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  • Cristopher Sánchez escapes a pair of jams as Phillies blank Orioles to snap four-game skid

    Cristopher Sánchez escapes a pair of jams as Phillies blank Orioles to snap four-game skid

    BALTIMORE — A few minutes after it ended — the game, and the Phillies’ losing skid — Dave Dombrowski poked his head into Don Mattingly’s office.

    “I was just telling him,” Dombrowski said, straight-faced, “about the four trades we made.”

    Winning, it seems, brings out the comedian in everyone.

    But the Phillies earned a few moments of levity here Saturday night, near the end of a tension-filled week — less than 48 hours before the trade deadline — with a 5-0 blanking of the Orioles to halt a four-game losing streak.

    Phillies continue to seek help for ‘man down’ bullpen before Monday’s trade deadline

    The record will reflect that they did it with six scoreless innings from Cristopher Sánchez and timely hitting from Alec Bohm, Brandon Marsh, and, with two outs, Justin Crawford in a four-run eighth inning.

    A closer inspection reveals the Phillies won by doing the little things. To wit:

    • J.T. Realmuto blocked a sinker in the dirt from atypically erratic Sánchez with the bases loaded in the sixth inning before Trea Turner fielded Leody Taveras’ high chopper to extinguish the threat.
    • Bryson Stott capped a 15-pitch duel — the longest at-bat in the majors this season — with a one-out single in the seventh inning to knock tough Orioles starter Shane Baz from the game.
    • Crawford ran down a ball in right-center field when the game was scoreless in the fourth inning.

    “It was kind of a complete game for us,” Mattingly said. “We caught the ball. Sánchy was good, got out of jams, which is not ever going to be easy for you. Just kind of the whole game today felt like a clean game.”

    Bryce Harper gestures to the dugout after a ground-rule double in the fourth inning of the Phillies’ 5-0 win Saturday night in Baltimore.Nick Wass

    Indeed, little things go a long way.

    That’s always true, of course, but especially with the trade deadline bearing down at 6 p.m. Monday. It’s down to the wire for teams on the buy-sell fence. Some clubs, such as the Orioles, may not choose a lane until Monday morning, if at all.

    The Phillies, who hold the final wild card in the National League, firmly are in the buyers’ club. But they need a late-inning reliever, a right-handed bat, and probably a starting pitcher to hold off a charge from the Padres and Marlins — and maybe the Pirates and Nationals, too.

    Mostly, though, they need to get back to winning.

    The Orioles’ Taylor Ward fits the Phillies’ needs. But will he be on the market at the MLB trade deadline?

    It was no wonder, then, that Sánchez shrugged off the notion that a start in which he equaled his career-high with five walks was uncharacteristic for him.

    “Not weird, not rare,” he said with a smile through the team interpreter. “Just an excellent outing. We won.”

    Or that Crawford gave a different answer altogether upon being asked which was more satisfying: his catch to rob extra bases from Taylor Ward early in the game or his two-run single late?

    “I think just coming out with a win, honestly,” the rookie center fielder said. “Being able to get that win right there was huge for us. And hopefully we could keep the momentum going and get another one [Sunday].”

    It surely will help to have Zack Wheeler on the mound.

    The Phillies look like a World Series contender whenever their top three starters — Sánchez, Wheeler, and Jesús Luzardo — are on the mound. Even when they don’t have their sharpest stuff.

    Sánchez overcame spells of poor control, twice escaping bases-loaded jams. In the fourth inning, he struck out Taveras on a sinker that clipped the inside corner. In the sixth, with the Phillies clutching a 1-0 lead, Realmuto knocked down a first-pitch sinker in the dirt before Sánchez got the chopper to Turner.

    “Oh, it was big,” Sánchez said of sidestepping the sixth-inning jam. “After the inning ended, I just took a deep breath and said, ‘Thank God.’ Too many walks today, and we know that not the type of pitcher that I am or want to be.”

    Sánchez also had a few words for the Orioles’ dugout.

    “They were yelling some stuff, some things,” he said. “I saw one of their coaches talking a little. But what they don’t know is that those type of things, that motivates me. I take as fuel. That fuels me. I just get motivated by that.”

    The Phillies do ‘need some help’ by trades. But they also need some from Bryce Harper and his teammates.

    Given the bullpen’s recent problems, Mattingly surely exhaled after the four-run eighth inning. Rather than a cuticle-chomping finish, lefty José Alvarado was able to work with a big lead before turning it over to Jhoan Duran, pitching for the first time since his blown save five nights earlier in Miami.

    “We got a little breathing room there,” Mattingly said.

    Dombrowski continues to pursue help for the bullpen, a starting pitcher, and a right-handed bat. The rival Braves landed righty-hitting outfielder Lane Thomas from the Royals late Saturday night. Thomas was a Phillies target, too.

    Righty-hitting outfielder Bryan De La Cruz has filled in well. He’s 8-for-18 since getting called up from triple A, including an RBI single to break a scoreless stalemate in the fifth inning.

    “De La’s always kind of like day in, day out, you know?” Mattingly said. “He plays solid defense, doesn’t really make mistakes. The at-bats are good.”

    It’s something to think about.

    Meanwhile, a victory put everyone in a good mood — at least for a night.

  • Heroics from Neil Pierre and Ezekiel Alladoh vs. Atlanta United keep Union’s winning streak alive

    Heroics from Neil Pierre and Ezekiel Alladoh vs. Atlanta United keep Union’s winning streak alive

    The Union secured a 3-2 win over 10-man Atlanta United behind stoppage-time goals from Neil Pierre and Ezekiel Alladoh.

    Pierre scored in the 96th minute to bring the Union level, and Alladoh scored in the 97th to complete a stunning comeback.

    Atlanta played at a man disadvantage for more than an hour after Enea Mihaj was shown off for a dangerous challenge on Milan Iloski in the 27th minute.

    Miguel Almirón and Tristan Muyumba netted shorthanded goals to give the visitors a 2-0 advantage by the 66th minute.

    Milan Iloski scored the Union’s first goal in the 73rd before Pierre evened it and Alladoh scored the winner.

