Rising son | Sports Daily Newsletter
Tague Davis follows in the footsteps of his father, Ben.
In 1995, the San Diego Padres selected hard-hitting catcher Ben Davis of Malvern Prep with the second overall pick in the draft.
Nearly 30 years later, another Davis is shining on the baseball diamond for the Friars. Tague Davis, the son of Ben, is making his mark with Malvern Prep at first base and on the mound. Tague’s dream is to make it to the majors just like his father, who spent seven years in the big leagues and now serves as a Phillies analyst on NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Davis has been invited to the MLB combine from June 17-22 in Phoenix. The draft is July 14-16, but he already has a plan B in place, if needed: Davis has committed to play for Louisville next season.
It is a win-win situation. If a major league team takes him, it would have to be a sound offer. If not, he goes to Louisville.
— Jim Swan, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.
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Zack Wheeler was less than stellar on the mound Sunday, although the Phillies ace could not explain why. “Nothing felt out of whack,” Wheeler said after a 7-6 loss to the Marlins in Miami. “So I had a hard time trying to fix it, because I didn’t feel anything. Most of the time when you’re doing that kind of stuff, you feel something, and you can try to make an adjustment. But I felt great today.”
Wheeler allowed six earned runs and lasted only four innings, but the Phillies fought back to tie the score. They lost after they failed to plate a run with the bases loaded in the 10th inning.
Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto sat out Sunday’s game with a sore right knee, but Rob Thomson says he is not concerned.
Next: Cristopher Sánchez (2-3, 3.22 ERA) is scheduled to pitch for the Phillies against Sean Manaea (2-1, 3.31) of the host Mets tonight at 7:10 (NBCSP).
The 76ers have had their eyes on an NBA championship since Joel Embiid entered his prime. Unfortunately for them, the time since has been marked by injuries and star players shrinking from the moment. The team’s president of basketball operations, Daryl Morey, believes that title window remains firmly open, however, and he wants to “open all the doors” to become a championship contender. The Inquirer’s Keith Pompey assesses how this year’s free-agent market could play a part in that quest.
It looks as though the Sixers will be searching again for a backup big man this offseason. David Murphy explains the conundrum of finding such a player to give Embiid some relief, along with several other questions for the team in this offseason.
Next: The NBA draft combine will be held in Chicago starting Tuesday.
What kind of an athlete did the Eagles get when they selected Iowa’s Cooper DeJean in the second round of the draft last month? When DeJean was a freshman basketball player in high school, he could dunk — and he stood about 5-foot-9 at the time. Basketball was a key piece of the athletic development of DeJean, who could play an important role at defensive back for the Eagles. Olivia Reiner tells the story.
Caitlin Clark is beginning her pro career with perhaps the biggest spotlight in WNBA history. The former Iowa star is bringing loads of new fans to the league. When Clark and the Indiana Fever visit Washington and Las Vegas, those teams will move the games to bigger arenas to accommodate larger crowds. Clark’s debut is the biggest story as the WNBA prepares to tip off its season.
Yes, the Union are missing star goalkeeper Andre Blake, but there is more to the team’s struggles than that. They have given up two or more goals in every game of their five-game winless streak. There’s clear evidence that the centerbacks are most to blame, Jonathan Tannenwald writes.
Next: The Union host New York City FC at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday (Apple TV).
In this week’s gripping episode of unCovering the Birds, The Inquirer’s Jeff McLane delves into the chilling moment when Stewart Bradley collapsed on the field, a pivotal incident highlighting the NFL’s concussion crisis.
Through detailed recounts and interviews with Bradley and his former teammates, the episode explores the immediate decision to let Bradley return to play, the long-term effects of concussions, and their profound impact on players’ lives beyond football, marking a significant moment in Eagles history and the broader conversation on head trauma in sports. Listen now.
Worth a look
Fighting words: Is Philly still a boxing town? Jaron Ennis’ title bout in July could give us a clue.
Repercussions: The International Ice Hockey Federation announced sanctions against Flyers goalie Ivan Fedotov and his Russian team.
Moving nearby: Temple transfer Jahlil White has committed to La Salle.
On this date
May 13, 1999: Allen Iverson recorded 10 steals for the Sixers in a 97-85 victory over the Orlando Magic in Game 3 of their playoff series. Iverson set an NBA postseason record for steals that still stands.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Alex Coffey, David Murphy, Olivia Reiner, Jonathan Tannenwald, Joseph Santoliquito, Matt Breen, Keith Pompey, Jeff Neiburg, and Lochlahn March.
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.
Thank you for reading. I’ll see you in Tuesday’s newsletter. — Jim