to be an edge rusher at Wake Forest. Dantonka started playing football as a freshman at O’Hara.
Sammy Dantonka had 83 tackles as a defensive end with Cardinal O’Hara last season.Cardinal O'Hara Athletics
Tyrie Davis-Winn
Bonner-Prendergast, 6-8, 270 pounds, OT, Jr.
Davis-Winn is receiving interest from Notre Dame, Penn State, Ohio State, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Florida, Florida State, and Texas, among others. Davis-Winn is a two-year starter and very good athlete. He has an 84-inch reach and will play both sides of the ball for the Friars at offensive tackle and as a rotational defensive tackle. He was on the Friars’ Class 5A state championship basketball team, but his college ticket will be in football.
Ezeukwu, a three-year starter, and is already committed to Oregon. He is a rangy athlete who can cover open ground and the scary part is, he’s still improving. Ezeukwu was a one-man wrecking crew for the PIAA Class 5A state champions, who will face a tougher task this season in its move up to 6A, where defending state champion La Salle and perennial powerhouse St. Joe’s Prep reside.
Victor Ezeukwu is a three-year starter for Roman Catholic.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Mekhi Graham
Owen J. Roberts, 6-foot, 210 pounds, RB, Sr.
Graham, who’s bound for Maryland next fall, rushed for 1,732 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. He will be a key cog in OJ Roberts’ quest to win a Pioneer Athletic Conference championship, which the Wildcats last won in 2010 (shared with Boyertown). It last won the PAC outright in 1993.
A two-year starter at right tackle, Graham is headed to Duke next year. The converted tight end has great balance and great coordination. He is a first-team All-Inter-Ac choice and will play some defensive tackle.
Malvern Prep’s Tyler Graham has been a two-year starter at right tackle.Steven M. Falk / For The Inquirer
Matthew Gregory
Owen J. Roberts, 6-1, 180 pounds, WR, Sr.
Gregory is a UCLA pledge and one of the fastest athletes in the state. He’s ranked as the No. 7 wide receiver nationally, after catching 58 passes for 911 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior. Something to think about: Gregory’s talent is so respected, UCLA came across the country to snare him over major programs like LSU, Notre Dame, and James Franklin’s Virginia Tech.
The youngest son of former Roman Catholic star and NFL Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison, Jett is already committed to Ohio State, where is older brother played. Jett is considered by many recruiters as the top 2028 prospect in the country. As a sophomore, Jett broke the Catholic League single-season touchdown record with 15 last season and will likely by double and sometimes triple teamed this season. He’s the No. 6-rated recruit in the nation for the Class of 2028 and recently signed a deal with New Balance.
Hiller committed to Florida in April and signed with mega-agent Creative Artists Agency (CAA), which also signed his brother, basketball standout Colton Hiller. Max will play both ways this season, though he is projected to be an offensive tackle at Florida. What makes him unique is how quick and nimble his feet are for someone so large. The only thing missing from his resume is a PIAA District 1 Class 6A championship.
Maxwell Hiller is considered the best recruit in the state in the Class of 2027.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Trey Hopkins
La Salle, 6-2, 195 pounds, CB, Sr.
Committed to UCLA, Hopkins was a shutdown cornerback who had one interception last season. At 6-2, he is a rangy corner who uses his hands well, and is very good at playing the ball in the air. He can play both cornerback and safety, though he is projected to be a corner at UCLA. He will go both ways for the Explorers this season as a defensive back and wide receiver.
Trey Hopkins celebrates after intercepting the ball during the PIAA Class 6A football semifinal game on Nov. 29, 2025.Colleen Claggett / For The Inquirer
Walter Hudson
Roman Catholic, 6-1, 215 pounds, LB, Sr.
Hudson is bound for Pittsburgh next year, after a junior year in which he made 77 tackles (13 for loss). A three-year varsity starter, Hudson was a keystone of arguably the best team in the state last season, winners of Roman’s first-ever state football championship. The Cahillites and Hudson face a steeper test this season moving to Class 6A.
As a junior, Walter Hudson had 77 tackles and 13 tackles for loss.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Owen Johnson
La Salle, 5-10, 190 pounds, WR, Jr.
He has offers from Notre Dame, Penn State, Oregon, Alabama, Auburn, and Ole Miss, with more to follow. As a sophomore, Johnson performed well in significant games. He hauled in 73 catches for 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns. He had a game-high nine catches for 96 yards and scored two of La Salle’s three touchdowns in a 24-14 victory over Prep in the PCL championship. He followed that with three touchdowns in the state title game. It helped getting single coverage with Notre Dame-bound O’Brien on the other side of the field. This year, Johnson will be the focal point of opposing defenses.
Owen Johnson caught 73 catches for 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns as a sophomore.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Marcus Jones
The Haverford School, 6-3, 190 pounds, S, Sr.
Jones is a four-year starter and committed to Tennessee, where his uncle Mark Jones played. Marcus is the son of former Strath Haven great and Purdue receiver Ike Jones, who caught passes from two Hall of Famers: Drew Brees and Peyton Manning. Marcus is projected to play safety at Tennessee. Marcus plays on both sides of the ball for the Fords, as a wide receiver and defensive back. He is coming off a junior season in which he caught 38 passes for 542 yards and four touchdowns. Defensively, he made 52 tackles (37 solo) and four tackles for loss.
Marcus Jones caught 38 passes for 542 yards and four touchdowns last season.Haverford School Athletics
Brandon Lockley
St. Joe’s Prep, 6-2, 216 pounds, LB, Sr.
Lockley may arguably be the best linebacker in the state. A physical, versatile defender, Lockley is a three-year starter bound for Oregon, after coming off a first-team, all-Catholic League junior season. He has the ability to play in space, support the run, and matchup in multiple offensive groupings. He won’t come off the field this season.
Brandon Lockley (right) of St. Joe’s Prep tackles Zah Pollard of Imhotep Charter on Nov. 16, 2024.Charles Fox / Staff Photographer
Stanley Montgomery
Archbishop Ryan, 6-3, 300 pounds, DL/OT, Sr.
Montgomery is rare in this age of specialization as a two-sport standout in football and wrestling, both of which he plans to do at Penn State. A three-year starter, Montgomery is coming off a junior season in which he tallied 45 tackles, 8½ sacks and 19 tackles for loss. He’s explosive, quick, and carries himself low. He’s projected to be a defensive tackle at Penn State. He’s unblockable at the high school level.