    The improbable victory is the third-straight win for the Union (4-10-4, 16 points), who are undefeated since returning from the international break for the FIFA World Cup.

    “That was the mentality,” Union interim manager Ryan Richter said. “That was the clear target for the game. Not come back and tie; get three points out of this. It was pretty cool the way that the guys pushed all the way through.”

    Mihaj was shown a red card in the 27th minute after sliding into a late challenge near midfield. Mihaj’s cleat scraped against the leg of Iloski, which led referee Allen Chapman to show the center back red without warning and sent last-place Atlanta (3-12-3, 12 points) down to 10 men.

    Despite going down a man, Almirón gave Atlanta the lead in the 30th. Fafà Picault lofted a ball for Almirón, who squeezed past Pierre and Frankie Westfield to get through on goal.

    Almirón finished the chance through a last-ditch tackle from Pierre, beating Andre Blake with a slow-rolling shot to his left and giving Atlanta a 1-0 lead.

    Iloski also was cautioned in the physical first half. The Union’s leading goal-scorer was shown yellow in the 28th for a tackle on Almirón.

    The two sides combined for 13 fouls and three cards in the first half, including Atlanta’s bench being shown yellow in the seventh minute for dissent.

    Pierre nearly brought the Union level with a header from a corner in the 43rd minute, but his attempt hit the crossbar and bounced back into play.

    Westfield also hit the woodwork with a shot from a corner in the third minute of first-half stoppage time. Westfield’s shot was the final first-half chance for the Union, who went into the break up a man but down a goal.

    Both managers kept their sides the same to start the second half, which began with a prolonged period of control for the Union. The Union launched three shots from four corners in the first five minutes of the second half but could not break through.

    Nathan Harriel was shown yellow in the 53rd minute for a tactical challenge on Almirón, who was running past Harriel on a counterattack.

    Ryan Richter made his first set of changes in the 56th minute, bringing on Quinn Sullivan and Jesús Bueno for Indiana Vassilev and Jovan Lukić.

    Danley Jean Jacques produced another near miss from a corner shortly after. Jean Jacques beat Atlanta goalkeeper Lucas Hoyos to Iloski’s cross, but his headed attempt sailed over the bar.

    Muyumba sent a curled right-footed shot into the back of Blake’s net from just outside the 18-yard box in the 66th minute to make it 2-0.

    “We fell asleep in two moments to give the goals,” Richter said. “That part isn’t good enough. It’s clear for everybody. And they were on each other about that, too.”

    Richter made another pair of offensively-minded changes in the 71st, shifting the Union to a more attacking formation by bringing on Alladoh and Agustín Anello for Bruno Damiani and Nathan Harriel.

    “In these games, home games in MLS, you have to go for the win,” Richter said. “It’s not satisfying to go for the tie. One point at home is not enough to make the push that you want throughout a season. So in all these, whenever we’re in this situation, it’s us trying to go for the win.”

    The changes paid off, as Iloski beat Hoyos with a crafty right-footed finish for his eighth goal in the last six games.

    Cavan Sullivan nearly brought the Union level twice as the game pushed on. Hoyos pushed a dangerous Sullivan volley wide in the 81st, and in the 82nd, Sullivan took a shot that went just wide of the left post.

    Elías Báez was shown yellow for time wasting in the 92nd minute as Atlanta killed off eight minutes of stoppage time.

    Pierre scored the game-tying goal off a Kai Wagner cross, smashing a header past Hoyos.

    “To be honest, I can’t even really remember it,” Pierre said of his goal. “I just really jumped up. I low-key closed my eyes, and then it just went in the goal, so I was happy.”

    Alladoh scored a minute later to secure the remarkable three-goal comeback for the Union in the game’s final moments.

    “Everybody knows the first half wasn’t good enough,” Wagner said. “But the reaction after the second goal showed that everybody on this team has belief at the moment. We were on the front foot. It showed a really good character from the team.”

    Up next

    The Union will open the group stage of the Leagues Cup against Liga MX side Cruz Azul at Subaru Park on Thursday (8 p.m., Apple TV, FS1).

    The Union will play three group-stage matches at home in the Leagues Cup, which pits 18 Mexican clubs against 18 MLS sides. The Union will host Necaxa on Aug. 9 before closing out Phase 1 of the competition against Santos Laguna on Aug. 13.

    The Union will return to MLS play with a match against New York City FC on Aug. 16 at Yankee Stadium.

  • Phillies continue to seek help for ‘man down’ bullpen before Monday’s trade deadline

    Phillies continue to seek help for ‘man down’ bullpen before Monday’s trade deadline

    BALTIMORE — For six weeks, there was a defined order to how Don Mattingly ran the Phillies’ bullpen.

    Then, Brad Keller blew out his elbow.

    “I think it’s just a man down, right?” Mattingly said Saturday, a night after Orion Kerkering set a two-run lead ablaze in the seventh inning of a 6-4 loss to the Orioles. “It’s one less guy. And [Keller] was kind of the eighth-inning guy. Any time that guy is no longer there, just like a totem pole, everybody takes a step up.”

    At least until the void is filled from somewhere else.

    The Phillies must go through the Dodgers. To do it they’ll need to find a lefty reliever at the trade deadline.

    The trade deadline is two days away — 6 p.m. Monday — and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is trying to fill multiple needs. Chief among them: late-inning relief, which was amplified by Friday night’s seventh-inning meltdown.

    Keller signed a two-year, $22 million contract in the offseason to be the primary setup man for star closer Jhoan Duran. And Mattingly used him as such, with Kerkering and lefty José Alvarado mostly in the sixth and seventh innings.

    Without Keller, Jonathan Bowlan has taken on a higher-leverage role alongside Kerkering from the right side. Alvarado has been better lately after an erratic first half in which underlying metrics suggested he was outpitching a poor ERA.

    And still, the Phillies are a reliever (or two) short.

    Lefty reliever José Alvarado (right) is part of the Phillies’ late-inning mix.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    “For sure, yeah, we’re concerned,” catcher J.T. Realmuto said. “But we believe we have the guys in this room to get it done. We’ve got guys that have gotten a lot of big outs for us in the last few years and with really good stuff.”

