Bring on the Fish | Sports Daily Newsletter

The National League champions will be heavily favored in their wild-card series with the Marlins, but it’s doubtful the Phillies will take this Miami club lightly.

The Phillies finally learned their wild-card opponent on Sunday, after the final games of the regular season. It’s the Marlins, who won the season series, 7-6, even though the Phillies outscored them by 64-55. The Marlins took two of three games at Citizens Bank Park on April 10-12 and Sept. 8-10.

Now they are tasked with winning two out of three here again, starting Tuesday night. “Nothing’s going to be easy,” Kyle Schwarber said. “Miami’s a good team. We’ve got to do what we do.”

The Phillies are 0-2 this season against Jesus Luzardo, the Marlins’ presumptive Game 1 starter. Miami also has a bullpen that is loaded with lefties, meaning this will be a big test for Trea Turner and Alec Bohm. David Murphy offers other reasons for the Phillies to be wary of the Fish.

— Jim Swan, Inquirer Sports Staff, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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The Eagles survived a last-second, game-tying touchdown from Washington in regulation and beat the Commanders, 34-31, on Jake Elliott’s 54-yard field goal in overtime. A.J. Brown had another impressive day with nine catches for 175 yards and two touchdowns. “A.J. and Jalen [Hurts] — that’s probably their best game to date through the air,” center Jason Kelce said.

Hurts had easily his best game of the season, completing 25 of 37 passes for 319 yards and two touchdowns. Jeff McLane gives Hurts an improved grade.

Against an astonishingly stout Commanders club, Hurts looked like a top-five quarterback. Like a $255 million franchise QB, Marcus Hayes writes.

Elliott stayed as cool as ever in nailing the game-winning field goal. “Jake is nails,” said punter Braden Mann, Elliott’s new holder. “I think I could put that ball sideways and he’d still make it.”

Reed Blankenship’s tight coverage on Terry McLaurin in overtime led to a crucial incompletion and set up the Eagles for the game-winning drive.

Just like 2022, the Eagles are 4-0, Mike Sielski writes, but there was a crispness to them last season that they have rarely shown this season. They’re finding ways to win, but it hasn’t been smooth, and this is supposed to be the easier half of their schedule.

Next: The Eagles visit the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. (Fox29).

Zack Wheeler thinks about the one that got away. Wheeler was lifted from Game 6 of the 2022 World Series with one out and two on in the sixth inning and a 1-0 lead. The Astros’ Yordan Alvarez hit a three-run homer, Houston won the series, and the Phillies ace is still bugged by it. Now Wheeler has a chance to start anew in the postseason in Tuesday’s Game 1 against Miami.

The Phillies pounded the Mets, 9-1, in their final playoff tune-up, reaching the 90-win mark for the first time since 2011.

Remember that standing ovation at Citizens Bank Park for a struggling Trea Turner that seemed to turn his season around? Matt Breen tells the backstory of the WIP producer who helped those cheers happen.

Next: The Phillies will host the Miami Marlins in Game 1 of their NL wild-card series on Tuesday at 8:08 p.m. (ESPN).

The 76ers sit in a precarious position. With the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics getting premier point guards in Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday, the Sixers are one of few Eastern Conference contenders without one of the league’s best ball handers. Of course, Tyrese Maxey, who has Joel Embiid as cover, is a rising star, but he’s not there yet. And James Harden might not be there for the Sixers at all as he could potentially hold out. The Inquirer’s Keith Pompey takes a look at the Sixers’ position entering media day.

Next: The Sixers arrive to their training facility for media day on Monday, where many will learn whether Harden plans to report for training camp.

With just 10 days until the Flyers’ season opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the competition is heating up for roster spots. The roster stands at 40 players, 17 more than the maximum of 23 on opening night, so more cuts are coming.

Who will make the cut? And who will miss out? Jeff Neiburg makes his first roster projection and analyzes the key battles still being waged at training camp.

Next: The Flyers host the Boston Bruins at 7 p.m. Monday in their penultimate preseason game.

The Union tied for the fifth consecutive game on Saturday and they can thank a likely hero — and an unlikely one — for earning a point in a 1-1 draw in Columbus.

The likely hero was All-Star goalkeeper Andre Blake, who made eight saves to repeatedly thwart the Crew. The unlikely one was young Nathan Harriel, who shifted from right back to center back to deliver a strong defensive performance and score the Union’s goal. Jonathan Tannenwald assesses another night when it became obvious that the Union are running on fumes.

Next: The busy Union are back in action Wednesday when they will host Atlanta United at Subaru Park (7:30 p.m., Apple TV).

Oct. 2, 2008: Shane Victorino hit a grand slam off C.C. Sabathia as the Phillies beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 5-2, in Game 2 of their National League Division Series.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Scott Lauber, David Murphy, Alex Coffey, Matt Breen, Mike Sielski, Marcus Hayes, Josh Tolentino, Olivia Reiner, Jeff McLane, EJ Smith, Keith Pompey, Jeff Neiburg, and Jonathan Tannenwald.