A long, strong, athletic edge rusher with a non-stop motor, he is getting attention from Penn State, Texas A&M, Tennessee, LSU, Oregon, and Ohio State after a sophomore year in which he had eight sacks, 35 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and 16 hurries. He runs a 4.6-second 40-yard dash and jumped 37 inches. He played primarily edge rusher. And will play some defensive tackle and linebacker. He is being recruited as an edge rusher.
George Parkinson IV had eight sacks, 35 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, and 16 hurries last season.Steven M. Falk / For The Inquirer
Ben Sakyiama
Archbishop Wood, 6-8, 320 pounds, OT, Sr.
A two-year starter, Sakyiama is a Syracuse pledge, where he is projected to be a left tackle. He will be a two-way starter as a left tackle and situational defensive tackle for coach Brian Goettner, who enters his second season as head coach. Sakyiama has grown an inch since last year and is down to around 320 pounds from playing at 345 last year. Sakyiama started playing football three years ago. He is still learning the game, with a tremendous upside.
Archbishop Wood’s Ben Sakyiama just started playing football three years ago.Francesca Rossillo / Archbishop Wood Athletics
Abraham Sesay
Downingtown East, 6-6, 230 pounds, Edge, Sr.
Sesay continues to blow up, even though he’s committed to Notre Dame. As a junior, he had 13 sacks and 89 tackles and will double up as a tight end. He is rated No. 90 overall in the country by ESPN for the Class of 2027 and is a three-year starter, projected to be an edge rusher at Notre Dame. He has been clocked at 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash and is an early admittance to Notre Dame. He has signed with the Octagon agency, which represents Steph Curry. He has grown an inch and gained 20 pounds since last season. Sesay’s East team plays Hiller at Coatesville on Oct. 23.
Abraham Sesay had 13 sacks and 89 tackles as a junior.Downingtown East Athletics
Terrance Smith
Lansdale Catholic, 6-7, 290 pounds, OT, Sr.
Smith is headed to LSU and projected to be an offensive tackle, though will be a defensive tackle and left tackle for the defending PIAA District 12 Class 2A champions. The Crusaders move up to Class 3A this season. Smith, a three-year starter, has a high football IQ, great feet, and played on both sides of the ball. He did not play until the last seven games, recovering from a torn ACL in his right knee during his sophomore season. He has since made a full recovery and is expected to play his entire senior season. He is related to former Sixer great and Hall of Famer Allen Iverson. He did not start playing football until seventh grade. Lansdale Catholic opens the season at Pope John Paul II on Aug. 28.
Terrance Smith will play defensive tackle and offensive tackle this season for Lansdale Catholic.Lansdale Catholic Athletics
Andrew Sorge
La Salle, 6-3, 290 pounds, OG, Sr.
Sorge was the cornerstone of an offensive line that won the Catholic League Red Division and PIAA Class 6A state title last season. Committed to Lafayette, Sorge will again be counted on to stabilize the Explorers’ front. He is a returning All-Catholic League selection, a league that produced two PIAA state champions, and is known for his strength as a pass blocker. La Salle coach Brett Gordon calls him the best interior lineman in Pennsylvania.
Offensive guard Andrew Sorge is one of La Salle’s leaders this season.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Luis Arraez opened the door and revealed the secret to winning three batting titles.
Not even Tony Gwynn Jr. could believe it.
“Listen,” said the son of the late Hall of Famer, “my dad was as much of a worker as possible. Never once did he have a tee and a net in his hotel room. I walked into the room and watched this man go to work. It was mind-blowing.”
In fact, since 2021, the new Phillies second baseman has traveled with a portable tee, a fold-up net, a short bat, and a small weight that fit neatly into his backpack. He sets it all up in his room, takes full or partial swings (without a ball) to perfect his compact stroke, and often sends the video to his personal hitting coach in Miami.
“Just a short move, point A to point B, and that’s all he was working on the whole time,” Gwynn said on The Inquirer’s Phillies Extra podcast. “And at that point I was like, ‘OK, this gentleman is a little bit different.’”
In 2026, he’s actually one of a kind.
Arraez, 29, ranks in the lowest percentile among major league batters in bat speed, hard-hit rate, and barrel percentage, which measures how frequently a hitter makes contact with the optimal combination of exit velocity and launch angle. And these days, baseball is obsessed with exit velocities and launch angles.
Phillies second baseman Luis Arraez has won three batting titles.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Here’s the thing, though: Arraez has more hits than any player since 2022. He has won batting titles in both leagues: 2022 with the Twins (.316), 2023 with the Marlins (.354), and 2024 with the Marlins and Padres (.314).
Oh, and did we mention he hardly ever strikes out?
Entering the weekend, Arraez made contact on 92.2% of his swings. The major league average was 76.4%. His career strikeout rate was 5.9%, including 4.5% this season. In the last 50 years, three players struck out less than 6% of the time while maintaining a .300 batting average: Arraez, Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly, and the late Tony Gwynn, a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
“The skills that he has, they are so different that I think players in a lot of ways consider it a novelty,” said former Marlins general manager Kim Ng, who traded for Arraez before the 2023 season. “It doesn’t have to be just shooting for pull-side fly balls in hopes they’ll go over the fence.”
Yet the industry no longer values a contact-hitting savant. Arraez has been traded three times in the last 3½ years. And he went unsigned as a free agent last winter until a few days before spring training when the Giants gave him a one-year, $12 million contract.
On Aug. 3, the Phillies made a deadline trade for Arraez, a lefty-hitting second baseman, because their search for a righty-hitting outfielder lacked appealing options. And they were able to fit him in only because Bryce Harper consented to move back to right field for the balance of the season, part of a realignment in which they displaced three-fourths of the infield.
But now that Arraez is here, his one-of-one skill set will be on display for a new audience. The Phillies will form their opinion about his value, especially to a lineup that tends to strike out frequently and struggles at times to score without hitting home runs.
Maybe they will try to re-sign Arraez in the offseason. Maybe he will pack up his travel batting cage and shuffle to his sixth major-league team in a nomadic career. Whatever the case, the Phillies will have baseball’s most unique hitter for the playoff push.