    The Phillies have been linked to old friend Jeff Hoffman, who has a 4.02 ERA for the Blue Jays but also has given up two earned runs in 19⅔ innings since June 9. They have expressed interest in Padres lefty Adrián Morejón, but San Diego was only game behind the Phillies for the last wild-card spot entering play Saturday.

    Kerkering sounded like he expects that the Phillies will reinforce the bullpen.

    “Everyone knows it at the end of the day,” he said. “But I don’t think anyone thinks about it, like when you’re out there or getting ready for the day.”

    In his first start back in the majors, Andrew Painter allowed two runs in six innings Friday night.Stephanie Scarbrough

    A change in Painter

    Andrew Painter knew he was going to pitch Friday night. He didn’t imagine it would be for the Phillies.

    “No,” he said, laughing.

    But team officials met Thursday and decided Painter represented the Phillies’ best chance to win a game from the fifth-starter spot. So, they recalled him from triple A, and he gave up two runs in six innings, among his best starts in his brief major league career.

    Will he make his next start when the No. 5 spot comes around again Wednesday at home against the Nationals?

    “He’s in our rotation,” Mattingly said. “So at this point, there’s no talk of sending him out or anything like that.”

    The Orioles’ Taylor Ward fits the Phillies’ needs. But will he be on the market at the MLB trade deadline?

    In other words, check back after the trade deadline.

    But team officials agreed that Painter demonstrated improvement in his return from the minors. In particular, he ditched his splitter and replaced it with a circle-changeup, which gave him a better offspeed weapon against left-handed hitters.

    “The split was great early this year, and then got a little inconsistent and started cutting it,” Painter said. “So I was just looking for some sort of shape that was consistent, something where I knew what it was going to do, where it was going to go when I threw it.”

    Painter worked with the Phillies’ pitching department to review starts from his breakout 2022 season in the minors. The effectiveness of his changeup stood out. So, Painter went back to the circle grip and started throwing it in triple-A games.

    “It took probably two or three starts to get a feel for the changeup,” Painter said. “It’s such a feel pitch, whereas the splitter, you kind of just grip it and throw it as hard as you can. I feel like not pregripping a splitter 90 times a game helps. I think it helps the fastball a little bit.”

    Over the last few weeks, the Phillies have scouted many available starting pitchers, including the Giants’ Robbie Ray, the Blue Jays’ Kevin Gausman, and the Mets’ Clay Holmes and Freddy Peralta.

    As the deadline nears, they will have to decide if Painter is more trustworthy in the No. 5 starter spot. He has a 6.72 ERA is 15 games (13 starts).

    “If there’s any way I can do that,” Painter said, “it’s something I want to do.”

    Phillies right fielder Gabriel Rincones Jr. is in a 2-for-27 slump.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Rincones sits again

    Gabriel Rincones Jr.’s spot in the outfield mix is getting more tenuous by the day.

    For the third time this week, Rincones — a left-handed hitter — didn’t start against a right-handed pitcher. Instead, righty-swinging Bryan De La Cruz was in right field. Rincones, on a 2-for-27 skid with 13 strikeouts, is batting .167 with a .488 OPS overall.

    “I feel like I’ve watched enough that you’re just not seeing balls getting squared up,” Mattingly said. “If he was hitting balls on the nose all over the place and just not having results, it’d be different then. With what we’re seeing, I think De La gives us a better chance to win today.”

    The Phillies do ‘need some help’ by trades. But they also need some from Bryce Harper and his teammates.

    The Phillies are trying to add a right-handed bat before the trade deadline, though Rincones’ struggles may widen the search to include a left-handed hitter, too.

    Extra bases

    Right-hander Ramon Marquez, an emerging prospect in the Phillies’ farm system, tossed five scoreless innings and struck out seven betters on 68 pitches for high-A Jersey Shore. … Switch-hitting outfielder Steward Berroa cleared waivers and was outrighted to triple A. Berroa was designated for assignment last week. … Zack Wheeler (10-2, 2.53 ERA) is scheduled to start the series finale at 1:35 p.m. Sunday against Orioles righty Kyle Bradish (7-9, 3.74).

  • Ohio judge rules that Villanova QB Pat McQuaide will be eligible this season

    Ohio judge rules that Villanova QB Pat McQuaide will be eligible this season

    After a legal ruling, it seems that Villanova quarterback Pat McQuaide will suit up this season.

    On Saturday, Cuyahoga County (Ohio) Common Pleas Court judge Timothy P. McCormick ruled that the NCAA cannot enforce its eligibility rules against McQuaide, granting the quarterback a preliminary injunction to play this season. McQuaide, who is from Solon in Cuyahoga County, motioned to sue the governing body after the NCAA denied his waiver request to play in 2026-27. The initial waiver was filed by Villanova on McQuaide’s behalf.

    “Villanova is aware of the court decision regarding Pat McQuaide’s eligibility for the 2026 college football season,” the university wrote to The Inquirer. “We are working closely with the Patriot League and with Pat to determine the appropriate next steps.”

    McQuaide, 23, alleged that the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic during his junior year of high school severely disrupted his development and recruitment. Because of this, McQuaide landed at Kent State University as a walk-on. At Kent State, McQuaide redshirted and later transferred to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. After one year at Mississippi Gulf Coast, McQuaide played at Nicholls State for two years and Villanova last season.

    The legal question around McQuaide’s eligibility pertains to his 2022 season at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Villanova requested that this season should not count against McQuaide’s allotted eligible seasons, as Mississippi Gulf Coast is a junior college program and not under the purview of the NCAA. Additionally, McQuaide landed at the community college because of “extreme circumstances outside the normal recruiting process and outside of McQuaide’s control.”

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    McCormick cited past legal decisions involving issues of student-athlete eligibility, such as the case of former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, and recently adopted NCAA bylaws in his decision to grant a preliminary injunction.

    The decision also noted that Villanova is holding a spot on its roster for McQuaide to return as the team’s starting quarterback. With this, it is expected he will return to the Wildcats. Last season, McQuaide passed for 3,123 yards and 25 touchdowns in 15 appearances.

  • Eagles practice observations: Makai Lemon feels it; Jalen Carter dominates; how much will Jalen Hurts run?

