Gen Z thinks Philly is cool | Morning Newsletter
And a look at the 2023 Phillies.
The Morning Newsletter
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It’s Erin again, happy to be in your inbox on this sunny Thursday. Today’s expected high is 47.
As older generations are trying to escape larger cities, Gen Z is flocking to them — and Philadelphia is no exception.
Plus, the Phillies remain confident that they’re equipped to defend their National League title.
If you see this 🔑 in today’s newsletter, that means we’re highlighting our exclusive journalism. You need to be a subscriber to read these stories.
— Erin Gavle (@erinkgavle, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
A recent report shows that the country’s five largest cities — New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia — all experienced net increases in the number of residents ages 18 to 24 and net decreases for all other generations during 2021.
Visit Philadelphia CEO Angela Val cites the city’s food and arts scenes, diversity, and affordability. “Additionally, with the increase of a remote or hybrid work schedule, Philadelphia is an ideal home base or work-from-anywhere destination for Gen Zers looking for that ultimate urban live-work-play experience,” Val said.
All that being said, newly released census estimates say that Philly lost more than 22,000 residents between July 2021 and July 2022 in the largest one-year population decline since 1990. Why the change? Dig into that data here.
Rhys Hoskins suffered a season-ending knee injury last week. Ranger Suárez won’t start the season on time because of soreness in his left elbow. And top prospect Andrew Painter hasn’t thrown since March 1 because of a sprained elbow ligament. Oh, and Bryce Harper is recovering from Tommy John elbow surgery.
Still, team officials remain confident that the Phillies are equipped to handle the adversity. Here’s the 2023 outlook for a few players courtesy of our expert beat writers Scott Lauber and Alex Coffey.
⚾ Trea Turner: The newest star in town has the second-most wins above replacement of any player in baseball since 2019, trailing only the Yankees’ Aaron Judge. There isn’t anything he doesn’t do well, which is good because the Phillies need someone to carry them until Harper returns. That isn’t too much to expect from Turner, Team USA’s best player at the recent World Baseball Classic.
⚾ Taijuan Walker: When the Phillies signed Walker in December, they envisioned his serving as a reliable arm in the middle of the rotation. Now, with Suárez and Painter sidelined, that signing figures to be even more important. He’s set a personal goal of throwing 180 innings this season, and plans to get there by being more selective with his pitch usage.
⚾ Brandon Marsh: The team is about to find out if Marsh will be known for more than his bushy beard and long, wet hair. 🔑 He will be the Phillies’ sixth opening-day center fielder in six years. Reducing his 34.5% strikeout rate will be one key to whether he has more staying power than his predecessors.
We’ll have live coverage of Opening Day before, during and after today’s game on Inquirer.com. In the meantime, take a closer look at the full roster.
What you should know today
A Philadelphia landlord-tenant officer shot a woman while trying to enforce an eviction on Wednesday morning, police said.
John Fetterman will return to the U.S. Senate the week of April 17, following treatment for depression.
Heath officials say testing strips could be coming soon for xylazine, the animal tranquilizer contaminating Philly’s drug supply.
Two Philadelphia schools this month have faced closures due to damaged asbestos, putting a spotlight on the persistent facilities issues across the school district.
Everyone in Philly knows illegal dumping is a problem. But for many Black, brown, and low-income residents, it’s a crisis.
Federal authorities recalled beef that is sold in Pennsylvania and New Jersey due to E. coli contamination.
🧠 Trivia time 🧠
How many Philadelphia-area restaurant people made the list of finalists for the 2023 James Beard Awards announced on Wednesday?
A) 2
B) 6
C) 8
D) 11
Feeling confident? Check your answer.
What we’re...
🍹Drinking: A cocktail from Philly’s latest crop of James Beard-nominated bars and restaurants. 🔑
🤭 Laughing at: The memes Philadelphians created while waiting for updates on the city’s water advisory.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram 🧩
Hint: Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie is “super excited” about the return of these.
ELYKL GENRE FURMOISN
We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here, and would love for you to send us your own original anagram to unscramble. Congratulations to Sandi Paul, who correctly guessed Wednesday’s answer: Mulberry.
Photo of the day
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter, where I’ll be repeatedly reminding you to fill out your #CheesesteakBracket. Take care!