Luis Arraez had his best season with the Marlins in 2023.Marta Lavandier
‘Infectious’ style
The Phillies aren’t the first team to move chess pieces around the field to accommodate a trade for Arraez.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. was an All-Star second baseman for the Marlins in 2022. But after a 93-loss season, they swapped righty Pablo López and two minor leaguers to the Twins for Arraez and moved Chisholm to center field.
“We were just lacking bats,” Ng said by phone last week. “Jazz was really good at second, but we also felt like he could be put in the outfield. We felt like he would really grow into the position, and then, you’d have two premium bats in the middle of the field.”
Arraez held up his end. He mimicked Ted Williams for almost half the 2023 season, carrying a .401 average into the final week of June. He finished with 203 hits, a career-high, and won his second batting title.
But Ng recalled Arraez’s impact beyond the knocks.
“I think our players were in awe of him,” said Ng, the commissioner of the 2-year-old Athletes Unlimited Softball League. “He’d walk up to the plate and size up the field and take note of where players were positioned, and he’d just put it where they weren’t. And I think the players were just so awe-struck by him and this uncanny ability that he has, and we were hoping that that would rub off in some ways on others.
“And I’m not saying it was a direct correlation, but if you look at our one-run record in 2022 vs. our one-run record in ’23, vastly different. Is it all because of Luis? No. We tried to change the way we thought about the game across the board. But Luis was a huge instrument to that change.”
Indeed, the Marlins went from 69 wins to 84 and made the playoffs largely due to a 33-14 record in one-run games. Arraez finished eighth in the NL MVP voting.
Ng said teammates became aware of Arraez’s work habits, including hitting for 15 to 20 minutes each morning in a batting cage at his house, similar to his exercises in road hotels. Seven-time All-Star outfielder Nelson Cruz introduced him to the daily ritual when they were teammates with the Twins.
“I do my routine every day,” Arraez said. “I’ll bring my short bat and my regular bat and a little heavy weight to do my routine and then to prepare my body and especially my mind.
“It’s helped a lot. You can tell. I feel really good when I do my routine every day.”
And when Arraez got to the ballpark, the young Marlins would either pick his brain about his approach at the plate or absorb it like a sponge by watching.
“His personality and the effect that he had on the team, it really was infectious,” Ng said. “And I do think that he was one of the core pillars of that team.”
The Phillies are seeing similar benefits. Mattingly batted him cleanup to utilize his contact skills in front of Harper. And even as Arraez cooled after going 5-for-13 with four RBIs in his first three games, the Phillies’ collective strikeout rate plummeted from 23.6% before he arrived to 15.9% through his first 11 games.
Coincidence? Maybe.
Then again …
“I mean, I’ve definitely learned a lot from watching him,” Alec Bohm said. “It’s the modern-day Tony Gwynn. Like, it’s one of the best bat-to-ball [hitters] that any of us have ever seen. So, yeah, I think obviously bringing a guy like that in not only makes the lineup better, but it’s also just hitters watching other good hitters. I think there’s something to be said for that.”
Luis Arraez went 5-for-13 in his first three games with the Phillies.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
‘Know thyself’
Ng left the Marlins amid a reorganization of the front office after the 2023 season. In May 2024, Arraez got traded to the Padres.
Upon arriving in San Diego, he visited the 9½-foot tall statue of Tony Gwynn — titled “Mr. Padre” — outside Petco Park.
And he asked Gwynn’s son to accompany him.
“I was like, ‘Of course,’” said Gwynn Jr., an eight-year major-league outfielder and now a Padres radio broadcaster. “Because I had seen Luis play, and it was very apparent his style of hitting was different than everybody else in Major League Baseball and had some resemblance to my father.”
Arraez seems to appreciate baseball history, maybe because it often feels like he’s from a bygone era. With the Twins, he became close with Rod Carew, the Hall of Famer who mentored him about using the field and being satisfied with line drives and ground balls instead of trying to pull everything in the air to right field.
Even before the trade to San Diego, Arraez heard the comparisons to Gwynn. His nickname: “La Regadera” — “The Sprinkler,” in Spanish — because he sprays the ball around the field.
If he played 35 years ago, he would’ve fit right in alongside Gwynn, Carew, and Wade Boggs. As Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long said, Arraez “would’ve been elite.”
But the 21st century launch-angle craze has changed not only hitting styles but also how players are paid. In 1991, when hitting for average still mattered, 29 players batted at least .300. Last season, there were seven; Trea Turner was the only .300 hitter in the National League.
“When there’s economics involved, players aren’t dumb,” Gwynn said. “They’re going to shoot for the moon in terms of paydays.”
And it’s moonshot homers, not singles up the middle that pay the most. Arraez, signed by the Twins as a teenager out of Venezuela for $40,000, has never had a multiyear contract. His highest annual salary: $14 million in 2025, hardly a pittance but tied for only 63rd among position players last season.
But his approach at the plate hasn’t changed to amplify his bank account.
“I can’t change,” Arraez said. “If I change, I’ll be in my house watching the guys play baseball.”
Said Gwynn: “There is certainly space in this game, if you’re going to be as skilled as him, to make money that can set you up for the rest of your life. Maybe not in the 30s and 35 million [per year], but you can get in that 10- to 20-[million] range and do pretty well for yourself.
“And I think Luis is unique in that self-awareness. My dad used to say this all the time — and it was part joke but part serious — and that’s ‘know thyself.’ And Luis knows himself very well, and he has chosen to maximize the skill set that God has given him.”
So, Arraez packs up his backpack and moves right along, from hotel room to hotel room, playing the hits like they used to do.
Some Philly athletes are household names, and there are some who should be. It’s the latter we hoped to explore when we created The Inquirer’s inaugural list of the 25 top athletes in Philly under 25.
Listen, it’s like Pokémon: You can’t catch them all, but we think you’ll find this list pretty robust across not just sports but levels of sport. From top pro athletes like Cooper DeJean to rising up-and-comers like women’s boxing sensation Natalie Dove, this is a good look at the young athletes to keep a close eye on as their careers are just beginning.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown meet at the end of joint practices on Thursday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The Eagles held the 14th open practice of their 2026 training camp on Thursday, the second of two joint practices with the Patriots in Foxborough, Mass. Eagles reporter Jeff McLane was there to give his latest observations along with others from the start of camp.
Bryson Stott “can do everything. He’s one of the best gloves we have,” said Luis Arraez.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
No matter where he is on the infield, Bryson Stott is only thinking about one thing.