    Eagles practice observations: Makai Lemon feels it; Jalen Carter dominates; how much will Jalen Hurts run?

    The Eagles held their third practice of their 2026 training camp on Saturday at the Jefferson Health Training Complex. Here were my observations from Day 3 (and links to Day 1 and 2):

    Taking attendance

    The Eagles had four excused absences for noninjury related reasons: tackle Lane Johnson, linebacker Jihaad Campbell, wide receiver Elijah Moore, and defensive tackle Ta’Quon Graham. Campbell, it appeared, missed practice to return to Alabama for graduation after completing his degree.

    Tackle Cameron Williams (knee contusion) and rookie safety Cole Wisniewski (hamstring) were the first entries on the Eagles’ injury list. Williams left Thursday’s practice early. They’ll likely be joined on the sideline by guard Micah Morris, who walked off the field on Saturday and didn’t return. Fellow rookie guard Jaeden Roberts suffered a more significant injury and could be out for an extended period. His left leg bent back awkwardly when he got pushed back into another lineman during the last play of the development period. He was carted inside after trainers stabilized his leg.

    Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. took Jihaad Campbell’s first-team reps Saturday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Flip-flopping

    Jeremiah Trotter Jr. took Campbell’s spot at inside linebacker alongside Zack Baun. Nakobe Dean’s offseason exit in free agency was predictable, once the Eagles selected Campbell in the first round of the 2025 draft. But Trotter was another luxury that made it easier to part ways with Dean. He has starter capabilities and flashed again on Saturday (see below).

    Fred Johnson filled in for Lane Johnson at right tackle, which allowed rookie Markel Bell to switch from right to left tackle with the second-unit offense. Also notable: outside linebackers Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt swapped sides for the first time this camp, with the former on the right and the latter on the left. Left tackle Jordan Mailata had more success vs. Smith than he did vs. Hunt in the first two days of camp.

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    Lemon take

    Makai Lemon was targeted more than he was in the first two days, but that didn’t mean the receiver had more receptions. During seven-on-sevens, safety Andrew Mukuba was quick to Lemon on a stick route and nearly had an interception after running through the rookie. Later in team drills inside the red zone, a good play call got Lemon matched up against a linebacker on a short crosser in the end zone. Trotter hooked Lemon to the ground and was flagged for pass interference.

    Later, Jalen Hurts went to the receiver on a deep route out of the slot. Nickel cornerback Cooper DeJean initially was a half-step behind, but he closed on Lemon as the pass sailed out of reach. Lemon faced predraft concerns about his ability to get separation downfield. I don’t think those questions have been close to answered either way. But he clearly knows what he’s doing on underneath routes and carries himself with confidence, even if he got knocked around some on Saturday.

    Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts targeted rookie receiver Makai Lemon frequently on Saturday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Welcome back, Carter

    Vic Fangio’s defense had another solid performance, which is to be expected as offensive coordinator Sean Mannion installs his new offense. Jalen Carter stood out again. The defensive tackle batted an early Hurts pass incomplete and got to the quarterback after bouncing off guard Tyler Steen on an inside rush.

    Hunt beat Fred Johnson for another likely sack during red-zone drills. Safety Marcus Epps had tight end Dallas Goedert in his pocket when Hurts was forced to float a deep ball out of harm’s way. Baun knocked a pass to the ground a play before Carter got his mitt on one of Hurt’s throws.

    Trotter had impressive moments in the red-zone period. He beat Steen to running back Saquon Barkley on an off-tackle run. And he got a hand on a checkdown to Barkley two plays later. Hurts was forced to scramble several times in the early portion of practice. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially when he motored into the secondary on one play. But the offense functions better when Hurts is hitting his first reads.

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    Running on empty

    We hadn’t seen much of Hurts and the zone-read game, which partly compelled me to ask Mannion his thoughts on the quarterback as a runner before practice. He said there’s room in the offense for that element, although more of Hurts under center naturally will make him less of a plus-one factor.

    Hurts didn’t run as much last season, nor was he as effective when he kept the ball on the ground. The Shanahan-McVay offense is designed to be run-based, so ideally the Eagles won’t need their quarterback to run as much. Protecting Hurts is of the utmost important, but his mobility is often what made him dynamic in his first six seasons.

    Right on cue, Hurts kept on a run-pass-run option in the red zone and waltzed into the end zone ahead of a half-hearted Smith on Saturday. The plays are scripted before practice, but I’ve convinced myself Mannion called that play to appease me.

    Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion addresses questions before practice on Saturday at the Jefferson Health Training Complex.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Screen chores

    We also saw our first glimpse of the screen game. Barkley didn’t have much room after Carter beat Steen to his spot. But Goedert had space and lead blockers later in the red zone. It’s still to be determined how much Barkley and the running backs will be featured in the passing game. Barkley said he thinks there are opportunities for him to be more prominent as a receiver in this system.

    He was asked to stay in and help with protection more last season. A lot of that had to do with injuries on the offensive line. But blocking has never been a forte. Mannion didn’t reveal much when asked about running backs in the pass game, but he clearly would rather have Barkley run routes than block. Defenses are going to send extra rushers at Hurts, so the running backs will need to help. Tank Bigsby did well to pick up a DeJean blitz off the edge during the third-down period.

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    Hello to Hollywood

    Mannion’s offense did have its moments. Hurts hit receiver Hollywood Brown on a deep cross in team drills. DeJean was the trailing defender, but he had no inside assistance when Mukuba dropped deep. Brown ran a nifty route that turned corner Ambry Thomas around when the second units met.

    DeVonta Smith had a relatively quiet day, although he hauled in a floater ahead of corner Mac McWilliams at one point. Hurts had solid pass protection and maybe an unrealistic amount of time, but he hung in the pocket and delivered a strike. The quarterback later ripped one to Britain Covey on a deep cross, but the receiver couldn’t hang on. Covey otherwise was reliable when targeted.

    Receiver Dontayvion Wicks gave slot corner Michael Carter II a little hesitation shake on a slant route and picked up a first down during third down.

