⚾ Loading up for October | Sports Daily Newsletter

This might be the most heartening news for Phillies fans as the team’s magic number to clinch a playoff bye stands at four: Alec Bohm and Trea Turner went on the injured list on Sept. 8, and the Phillies went 8-2 without both of them in the lineup.

Imagine if those two come back full-throttle as the Phils begin their postseason trek. Bohm is already back, of course, after missing 12 days with left shoulder inflammation. In three games, the third baseman has gone 8-for-13 with four RBIs.

Rob Thomson is considering a move for Bohm to the cleanup spot behind Bryce Harper. And Turner? Sidelined by a strained right hamstring, the shortstop says he’s running at 60% and he is on track to return by the playoffs, if not this weekend’s series against the Twins. Even after missing two weeks, Turner still leads the National League in hits with 179.

“He’s been one of the best players in the National League this year,” Harper says of Turner. If Turner’s healthy, he could be in the playoffs as well.

— Jim Swan, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

❓Who is the Phillies’ MVP this season? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.

The Eagles are 3-0 for the third time in four years, but the schedule doesn’t get any easier with undefeated Tampa Bay up next. And the Birds are still a work in progress.

“We’ve got to get out of this ‘playing not to lose,’” Jalen Hurts told Fox after the incredible comeback against the Rams. “We’ve got to come out aggressive and play our game. You saw our game in the second half.”

So the offense could be more aggressive and maybe turn up the tempo and the defense will need to contain Baker Mayfield, Olivia Reiner writes.

Howie Roseman keeps making moves, too. On Monday, the Eagles claimed former Jet Xavier Gipson off waivers. Gipson returns kicks, which was a sore spot on Sunday.

Eagles linebacker Bill Bergey blocked two field goals exactly 50 years ago Sunday against the Giants. But Bergey did so using a different kind of push and it led the NFL to immediately tweak its rules.

Growing up in Flourtown in the 1970s, Mike Richter was drawn to the Flyers’ charismatic goalie, Bernie Parent, who died Sunday at 80. Richter became a great goaltender in his own right, winning a Stanley Cup during his 14-year career with the New York Rangers. In many ways, he patterned his game after Parent.

“You couldn’t help but want to emulate him,” Richter said. “When he came to Philly, early ’70s, my God, every kid out there was imitating his style.”

On the Flyers beat, 18-year-old Jack Nesbitt was among the players who made an impression in the team’s preseason opener, a 3-2 shootout win against the New York Islanders.

Amid the jubilation in the Eagles’ locker room after the comeback against the Rams, tackle Jordan Mailata offered a few words of caution. There was Mailata, enjoying the moment, sure, but also wondering aloud about the sustainability of it all. At some point, he said, a performance like Sunday’s will end up biting the Eagles.

“It will,” he said. “And, essentially, it will be 2023 all over again. I will say it.”

A burgeoning three-on-three league — Unrivaled Basketball — helped Kahleah Copper find joy in the sport again. Rather than playing overseas last offseason, the Phoenix Mercury guard decided to try Unrivaled, which is based in the Miami area.

She’s glad she did. Copper said it brought her back to her North Philly roots: playing three-on-three pickup games. Now Unrivaled, which is entering its second season, could be coming to Copper’s hometown as a tour stop. “I think that would be lit,” Copper said of that possibility.

Zack Wheeler won a Gold Glove in 2023. Who was the last Phillies pitcher to win a Gold Glove before him? First with the correct answer here will be featured in the newsletter.

A) Bobby Shantz

B) Jim Kaat

C) Steve Carlton

D) Aaron Nola

We asked: Was this the wildest finish ever for the Eagles? What games from the past could compare? Among your responses:

Sept. 17, 1989 at RFK Stadium in D.C. Eagles trailing all day. Down 37-28 with 3 minutes to go. Winning touchdown pass by Randall Cunningham to Keith Jackson with under a minute to go. Defense gets turnover on Redskins’ last drive. A total of 6 on the day. Randall finished with 447 yards passing. Eagles win 42-37. — Brad L.

Two and only two come to mind. 1) The Miracle of the Meadowlands (the original). Herm Edwards. Changed the ending of games (except Sunday’s) to this day and 2) Walk off Punt Return — DeSean Jackson style. “Gets a block. Are you kidding …” — Bart S.

Miracle of the Meadowlands. Miracle of the Meadowlands II. Double “doink” vs. da Bears. This year’s victory over Dallas. — Bob L.

So there we sat in our season ticket seats yesterday, just watching our Super Bowl champions get manhandled on both sides of the ball. Up and down the field the Rams would march. Scoring every time they had the ball. As the half ended 68,000 fans booed our heroes as they left the field. Except my family. We never boo any professional athlete. Whoever and whatever adjustments were made in the locker room, give that person a well done pat on the back. The defense shut them out the second half and the offense played like last February. The last play of the game tells the entire story. Yes, yesterday’s Eagles game was the wildest, craziest, insane, exciting game in any sport. — Ronald R.

Thanks to Everett S. William D., Richard V., and John W. for chiming in, too.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Scott Lauber, Olivia Reiner, Jeff Neiburg, David Murphy, Alex Coffey, Jackie Spiegel, Devin Jackson, Isabella DiAmore, Greg Finberg, and Joe Santoliquito.

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.

Thanks for reading. Bella will be at the newsletter controls on Wednesday. — Jim