It could be second base, where he started the season, or third, where he’s been playing since the trade deadline. But even back in college and the minor leagues, when Stott was primarily a shortstop, he was only focused on catching and throwing.
“Still an infielder, still on the dirt,” Stott said. “So, just catching and throwing it.”
Next: The Phillies open a home series against St. Louis at 6:40 tonight (NBCSP). Jesús Luzardo (11-5, 3.23 ERA) will start for the Phillies. The Cardinals have not announced their starter yet.
Players like 18-year-old defender Neil Pierre has three goals in the last five matches for the Union.Steven M. Falk / For The Inquirer
After Wednesday night’s 2-2 Union draw with Inter Miami, much of the conversation has centered on the melee sparked by Miami’s Ian Fray and his stoppage-time confrontation with Quinn Sullivan. And rightfully so.
But what that fracas overshadowed was just how much the Union’s young guns are stepping up to the challenge — and it’s not just Cavan Sullivan. Now, in a push for the MLS playoffs, it’s very possible that members of the Union’s supporting cast could become the main attraction.
On this date
Aug. 21, 2008: Delran native Carli Lloyd scored the game-winner in extra time to lead the United States women’s soccer team to gold medal glory at the Summer Games in Beijing, China.
The Phillie Phanatic hugs Joe Girardi before the start of the All-American Perfect Game in Philadelphia last Sunday.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Each Friday, Inquirer photo editors will pick our best shots from the last seven days and share them with you, our readers. This week, photos include a showdown for the ages at Subaru Park, baseball from the site of an Iowa cornfield, some choice shots from the Eagles’ first preseason game and more. Enjoy.
Former pitcher Steve Ontiveros would become the first Phillies hurler to return from Tommy John surgery.Elwood P. Smith/Daily News via newspapers.com
“It gave me longevity. That was good. That wouldn’t have happened otherwise. I’d have been done. It gave me an opportunity to continue my career. It’s just unfortunate that there weren’t that many people ahead of me.” — Former pitcher Steve Ontiveros, the first Phillies player to return from Tommy John surgery, as told to columnist Mike Sielski.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Lochlahn March, Kerith Gabriel, Mike Sielski, Isabella DiAmore, Jeff McLane, Conor Smith, The Inquirer Sports Staff, and The Inquirer’s photography staff.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
That’s our week. We’ll be back on Monday to get your week off right. Enjoy your weekend, watching the Phils, Union, and the Birds duke it out. — Kerith
Two days of joint practices with the New England Patriots offered the Eagles the best barometer they will get during this training camp to see where they stand.
Don’t expect to see many regulars when the teams collide again Saturday night for preseason game No. 2. The Eagles rested most of their starters in their preseason opener in Baltimore and likely will do the same again.
Still, roster spots and places on the depth chart are up for grabs. With that in mind, here are the players and positions we’ll be watching closely on Saturday night:
Who gets the start, Andy Dalton or Tanner McKee? The competition for the No. 2 spot behind Jalen Hurts is ongoing, Nick Sirianni says, but Dalton appears to be the leader for the time being, and the Eagles said as much by starting him in their first preseason game.
That being said, Dalton wasn’t very impressive playing alongside his fellow backups trying to execute a toned-down version of Sean Mannion’s playbook. Neither was McKee.
Will Andy Dalton get a second straight preseason start for the Eagles?David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Can the offense — and the quarterbacks — show a little more life on Saturday?
The Eagles don’t want to put too much of their offense on film, but they do want to make one of their backup candidates attractive for a potential trade.
Rookie quarterback Cole Payton should again be the closer. He made some plays with his legs in his pro debut, but he has been turnover-prone during training camp, and while the Eagles like the excitement his athleticism offers, a more sound performance in the pocket and with his arm will be desired. That’s assuming the third-string offensive line can protect him.
It’s not as sexy as a quarterback battle, but the competition for the final spots on the offensive line is a good one.
It’s probably fair to assume eight spots are locked up by Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Tyler Steen, Lane Johnson, Markel Bell, Fred Johnson, and Drew Kendall. But the most likely scenario is the Eagles keep 10 players here, and the final two spots are seemingly still available.
Willie Lampkin has come on strong in camp and performed well in his first preseason game. The undersized interior lineman played both center and guard and had some noticeable plays. Rookie guard Micah Morris, a sixth-round pick, may currently have the No. 10 spot and played 34 snaps (77%) in the first game. As did Jake Majors, who was on the practice squad last year and, like Lampkin, can play both center and guard.
Tyler Steen (left) and Micah Morris practice during a training camp drill.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Others are in the mix, too. The Eagles have been repping veteran tackle John Ojukwu at guard, but he’s unlikely to play after missing practices with a pectoral injury. Veteran guard Michael Jordan has NFL starting experience that the Eagles could value on their 53-man roster.
Myles Hinton, meanwhile, has struggled in his transition from tackle to guard in his second NFL training camp. He had a rough joint practice session Wednesday and was beaten badly in most of his one-on-one reps.
Cooper played 29 snaps in the first preseason game, eight more than the next wide receiver on the list (Quez Watkins). It was fair to expect a little less run from the second-year camp standout, who has taken advantage of the absences of DeVonta Smith and Makai Lemon during team drills.
But Cooper has come back to earth a little bit. He made a few plays in the 24-7 loss to the Ravens, catching two passes for 21 yards, but he also had a drop on what would have been a first-down conversion.
Wide receiver Darius Cooper can make a persuasive bid for a roster spot on Saturday. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Did the Eagles reveal with their usage that Elijah Moore (7 snaps) is above Cooper on the depth chart? It’s probably a little unfair and unwise to read that deeply into it, but Moore made a big play on a deep ball from Hurts during the joint session Wednesday, while Cooper was a little less visible.
Cooper’s job seems safe for now, but a strong showing Saturday can’t hurt.
Mac McWilliams and Kelee Ringo
Speaking of players who have been up and down of late, McWilliams played most of the game in Baltimore, logging 65 snaps (81%). Pro Football Focus had him allowing four catches on four targets for 37 yards and a 105.2 passer rating against. He also had two penalties.
It seems like the competition for the depth spots at corner is still ongoing. The first four spots on the depth chart are set with Quinyon Mitchell and Riq Woolen on the outside, Cooper DeJean at nickel, and Jonathan Jones as the primary backup. But Jones has missed time with a shoulder injury, and behind him the Eagles are looking for more consistency.