    Eagles cornerbacks Riq Woolen (right) and Mac McWilliams work out at practice. McWilliams’ role with the Eagles is unclear so far as he enters his second season.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Mac Man

    McWilliams remains a bit an unknown. He didn’t play much last season as a rookie. It’s unclear if the Eagles see him more as a slot or boundary corner. He’s been at the former for most of camp so far. He had a couple of pass breakups while covering rookie tight end Eli Stowers during third down. Quarterback Tanner McKee appeared to be a touch off on the first throw, but McWilliams made sure Stowers couldn‘t secure the second.

    Cornerback Jakorian Bennett dragged down receiver Quez Watkins for pass interference after getting beat on a deep release. He rebounded later when he ripped the ball from receiver Johnny Wilson on an Andy Dalton dart over the middle. McKee and Dalton continued to split snaps with the second unit.

    Cole quarter

    Cole Payton bounced back from an unfortunate second day in which he tossed three picks. The rookie quarterback is no Checkdown Charlie. On his first drop, he uncorked a seed to receiver Danny Gray. He later called his own number twice on plays with an option draw.

    One quick aside: We haven’t seen tight ends featured as receivers much in the offense so far. It could be just the plays Mannion currently is installing or how the cookie crumbled in terms of pass distribution. But it’s no secret that the Shanahan-McVay offense often deploys a blocking tight end. Johnny Mundt has a clear edge in that role.

    Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell greets military members before practice on Saturday at the Jefferson Health Training Complex.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Extra points

    Covey was first up in fielding punts, but DeJean, Lemon, and Watkins also took turns. … The Eagles went with a rookie at long snapper this offseason, but Rocco Underwood isn’t guaranteed a roster spot. He’s looked fine so far, although he had a few high snaps in punting drills on Saturday. … The Eagles had many servicemen and women in attendance during Military Appreciation Day. … Sunday is an off day for players. The team returns for three straight practices starting Monday. Tuesday will be the first in full pads.

  • New Barber’s Hall, a cornerstone of Philadelphia’s Black heritage, celebrates its historic run before saying goodbye

    New Barber’s Hall, a cornerstone of Philadelphia’s Black heritage, celebrates its historic run before saying goodbye

    It will soon be closing time for New Barber’s Hall, an iconic Black cultural space that has brought jazz, revelry, and community to North Philadelphia for nearly 50 years.

    On Saturday, the combination music venue, restaurant, and ballroom on the 1400 block of West Oxford Street celebrated what will be one of its last hurrahs — the longtime owner, Jake Adams, has sold the building.

    Adams and his wife, Sarah, said they plan to keep the joint open for as long as they see fit, though at some point the buyer — neighboring Temple University — will take over the property to enact plans not yet revealed.

    Before curtains are called, local leaders and hundreds of loyal patrons gathered to celebrate decades of good times and cultural milestones that took place at New Barber’s Hall, a three-story brick building that dates to the 1800s and was once a social hub for the city’s Black barbers.

    While there was plenty of talk about icons who had once played gigs or simply passed through — from Miles Davis and John Coltrane to Patti LaBelle and Boyz II Men — the afternoon’s focus was largely on Adams, who has diligently played host since purchasing the building in the late 1970s.

    New Barber’s Hall owners Jake and Sarah Adams hold a street sign in their honor during a Barber’s Hall community legacy celebration, a daylong celebration of music, history, and community in North Philadelphia on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    To honor the duo, the celebration included the unveiling of Philadelphia’s newest street sign, designating that portion of West Oxford Street as “Jake and Sarah Adams Way.”

    “For almost 50 years being a business leader here in the city, Jake has given back numerous times,” said City Councilmember Jeffery Young, whose district covers much of North Philadelphia, as he announced the new placard.

    “When we announced we were doing this, people said, ‘Oh, my God, I had my baby shower there, my wedding reception there, I met my spouse there.’” Young said. “That’s what this place is.”

    Adams, who in addition to owning New Barber’s Hall was a Democratic leader of the city’s 14th Ward, gave bittersweet remarks as he thanked the crowd for years of support.

    “I tried to fix the building. I tried to make sure that everybody had a great time,” he said.

    New Barber’s Hall owners Jake (second right) and Sarah Adams receive a street sign in their honor presented by 5th District Councilmember Jeffery Young Jr., (left) during a Barber’s Hall community legacy celebration, a daylong celebration of music, history, and community in North Philadelphia on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    The sale is the latest development in the building’s lengthy history.

    Constructed in the 1860s, it evolved over the decades to house various civic and fraternal organizations such as the National Council for Jewish Women and the Quaker City Wheelmen, and in the early 20th century it spent time as a bicycle factory.

    The Barber’s Hall name came about when Black barbers pooled their money to purchase the building in 1949. It soon became a hub for the city’s growing Black community, and musicians staying at the nearby Chesterfield Hotel — listed in the Jim Crow-era “Green Book” — often stopped by to play.

    Adams and his older brother purchased the building in 1978, running it as a jazz venue and soul food restaurant.

    In addition to LaBelle, greats like Isaac Hayes, Grover Washington Jr., and Robert “Bootsie” Barnes graced the room (in an oft-repeated tale, a teenage Jill Scott was turned away because she was underage).

    Guests attend the New Barber’s Hall community legacy celebration, a daylong celebration of music, history, and community in North Philadelphia on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    The building was set to receive a historic designation from the Philadelphia Historical Commission in 2024 that would have safeguarded it from demolition. But at the last minute, Adams had a change of heart about the nomination, saying he did not want his children to inherit a building with strict restrictions for potential buyers.

    Temple, seeking to expand its footprint under president John Fry, quietly snatched up the building earlier this year for $2.3 million. The school will “explore further uses for the property, specifically related to how it might support the soon-to-be-completed campus development plan,” Temple said in a statement, according to the Philadelphia Business Journal.

    In the meantime, Adams told revelers Saturday that the true coda for New Barber’s Hall won’t come until he says so, adding that Temple had agreed to the arrangement.

    For those like Lisa Sanders, who grew up around the corner from the venue, that day will mark the end of an era.

    “It’s been a part of our family history,” said Sanders, 58, recounting countless birthday parties and platters of shrimp and chicken at the hall.