Cornerback Mac McWilliams (left) could use a better showing on Saturday that what he displayed in Baltimore. David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
McWilliams has gotten first-team reps recently, and he seems to be ahead of Ringo, but Vic Fangio seemed to sort of challenge Ringo earlier this week when he said he had a sense that Ringo “could be coming.”
“He’s been everybody’s piñata doll for a while,” Fangio quipped.
The Ringo experience was on full display in Baltimore. He was beat for a touchdown and also had an interception. Ringo has been a primary special teamer and a good one, but he may need the Eagles to willingly keep six cornerbacks in order to make the team. And with Michael Carter II, a safety, in line to play backup nickel and be on the field in dime packages, it’s a bit unnecessary to keep a sixth corner unless that player gives you reason to.
Elsewhere in the corner competition, Jakorian Bennett’s knee injury in Baltimore may make it tough for him to get back in the mix. But time will tell.
Uar Bernard and Joshua Weru
The “exchange students,” as Fangio calls them, will suit up for their second padded football game of their lives. They had some moments in Baltimore, especially Weru, who had a quarterback hit and looked the part of a speedy edge rusher.
Weru played 30 snaps (38%) while Bernard played 15 (19%).
Joshua Weru (46) has had some eye-opening moments for a guy whose football experience is limited. Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Both have taken strides in their first NFL training camp, but as Fangio says, “they’ve got a long way to go.”
Still, the Eagles will be faced with some difficult decisions on their roster statuses when it’s time to cut down to 53 on Aug. 30.
For the first time in two decades, the WTA is coming to Philadelphia with the Ennoble Care Philly Open. The 125-level tournament will bring 14 of the WTA’s top 100 players, a former Grand Slam champion, and a few local risers to the Hamlin Tennis Center at the University of Pennsylvania, just one week before the U.S. Open kicks off in New York.
Here are a few storylines to watch heading into the tournament …
What does hosting this tournament mean for Penn?
Penn has been trying to host a professional tennis tournament for a while now, coach Sanela Kunovac told The Inquirer. Since Penn’s tennis center opened in 2011, Kunovac has been hoping to host a professional tournament at the facility, but each year, struggled to get even a smaller level tournament off the ground.
Hosting the tournament this year is a “wonderful surprise.”
“Our facility is one of the nicest facilities in the Northeast, 12 beautiful courts with the view of the city,” Kunovac said. “I know I’m biased, but I would say one of the most beautiful views of the city is from the tennis facility. I also think Penn loves sports. … It was only natural for us to try to bring an amazing tennis tournament to the facility that I think is just world class.”
Top Penn singles player Esha Velaga will receive a qualifying wild card for the event, with the chance to win a match to earn entry into the main draw. Velaga qualified for the NCAA singles championship this year, but this is her first opportunity to compete in a professional tournament of this caliber. In addition, the Penn tennis freshmen, who moved in a week prior, will be available as hitting and practice partners for the pros.
“There’s 14 players who are top 100 in the world who are going to be playing this tournament,” Kunovac said. “To be able to be a sparring partner of somebody who is at that level because our players are going to be on campus, it’s really hard to imagine what other opportunity you can have, other than at your school, to be rubbing shoulders with players at that level.”
The Cincinnati Open is one of the largest tennis tournaments in the U.S.Kareem Elgazzar / AP
Could Philadelphia one day host a bigger event?
Three of Hamlin’s 12 outdoor courts are being used to build a center court with a 1,200-person capacity for the Philly Open. For a larger event, seating capacity can vary significantly. At the Memphis Classic, which is a WTA 250 event, one step up from the WTA 125 event Philly is hosting, center court capacity was 2,000. For an even larger event, like the Mubadala DC Open in Washington, which is a combined ATP/WTA 500, center court holds 7,000 spectators.
The Philadelphia Sisters, organizers of the Philly Open, told The Inquirer that they would be interested in bringing a larger tennis event to Philly. A larger 250- or 500-level event could bring bigger-name players to Philly. With the establishment of the Saudi Masters in 2028, the ATP is buying back lower-level tournaments, as opposed to adding more, so it’s unlikely in the short-term that a major men’s event could come to the area, but a larger WTA event could be more realistic.
In 2022, the WTA brought a 125-level tournament to Paris the week before Roland-Garros. Since then, the tournament has begun to attract high-level players looking for a tuneup, with the 2026 lineup including multiple top-25 players at the time in Madison Keys and Leylah Fernandez.
The timing of the Philly Open, one week before the U.S. Open, combined with Philadelphia’s proximity to New York, places it in a similar position on the calendar. The only other WTA tournament occurring concurrently is the Monterrey Open, a WTA 500-level tournament with an entry list that includes Wimbledon champion Linda Nosková and Roland-Garros finalist Maja Chwalinská.
But the Philly Open also has 14 top-100 players and a former Grand Slam champion in the draw, far more than the average 125, which shows that the location and timing already are attractive for players. The Philadelphia Sisters have a three-year deal to host the tournament, with the potential for extension, so it will return in 2027.
Robin Montgomery of the United States reacts as she plays Jasmine Paolini at Wimbledon. Montgomery is in the field for the Philly Open.Brian Inganga / AP
The actual tennis
Sloane Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open champion, is probably the most famous name in the draw. After suffering a stress fracture in her right foot last year, Stephens is mounting a return to tennis while also working as a commentator. In Cincinnati, Stephens reached the third round before falling, 7-5, 7-5, to world No. 11 Marta Kostyuk, and she’s looking to continue that run of good form in preparation for the U.S. Open.
Another name to watch is 21-year-old American Robin Montgomery, who won her first tour-level title earlier this year at the Libéma Open, earning her way into the top 200. Injury issues have held her back at the senior level, but she has big potential to work her way into the top 100.
Velaga and 18-year-old Wilmington native Capucine Jauffret, who will be a freshman at Florida this year, earned qualifying wild cards and will play on Sunday.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The Eagles held the 14th open practice of their 2026 training camp — the second of two joint practices with the Patriots — on Thursday at the New Balance Athletics Center. Here were my observations from Day 14 (and links to Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13):
Lemon drop
Makai Lemon made his official return to practice after missing more than two weeks with a hamstring injury. The Eagles listed him as limited the day before, but he wasn’t in pads and did almost nothing. The rookie wide receiver was fully suited up on Thursday, however, and participated in individual drills. It’s unlikely he plays Saturday against the Patriots in the second preseason game, but there’s a chance he can get some live repetitions in the preseason finale vs. the Bengals on Aug. 28.
Makai Lemon was back at practice for the Eagles on Thursday. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring) was limited for a third straight day. Receiver Elijah Moore was added to the injury list after suffering a neck injury on Wednesday. The following players continued to be sidelined: Defensive tackle Byron Young (shoulder), cornerback Jonathan Jones (shoulder), tight end Grant Calcaterra (back), cornerback Jakorian Bennett (knee), receiver Johnny Wilson (knee), running back Dameon Pierce (hamstring), tackle John Ojukwu (pectoral), and cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields (heel).
Defensive tackle Jalen Carter was excused for a personal reason. Outside linebacker Keyshawn James-Newby (ankle) and cornerback Shaun Wade (eye/shoulder) were also limited.
Riq Woolen (with ex-Eagle Milton Williams) had a stronger Day 2 against the Patriots. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Riq-ola
Riq Woolen had a tough first joint practice with the Pats, but he rebounded on Day 2. If there’s a position where you need to have a short memory, it’s cornerback. And Woolen showed it with his performance 24 hours later. He allowed some catches, but he prevented as many.
He was involved in maybe the two biggest plays of the day. With the Patriots near the goal line, Woolen lined up over A.J. Brown, who got the better of the corner several times the day before. Brown ran a quick out pattern and Woolen was in his hip pocket. Quarterback Drake Maye only had eyes for his No. 1 receiver. Woolen read them, jumped the route and raced the other way with the ball. He flopped into the end zone for a would-be 100-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Later in the final red zone period when both teams converged on one field, Maye again forced a throw to Brown. Woolen had tight man coverage on the short route and ripped the ball out into the air. Outside linebacker Jalyx Hunt dove and somehow caught the ball before it hit the ground. Hunt just has a sense for the ball. He’s had a great summer.
Woolen also notched a few pass breakups vs. Romeo Doubs, who gave him fits on Wednesday too. He lost the Patriots receiver in the final red zone period and didn’t have over-the-top help from safety Andrew Mukuba. Woolen slapped his hands in frustration, but he bounced back on the two-point conversion and made sure a juggling Brown didn’t secure the ball inbounds.
Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell looks over at Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown during a joint practice on Thursday. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Brown points
Brown might not have been as spectacular as he was in the first workout, but he had his moments. He once again faced cornerback Quinyon Mitchell in the first one-on-one. Brown made an acrobatic catch in which he tipped the ball to himself and dragged his feet in the back corner of the end zone. The nearby referee ruled him out, but I thought he was inbounds.
In two-on-two drills, Brown got Mitchell to slip after his break and scored. He flashed his strong hands on a contested ball over the middle a few reps later. Brown also caught a touchdown in 11-on-11 drills near the stands and celebrated with Patriots fans. Mitchell had a few strong reps as well. He locked up Brown on a deep route in which Maye’s aimless pass fell to the ground.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts and Co. had their successes in the one-on-one and two-on-two portions. Tight end Dallas Goedert used subtle movements to create enough separation for a catch in the end zone. Quarterback Andy Dalton fired a pass to Eli Stowers that sailed past the rookie tight end before he looked back. Dalton looked nonplussed.
There was a similar miscommunication between Hurts and Hollywood Brown in which the receiver didn’t turn his head in time. Hurts had a visual reaction and spoke to Brown afterward. They’ve had mix-ups in their first camp together, but have worked on improving their chemistry after practice. It eventually paid off (foreshadowing).
Sean Mannion’s offense was hot and cold again in the second joint practice with the Patriots. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Running up that hill
I spent most of practice watching the Eagles offense. Sean Mannion’s unit started slow and finished strong, unlike the day before when it got off to a hot start before petering out. With most of team drills worked inside the red zone, the condensed area made it more difficult for the pass offense.
The run offense didn’t have that excuse and it struggled after an impressive showing the day prior. Saquon Barkley had few holes, especially on outside zone runs. He was strung out on his first carry. Patriots edge Gabe Jacas broke through for a tackle for loss on Barkley’s next tote. Patriots defensive tackle Milton Williams was able to get inside tackle Lane Johnson and stop Barkley after a minimal gain.
New England’s defense pushed the envelop at times and would tackle to the ground. Johnson took exception at one point and there was a scrum. The Eagles’ frustration boiled over several more times. Barkley appeared to get into it with Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore even though neither was participating in the drills. Receiver Dontayvion Wicks was in the middle of a fracas that halted practice.
Tackle Jordan Mailata said afterward that the fights disrupted the flow of the run game. But it was tough sledding for both of the Eagles’ units. Running backs Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley —who shined on Wednesday — kept getting bottled up.
Jalen Hurts struggled at times on Thursday. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Tough enough
The lack of production on the ground made it even harder on the passing attack. On Hurts’ first drop, Williams beat his block and was in the quarterback’s face for a would-be sack. Hurts kept playing, but his pass was deflected to Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones for an interception and he ran the other way. A play later, the blitz was picked up, but Hurts rushed his throw to receiver Darius Cooper and it fell incomplete. The Eagles ended the set with a touchdown when Hurts found Goedert over the middle in the back of the end zone.
The first offense went back to being out of sorts, though, in the next stanza. Hurts picked up some yards on a draw play. But Wicks dropped a pass. And when Hurts had nothing, he held the ball and was pressured into taking a would-be loss. Later on, Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss wasn’t fooled by another Hurts draw. Safety Kevin Byard blitzed the “A” gap and was unblocked. Hurts again kept the play alive, but edge Elijah Ponder dropped and broke up the throw to Bigsby.
Dontayvion Wicks had a TD and was also the intended receiver on a Patriots interception. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Pick-le ball
Hurts rebounded with another touchdown in the post — this time to Wicks, who celebrated with Bigsby. But for every positive there were two or three negatives. Hurts was tackled for a loss by Patriots linebacker K.J. Britt on a busted designed run. Two plays later, Jones had his second pick of Hurts when he stepped in front of Wicks near the sideline.
The quarterback went back to Wicks over the middle on a quick timing play that had misdirection motion at the snap at the start of the next set. But center Cam Jurgens got beat when Patriots defensive tackle Cory Durden penetrated into the backfield and sacked Hurts.