    “It’s definitely been a pleasure, and [Jake and Sarah] deserve it,” she said. “I’ll really miss Barber’s Hall — but as long as I can still go, I’ll be happy about that.”

  • Trump stands to profit from U.S. policy announcements by selling fast access to his social media posts

    Trump stands to profit from U.S. policy announcements by selling fast access to his social media posts

    NEW YORK — President Donald Trump knows the world hangs on his every word. Now he wants you to pay for it.

    The social media posts of the world’s most powerful man are going on sale Saturday when his Truth Social business begins offering sneak peeks of them to Wall Street traders willing to pay up. The move raises the prospect of big profits for Trump’s company and big questions about insider trading and using public office for private gain.

    Similar fast speed feeds are sold by other social media firms and media providers, but Truth Social doesn’t just distribute the news, it makes it, regularly rattling markets as Trump posts policy changes on everything from war to central bank leadership to tariffs.

    “If this was the CEO a public company, this would be jail time,” said Irene Aldridge, head of Able Alpha Trading, which doesn’t plan to buy the service. “We have a President of the United States who has the front seat to all the action, who makes all the decisions, and he’s disclosing this ahead of time to a select group.”

    Trump’s company says critics just aren’t capitalist enough

    Asked about the propriety of the new service and whether White House lawyers had vetted it, Trump’s press office declined to comment, referring questions to Truth Social’s publicly traded parent. That company, Trump Media & Technology, issued a statement blasting Democratic critics for mischaracterizing the service “out of ideological opposition to free markets or a failure to grasp the distinction between public and nonpublic information — or, quite possibly, both.”

    A prolific poster, Trump has sent stocks, bonds and currencies soaring and plunging with his online musings and threats. That presents opportunities for so-called high frequency traders that specialize in buying and selling within milliseconds, exploiting tiny, fleeting difference in prices.

    Profits aplenty betting on oil, stocks, and currencies

    Just this month, Trump has threatened on Truth Social to slap higher tariffs on Canada, kill a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia, and widen the Iran war. With advanced knowledge, traders betting on a plunge in the Canadian dollar, a drop in nuclear energy stocks, and a jump in oil futures could have raked in big profits.

    “For the big guys, it’s going to be something they need,” said Joe Saluzzi, co-founder of Themis Trading, who estimates about 100 of high frequency firms might be willing to pay for the service. “It’s market-moving information.”

    Dubbed Truth API, the service comes as these firms are spending more on feeds and servers that bypass slower internet connections with direct lines to news and data sources. The chance for profits is greater than ever thanks to artificial intelligence’s ability to read posts and articles more accurately for market-making changes and Trump’s penchant for making news online.

    When Trump makes surprise announcements, traders pounce

    Traders profit when prices jump up and down, and with his taste for cliffhangers, threats, and policy reversals America’s first reality-TV president provides plenty of potentially market-moving content.

    The reversals are especially profitable, allowing traders to win both ways — jumping ahead of stocks moving up or down to a post threatening something, then cashing out within thousands of a second, then betting the other way.

    In addition to Trump, the service will include posts from other “high ranking” Truth Social contributors, including possibly his two oldest sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, who along with the father are heavily followed by users.

    Truth Social has said that the information will be released to the traders and the general public at the same time so there really isn’t an issue of fairness. But Themis Trading’s Saluzzi, a critic of high speed trading, says that’s a red herring because when the posts are received, not when they are released, is what matters.

    “Somebody who buys the info and has a system built to process it will be able to act quicker than you and me,” said Saluzzi, adding in reference to everyday, small stock buyers, “The loser is always the retail investor.”

    Trump posts about a company he likes, and stocks jump

    Aside from policy scoops, another reason to sign up has emerged in recent months: Trump is posting more about publicly traded companies, praising ones he likes in a way that sets off buying frenzies.

    “The pimping of specific companies — obviously Wall Street would like to know that before other people,” said Dylan Hedler-Gaudette, a federal ethics rule expert at the watchdog Project on Government Oversight. “It’s a real mess.”

    In April, moments after Trump praised Palantir Technologies in a post that included its stock symbol, the price briefly jumped the most it had in an entire year. Later that month, Trump posted, “Congratulations on Intel doing such a great job,” and the stock immediately jumped in after-hours trading.

    Just which firms are signing up for the feed is unclear. Asked for comment, none of the half dozen most well known high-speed traders, such as Citadel Securities and XTX Markets, replied. If just three sign up for the $100,000 a month fee, that would double revenue at Trump Media, which reported taking in $3.7 million last year.

    Trump Media needs big money customers

    The company can use their business.

    Stock in the Truth Social parent has plunged 75% since Trump took office last year as the company keeps reporting hundreds of millions in losses despite the president’s help driving traffic to its site by posting major decisions there.

    In fact, the president breaks news on Truth Social so often that the White House press office will copy his posts into an email when responding to questions from the media seeking details on policies. If his posts aren’t available yet, journalists are sometimes told, “Wait for the Truth.”

    Another problem for Truth Social is looming if the Democrats take control of Congress and launch investigations, as vowed by Massachusetts Senator Sen. Elizabeth Warren in a statement Friday specifically attacking the new service: “We will haul in those responsible for this open corruption to answer to the American people.”

    If the losses keep mounting for the company, though, some predict the president will push things further, using the platform even more for policy announcements.

    “That’s absolutely going to happen,” warns Craig Holman, a lobbyist for the good government group Public Citizen. “Trump knows how to sell products.”

  • The Spirit Halloween opening brought thousands to Egg Harbor for animatronics, costumes, and community

    The Spirit Halloween opening brought thousands to Egg Harbor for animatronics, costumes, and community

    Clowns, grim reapers, witches, and vampires ventured down the Shore on Saturday morning to welcome spooky season a little early.

    Spirit Halloween, the retailer best known for its costumes, animatronics, and creepy dolls, hosted the annual grand opening of its 20,000-square-foot flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, N.J. Preregistration for the event was capped at 2,000 people, but a company spokesperson estimated that an additional 1,000 showed up for general admission.