Then the Eagles committed a false start. Hurts scrambled out of bounds for little or no gain. And when Bigsby finally broke outside for a long run, a holding penalty negated the first down. Mannion did manage to scheme tight end Johnny Mundt open for yards after the catch on a crosser. But the period ended without points.
Hollywood Brown (0) made up for a previous route blunder with a touchdown in the scrimmage portion of practice. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Red-letter end
The Eagles first offense would save face in the final red zone “scrimmage.” Hurts was workmanlike. He hit Goedert on a quickie for six yards. He then went to Wicks, who turned his defender around the 5-yard line. On first and goal, Hurts was flushed to the right and he found Hollywood Brown in the back of the end zone. But the receiver couldn’t get both feet inbounds.
Hurts had good protection on the next down, though, and hurled a strike to a diving Brown for the touchdown. Cooper hauled in the ensuing two-pointer after Hurts bought time outside the pocket, but another holding penalty took the conversion off the board.
Jordan Davis (90) was disruptive on Thursday. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
In the trenches
Even without Carter and Young, the Eagles’ interior defensive line won the run battle. Every time I glanced over to the other field, defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Moro Ojomo disrupted the Patriots’ ground assault. Vic Fangio can get away with the highest percentage of light boxes in the NFL because he has the horses up front.
I didn’t catch all of the one-on-ones between the Eagles’ pass rushers and the Patriots offensive line, but of the matchups I watched, they fared well. Hunt split his two reps vs. tackle Will Campbell, but edge Nolan Smith Jr. had victories over tackle Marcus Bryant. Defensive tackle Ty Robinson used his trusty old club/swim move to win his first turn, but guard Alijah Vera-Tucker took the rematch.
Linebacker Zack Baun took a rare pass rush and dusted tackle Caleb Lomu. Edge Arnold Ebiketie had a win and draw vs. tackle Dametrious Crownover. The education of rookie defensive tackle Uar Bernard continued. Guard JonDarius Morgan handled him with relative ease.
Tanner McKee (16) was the second quarterback up on Thursday. Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Second fiddle
Tanner McKee got the nod ahead of Dalton in the first set with the second offense. The quarterback connected with receiver Samori Toure on an out pattern and checked down to Stowers. Speaking of Stowers, he had a solid lead block on a Bigsby run to the perimeter. Another Eagles holding penalty brought back a later Bigsby run.
McKee tried for Quez Watkins on a corner fade into the end zone, but his pass was too high for the receiver to pull in. Speaking of penalties, the Eagles had an offensive pass interference on a screen. McKee was forced to scramble when a bubble screen to receiver Britain Covey was thwarted. He did hook up with tight end E.J. Jenkins in between the hashes.
Dalton was under center for the final red-zone period. He hit Watkins for a first down on his first drop. But the quarterback and receiver were out of sync on their next target. Dalton then threw out of bounds when Stowers was covered. And on fourth-and-goal, his pass to Toure was a touch late and broken up.
Extra points
Rookie quarterback Cole Payton got the day off — at least in team drills. … Shipley and Cooper were the first two returners during kickoff drills. … The Eagles will have a closed walkthrough ahead of Saturday’s preseason game with the Patriots. Few, if any of the starters are expected to play. Sunday will be an off day. Camp resumes back in Philly on Monday.
The actual games played at the Little League World Series make up just a fraction of the players’ time spent in Williamsport, Pa.
For the most part, the players are ushered between various media appearances and practice, which sometimes can be overwhelming for a group of middle schoolers. However, when they have downtime, the players can interact with — and even befriend — peers from all over the world.
East Side, a 12-and-under baseball team from West Chester, is making the most of the opportunity.
“It’s kind of cool watching them engage with the international players,” East Side coach Bob Hennessey said. “Our bunkmates are [from] Japan. It’s kind of cool to watch those boys interact, not through language, but through signs and just handshakes and stuff like that.”
On Friday, East Side, representing Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic region, will face a team from New Jersey — Bayonne Central Little League, representing the Metro region — in the West Chester squad’s first matchup of the Little League World Series (7 p.m., ESPN). Left fielder Paul Cowperthwait previously told the Inquirer the team is living “every 12-year-old’s dream.”
“These are kids that we always thought were special from Day 1,” Hennessey said. “We continue to have that belief in them, and here we are now at the Little League World Series, which is something that we thought was possible, but you don’t really know until you get to this point.”
Players from East Side Little League in West Chester take their spot amidst 19 other Little League teams participating in the 2026 Little League World Series during opening ceremonies.Ralph Wilson / For The Inquirer
After clawing out of the loser’s bracket in the Pennsylvania state tournament, East Side cruised through the Mid-Atlantic regionals, winning all three of its matchups.
East Side’s victory in the Mid-Atlantic championship was the most dramatic of the three wins, as it defeated Wilmington’s Naamans Little League, which is roughly a 30-minute drive from West Chester, 3-1.
With two out in the game’s final inning, East Side pitcher Ryan Donnelly slid to grab a short roller before making the throw at first to get the Naamans runner out. A prolonged review that lasted about four minutes allowed the team to celebrate twice — after the play initially was made and once the replay confirmed the outcome.
“I think it was sweet to have that second celebration,” Hennessey said.
East Side is looking to keep the good times rolling against Bayonne Central. The North Jersey team is preparing for its second game of the Little League World Series, after defeating Bridgewater Joe Lazaro Little League of Massachusetts, 2-1, on Wednesday.
The tournament is double-elimination, so East Side’s championship chances are not over if it loses Friday. They’d play again on Sunday with a win, or on Monday in an elimination game with a loss.
Hennessey, whose son, Ryan, plays for East Side, has coached the same set of players in West Chester for the past five years.
“I started coaching them when they were 8, so to watch them grow from little guys to almost young men has been a very cool experience,” the elder Hennessey said. “Obviously, I’m coaching my son as well, so to see him grow along with the other kids, it’s just been an awesome experience for me and the other coaches.”
East Side Little League is representing the Mid-Atlantic Region and will play their first game of the series on Friday.Ralph Wilson / For The Inquirer
Hennessey is especially proud of how the team has handled their newfound attention since arriving in Williamsport last Saturday. According to the coach, the team has become increasingly comfortable on camera since first being exposed to the media circuit during the Mid-Atlantic regionals.
And coaching his son has made the whole experience even more special for Hennessey — even if it poses its own challenges at times.