    By 9 a.m., the line snaked around Harbor Square Mall despite the heat. Seagulls circled. Food trucks, music, face-painting, outdoor games, and freebies awaited those who made it through. Children and adults alike varied in dress, from shorts and T-shirts to bloody character costumes.

    Cesar and Adrianna Balmaceda, with son Cesar, were among the attendees who made it through. They gathered near the entrance as Jack the Reaper, Spirit’s mascot, parachuted out of a blimp overhead.

    A skydiver jumps out of the Goodyear blimp wearing a Jack the Reaper costume for the newly opened Spirit Halloween flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, N.J., on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    When Cesar Balmaceda, 31, asked the first person in line when they arrived and where they came from, he was not too surprised by the answer: 5 a.m., from Ohio.

    “I don’t think it’s as bad as previously,” Cesar Balmaceda said. “People used to camp out for days.”

    That obstacle had kept the Balmacedas, Atlantic City locals, from braving the line previously, even though 8-year-old Cesar makes YouTube videos featuring vintage Spirit animatronics. His favorite is Hugz the Clown, a discontinued 6-foot, purple-haired robot.

    But this year, Spirit banned camping out and used the preregistration system instead, which allowed the Balmacedas to get free tickets after the deadline from a kind Facebook user. Young Cesar won a swag bag and quickly changed into themed Spirit gear.

    Naoki Sanchez, 15, stood with her family nearby. They live in Atlantic City, too, and came to meet people with similar interests, since Sanchez also makes animatronic YouTube videos. On Saturday, she wore a zombie baby toy in a chest harness.

    “It’s part of the Spirit Halloween community,” Sanchez said of gathering for the store opening. “We live here, basically.”

    Jump scares and costumes galore

    From bedazzled Michael Myers masks to dog costumes to a pop-up trash raccoon animatronic, visitors to the flagship store had no shortage of options.

    When the doors opened at 10 a.m., employees called out numbers to welcome in small groups of customers one at a time. A life-size Freddy Fazbear animatronic, new to Spirit and sold only in person, sold out in 10 minutes.

    But attendees outside awaited that news anxiously. Employees chatted that the first one was nabbed by a family from Canada, and they weren’t sure how they would get the 6-foot-6, $499.99 robot back home.

    “Are there Freddys still?” a child shouted through the open doors.

    Lori Tesoro, a Spirit spokesperson, said several other animatronics sold out, including a life-size Jason of Friday the 13th and Michael Myers of Halloween fame, along with a line of horror-themed teddy bears.

    Nineteen staffers, including four from other stores, managed the frenzy.

    A limit of one animatronic per person, from Art the Clown of Terrifier to Harmonica Hank (a skeleton scarecrow who can play your music via Bluetooth), kept things from getting too chaotic, as customers leaned on boxes to claim them. Staff wore “Camp Harbor Lake” T-shirts, the 2026 store theme, inspired by campground horror movies. One employee said the company spent about a year planning the celebration.

    The chain, which operates more than 1,500 stores across the U.S. and Canada from August through early November, is headquartered in Egg Harbor in the same office as its parent company, Spencer’s.

    The flagship location, which looks much like every other Spirit store, is owned by the chain year-round but is used for research and development during the offseason, Tesoro said.

    About 400 Spirit stores opened on Aug. 1, while the rest will open in the coming weeks. Still, a company spokesperson said people came from hours away, including from California and the South, to get the earliest possible glimpse at Halloween.

    ‘Life’s too short’

    Back in line, Anthony and Jessica Trabolse and their four kids, all under 8 years old, waited in the sun. They came to Jersey from Staten Island, N.Y., and already have their Halloween costumes planned out, which will likely include wardrobe changes.

    During the Halloween season, Anthony Trabolse said, he works at Spirit to support his son Lucas and his horror obsession. They host an annual Summerween party, featuring years’ worth of Spirit animatronics. This year, Lucas, 7, said he hopes to expand his haunted collection with a 4-foot-10 evil clown, Wind-Up Wally, and meet his favorite Halloween YouTubers.

    “‘Cause I really like Halloween,” Lucas said, sporting a Mohawk and a camera around his neck.

    People gathering for the new Spirit Halloween flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, N.J., on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    Ashley Giordano, 23, and Aliah Roseman, 36, both work as special effects makeup artists for Reaper’s Revenge Haunted Hayride in Scranton. They drove more than four hours for the Egg Harbor event with Giordano’s son, Nico, to celebrate his birthday.

    “He’s only 3, and he can name Spirit animatronics back to 2008,” Giordano said, fake blood spattered on her face. “That’s our Miss Rachel.”

    Roseman said Saturday was their first time coming to Spirit’s annual flagship opening. After recent health issues and a cancer battle, Roseman said people should not deny themselves a good time, including a long Spirit Halloween road trip.

    “Life’s too short to not do fun things,” Roseman said.

  • 6abc’s Cecily Tynan discusses her surprise retirement, sealed after a brief bout with vertigo

    6abc’s Cecily Tynan discusses her surprise retirement, sealed after a brief bout with vertigo

    Viewers across the Philadelphia area were shocked when longtime 6abc meteorologist Cecily Tynan announced her retirement.

    But her Action News colleagues weren’t.

    Tynan knew she wanted to retire back in 2020, when she signed her last contract with the station, which will end next month just as her youngest daughter heads off to college.

    Since then, it had been something of an open secret inside the 6abc newsroom that Tynan’s time at the station was coming to an end. Any chance of her extending her contract ended a few years ago, when she experienced a short but intense bout of vertigo.

    “For most of the day I couldn’t do anything, and I thought this must be what it’s like to be really old and infirm,” Tynan said. “I didn’t want to work all the way up to get to that stage, so it kind of sealed the deal.

    “I’m 57, which is relatively young, I guess, for retiring,” Tynan added. “But I wanted to retire while I’m healthy and active.”

    So rather than stick around 6abc or move up the national ladder, Tynan and her husband, Greg, plan to split time between their homes in Delaware County and Florida after her last day, Aug. 31. She even turned down a chance to come back to host Philadelphia’s Thanksgiving Day parade, something she has done for close to 25 years. But the idea of being able to cook Thanksgiving dinner for her family for the first time won out.

    “My children have never spent the night before Thanksgiving in their own home. We’ve always been in a hotel by the parade route, and I’ve never actually cooked,” Tynan said. “I’ve always picked it up from Whole Foods and reheated it.”

    Tynan discussed her decision to retire, what’s next, and the best and worst weather events she has covered in her three decades at 6abc. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

    How do you plan on filling your retirement? Is it just going to be water-skiing and enjoying life?

    That sounds pretty great!

    That’s definitely a big part of it. That and visiting and watching all my daughters’ cross-country and track meets. I do want to stay active in animal rescue. … I’ve been really active with Providence Animal Center. I’m not sure exactly how I’ll do it, but I would definitely still want to be involved in that.

    And I’d like to be able to go to bed at a decent hour.

    What do you make of the reaction to your decision to retire?

    I’ve been talking about it for months with my personal friends and they’d be like, “Philadelphia’s gonna freak,” and I’m like, “No, everyone’s gonna be fine.” I get it because I’ve been here for almost 31 years, so for a lot of people it seems like they’ve been watching me their whole lifetime. I think that Philadelphians have a special relationship with Action News that you don’t see in a lot of other cities or stations.

    Are there any on-air memories that stand out?

    One fun moment was when my earring fell off, and Jim Gardner got up. I saw him stand up and take off his microphone, and there was a frenzy behind the scenes, like, “Jim’s on the move. Traveler’s on the move.”

    I tried to ignore it, and then I saw this white thing go behind my head, which I thought was a cloud animation. Then I realized it was his hair. It was hilarious and then it went viral — it was on Live With Regis and Kelly the next day and stuff, and that was fun.

    Another one was when I was on the morning show with Monica [Malpass] and Rick [Williams], I would always try to crack them up by dancing off camera.

    One time Rick told the director, “Record Cecily when she’s dancing.” I dance like Elaine from Seinfeld, but worse. And so they aired that.

    Is there a reason you stayed in Philadelphia vs. moving to national television?

    I was born and raised in Newtown, Conn., so I always watched the New York stations.

    I thought I would work here a few years and then go to New York. Then I had I had some opportunities early in my career to go up. I filled in on Good Morning America for a full week with Charlie Gibson and Diane Sawyer, which was a great experience. Gibson gave me a bottle of champagne when the week was over.

    I talked about going to New York with Tom Kane, who was the general manager of WABC and was the GM when I came to Channel 6. … But then I spent the rest of my week there and was like, “Man, I want to get back to Philadelphia.”

    Philadelphia felt like home. … Even when I walked in for my interview, I felt really at home with everyone and they were all nice and welcoming. No backstabbing at all.

    Also, once you have children, that really grounds you. Your children are growing up in a community, and you don’t want to uproot them and leave.

    What are the best weather events to cover, and what are the worst?

    Snowstorms are the best, because everybody gets excited. I was here only a few months and we had the blizzard of 1996, the biggest snowstorm in Philadelphia’s history.

    The worst are tornado warnings because we get a lot of those nowadays, because we have more advanced radar … and we do have a warmer climate. But tornado warnings freak people out, because I’m telling them to get in their basement.

    I was at the airport back in the spring … and the people in front of me recognized me and thanked me. They live in Mullica Hill, and they were there when they had the tornado warning and I told them to get in their basement. They said they got their kids and their pets down there … and when they got out of the basement, their house was destroyed. But they were OK. … That really hit home about the importance of our job. I kind of teared up.

    I’m sure you hear the other side, too, when the weather shifts and your forecast might be off.

    Oh, yeah. The whole saying, “Oh, I wish I had a job where I could be wrong 90% of the time and still keep my job.” I get that all the time. Anybody who says that doesn’t really understand the complexities of the atmosphere. … But I feel like when you’re in the public eye, you do have to grow a thick skin. Especially in Philly. They’re going to tell you what they really think, so they’re not going to sugarcoat it.

    Is there a weather thing people still get confused by?

    One thing I think people really don’t understand is tornado watch vs. warning.

    When a tornado watch is issued, it usually means there’s like a 2% chance of a tornado happening in your neighborhood. It’s pretty low.

    I think a lot of people think when there’s a tornado watch it means warning, which it doesn’t. It just means heads up. The warning is when you have to go to your basement.

  • Courts hand NCAA major loss on five-year eligibility rule that could send college sports further into chaos

    Courts hand NCAA major loss on five-year eligibility rule that could send college sports further into chaos

    DENVER — A federal court dealt a perhaps chaos-inducing blow to the NCAA’s new eligibility rule Friday when it ruled that all high school class of 2022 athletes who exhausted their fourth season of college eligibility this spring are eligible for a fifth season this school year.

    The ruling from U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney in Denver, expected to be appealed, undercuts the NCAA’s plan to have the so-called “five for five” rule go into play starting with athletes who enroll in college in fall 2027.

    It also has potential to wreak havoc on rosters across the country — for instance, opening the possibility that an undrafted player in an NFL training camp could decide to try to head back to college for a fifth year this upcoming season.

    In granting the preliminary injunction, Sweeney said the players “will suffer irreparable harm without” it. She did not sign onto the governing body’s argument that applying the new rule retroactively would create “roster chaos.”

    SEC, Big Ten add long-missing support to college sports bill and revive its chances in the Senate

    But NCAA President Charlie Baker said it would in responding to the rulings while referencing a bill in Congress designed to provide the NCAA antitrust protection on the eligibility issues.

    “Today’s rulings and the chaos they bring to college sports are exactly why it’s time to pass this bill,” Baker said.

    The Colorado ruling came hours after a Tennessee court granted Jalen Washington, who most recently played at Vanderbilt, and 18 other basketball players a fifth season of eligibility.

    In June, the NCAA approved its new eligibility model for Division I athletes that will allow five seasons of competition over a five-year period that begins with their full-time enrollment or the academic year following their 19th birthday, whichever occurs first.

    While the ruling in Tennessee applied to those 19 basketball players, the one in Colorado cast a wider net, granting the class certification the plaintiffs sought. It means the ruling applies to all Division I players who started their college careers in the 2022-23 season, not just a select list.