“Coaching your son, obviously, is tough,” Hennessey said. “I feel like at a younger age, they listen to you more, they appreciate your feedback. But the older they get, the less likely they are to listen to you.”
To combat this, Hennessey and his assistant coaches — who have children on the team — put a simple rule into place: No coaching your own son. Since implementing the rule a couple of years ago, the coaches have been able to break through to their own children.
“My dad coached me growing up,” Hennessey said. “I always appreciated him coaching me and just being there to help me out to kind of show me or tell me the things I was doing right or wrong. And I think, maybe, [Ryan] doesn’t understand it now, but I think you know down the road he’ll understand things I said to him and the reasons why I said it. And hopefully he’ll appreciate that down the road.”
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Jordan Mailata succinctly summed up the reasoning behind the offense’s inefficiencies in its second joint practice against the New England Patriots on Thursday.
“Less boxing and more football,” Mailata said.
No, neither team channeled its inner Muhammad Ali and let the punches fly. Pushing, shoving, and grabbing characterized the handful of skirmishes between the Eagles offense and Patriots defense on the final day of joint practices.
Nonetheless, those quarrels quashed the Eagles’ momentum, especially on the ground, according to Mailata. Their inability to run the ball effectively on Thursday paled in comparison to Wednesday’s performance, when Saquon Barkley & Co. seemingly exploited every seam.
“The run game had a better flow yesterday,” Mailata said. “There were less fights. The fighting, we’ve got to cut that out, ’cause it kills momentum. And then both sides are now amped up, and now we’re not thinking about our assignment. We’re thinking about roughing the next guy. Which is great, but again, not effective in our scheme and concept of things.”
Barkley didn’t mince words, either, about how fighting can derail the intent of the practice with another team.
“I hate joint practices, to be honest,” Barkley said. “I think one day’s good. But we play in an ego-filled sport with a lot of men.”
He continued: “It’s just more times than not, nothing good comes out of it. When you have the work, it’s good, but then you get the pushing, the shoving, and someone says this about you, and I’m like, ‘I don’t know, but I’m not that. You’re this.’ It’s immature when we get to that level. I’ve got to do a better job, too, ‘cause I’m a little troublemaker sometimes. But I was good this week.”
“The run game had a better flow yesterday,” Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata said after Thursday’s joint practice with the Patriots. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Barkley got involved in a scrum at one point during 11-on-11s when the backups were on the field. Earlier, tensions also flared between Lane Johnson and Patriots linebacker K.J. Britt. They exchanged shoves after Barkley ran up the middle, picked up just a few yards and tight end Johnny Mundt was blocked to the ground.
The Eagles running backs failed to rip off long gains all morning. Tank Bigsby nearly had one with the starting offense as he bounced outside to the left, but the play was brought back due to a holding penalty.
The one step forward, one step back nature of the run game’s progress throughout joint practices wasn’t concerning to Mailata as the Eagles nail down the new scheme under Sean Mannion. Even though the run game wasn’t at its best on Thursday, Mailata said he still sees the potential in the group as Week 1 looms just 24 days away.
“The running backs are doing a great job, Saquon’s doing a great job of getting to his reads on the run,” Mailata said. “The beautiful thing about our scheme is you can hit anywhere and, again, it’s not just all on Saquon. It’s got to be on us up front. We’ve got to get to our landmarks and win our block up front. Some of that today wasn’t there.”
But that execution was there on Wednesday from the entire rushing unit. Mannion’s vision for the run game, rooted in the wide-zone blocking scheme typically incorporated among offshoots of the Kyle Shanahan/Sean McVay scheme, is beginning to take shape, Mailata said.
“We were able to see with the misdirections and the way the concept is designed where the ball can hit anywhere,” Mailata said.
Barkley said he is excited about the potential of the run game, too. That excitement is unrelated to the performance of the offense in training camp, though, and more rooted in the process.
“I’m super excited, because I know how great this team will be and how great we can be,” Barkley said. “I know what it looks like when we’re all on the same page and we’re playing at a high level. But right now, this whole portion of camp and this part of the season, it’s really about just grinding, putting the little things together.
“The kind of mindset I’m going to have for the rest of the season, just be process-driven. Don’t really get too caught up in the results of what it can be or what it can look like. And just let the process take care of the rest.”
A new fitness show has hit YouTube, and the first episode stars the Philly area’s own Kylie Kelce.
On Thursday, the debut episode of Power Hour with Ilona Maherdropped, and Maher, one of the stars of the 2024 U.S. Olympic rugby team, brought Kelce, her friend and fellow athlete, into the gym to lift weights, complete challenges, and talk sports.
“Here we champion three things: strength, pushing boundaries, and looking good while doing it,” Maher said in the episode’s intro.
Between jokes about what position they could play on the Eagles, the team for which Kelce’s husband, Jason Kelce, played for 13 seasons, and comparing Instagram hate comments, Maher instructed Kelce on how to do an incline bench press and throw medicine balls.
The duo kept it real, though, as the sometimes adult-themed conversation strayed from gym-related content and they laughed about dating failures and facing sexism as women in sports.
“Do you objectify [Jason]?” Maher asked.
“Of course I do,” Kelce responded, jokingly. “It’s all about equality.”
Maher, who has previously appeared on Kelce’s Not Gonna Lie podcast, is retired from professional rugby, and Kelce played field hockey at Cabrini after graduating from Lower Merion. More recently, they have advocated for women in sports and philanthropic causes.
The two appeared together earlier this summer at the sixth annual Team 62 fundraiser in Sea Isle City, where Maher was among the celebrity bartenders for the Kelces’ annual event for the Eagles Autism Foundation.
Kylie Kelce adds some money to the cash register during the Shore Birds celebrity bartending event in Sea Isle.Courtesy of the Philadelphia Eagles
Kelce has been outspoken about her life as a mother of four and brought that experience into the weight room on Power Hour. The final challenge, dubbed “The Motherhood,” reversed the roles and put Maher to the test, challenging her to grab the kids, pick up the toys, and, at the end of it all, push a classic weighted sled, which represented the expectations society puts on mothers.
“To put this pressure on moms, have your kid and get right back in shape,” Maher said, stunned.
“That’s the dumbest part,” Kelce responded. “You just built a human being, and people are like, ‘You gonna bounce back?’”
New episodes of Power Hour with Ilona Maher drop on Thursdays.
