Kickoff ... sort of | Sports Daily Newsletter

The Eagles will kick off their preseason Saturday night in Baltimore, but the first-teamers figure to get a much stiffer test Monday and Tuesday when the Cleveland Browns join them for joint practices.

That’s the way the Eagles work in the weeks leading up to the real season these days. Why risk injuries to their many stars in meaningless games anyway? In the last few years, though, joint practices have seemed to offer better competition when the starters are in there.

So Nick Sirianni was asked whether he plans to play Jalen Hurts against the Ravens and said, “We’re still figuring out. I don’t have to make a decision quite yet on [playing time]. We’ll see.”

We’re likely to see Marcus Mariota in action on Saturday, but Hurts and many of the starters? Probably not. Maybe for a series. There still will be plenty of interest in this game from Eagles fans who are eager to see what draft picks Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, and Tyler Steen can do, among others.

When Jason Kelce shows up wearing Mummers gear in front of the Art Museum in February, no one will remember the preseason anyway.

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

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Fresh off their appearance in Super Bowl LVII, the Eagles are officially back in action this Saturday for their first preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens. Join Eagles beat reporters Josh Tolentino and Olivia Reiner as they dissect the hottest story lines surrounding the team on GameDay Central, live from M&T Bank Stadium.

Listening to Rob Thomson talk about letting his pitcher stay in the game to complete the 14th no-hitter in Phillies history, you got the sense that the evening was as stressful for him as it was for Michael Lorenzen. When Lorenzen assured the manager that he still felt strong at 100 pitches through seven, Thomson told him that he’d give him 20 more. By the time Dominic Smith stepped in the box with two outs in the ninth, Thomson was certain this was his last batter, even if he walked. Lorenzen closed out the no-hitter on 124 pitches, a career high, and David Murphy writes that it wasn’t without risk.

Lorenzen said he felt about “10 percent more sore” a day after tossing his no-hitter.

The raucous Citizens Bank Park crowd made calling pitches difficult at times, but J.T. Realmuto found a way to help deliver a historic moment for Lorenzen.

The Phillies kept the celebration going as their bats took center stage in the closing game against the Nationals.

But in the midst of another feel-good win, there was one worrisome aspect.

Next: The Phillies welcome the Minnesota Twins for a three-game series starting Friday (7:05 p.m., NBC 10). Dallas Kuechel (0-0, 1.80 ERA) will start against a Phillies pitcher to be determined.

Undrafted out of Clemson, wide receiver Joseph Ngata has a chance of making the initial 53-man roster, as he has excelled among those on the outside looking in, according to Jeff McLane. Ngata even spent some time in the first-unit offense.

A former undrafted free agent who panned out and appears to be a starter is Reed Blankenship, who’s still keeping that chip on his shoulder.

The gambling rules in the NFL are somewhat foolish and definitely hypocritical, Marcus Hayes writes, but that’s no excuse for breaking basic restrictions.

Next: The Eagles — maybe not the starters, though — face the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday (7 p.m., NFL Network) in their preseason opener.

You’ve caught the action, now flip through it! Score JALEN HURTS: RARE BIRD today. Catch 20-plus stories and 50-plus photos from the award-winning staff of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Brought to you by the expert sports reporters, editors, and photographers of The Inquirer.

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What is 3ICE and why should you care?

Well, it is what it sounds like ... a three-on-three hockey league based on offensive concepts. The league employs a running clock, has few faceoffs, and promotes high-end skill, particularly when it comes to shootouts and breakaways. It is like watching hockey on fast-forward, with constant scoring chances and a lot of goals.

The league, which is in its second season and tours throughout the United States, will stop in Philadelphia this weekend to contest its championship at the Wells Fargo Center. Oh, and a certain former Flyer is heavily involved.

We asked you: Does Michael Lorenzen’s feat bring back memories of no-hitters past? Among your responses:

I was at the no-hitter pitched by Roy Halliday. The crowd started buzzing in the fifth inning and didn’t stop until the game ended. What a fantastic day. — Steven U.

Surprisingly the Phillies toss more no hitters than you might remember. Since Jim Bunning’s perfect 1964 game against the Mets Philly pitchers have tossed 11 of them. And as a side Carlos Ruiz holds the NL record for catching the most no-hitters and is tied for the MLB record by catching four. And the Phillies have had two pitchers, Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels, who have thrown two no-hitters. Last night’s game will never be forgotten, but my all-time favorite will always be Jim Bunning’s perfect game on Father’s Day on June 21, 1964. The thing I remember best was the last batter who was a young Mets rookie. You could tell that the ump had decided that anything even close to the plate was going to called a strike. I watched that game with my kid brother on a black and white TV. I was 26 and Bill was 14.

And of course the next best was Roy Halladay’s no-no against the Reds in Game 1 of the 2010 NL playoffs. The very last batter hit a dribbler down the first base line that I think everybody in the park was thinking oh-no, but Chooch jumped on it and threw the guy out at first. — Everett S.

I remember Hamels’ no-hitter before he got traded and the combo no-hitter he was part of. Can never forget Halladay’s no-hitter and perfecto in the same year. It was the same incredible feeling. So happy for him. Welcome to Philly, Michael! — Kathy T.

For me, it brought back the memory of Rick Wise throwing his no hitter and hitting 2 home runs against the Reds back in 1971. I believe that Pete Rose made the final out on a line drive to John Vukovich if my memory serves me correctly. Much like Cole Hamels was traded shortly after throwing his no-hitter, Wise was traded the next year for Steve Carlton. I remember not being happy about the trade at the time, but I must say it sure worked out for the Phillies! — Bill R.

I have memories of a no-hitter I saw at Connie Mack Stadium in 1964, when I was 10 years old and saw Sandy Koufax throw one of his four against the Phillies. I didn’t realize the significance of it at the time, and instead was just mad because “the Phillies didn’t even get one hit.” Beyond that, I remember being on the field after and actually being told by security to get off the visitors’ dugout steps where I was watching Koufax do his after-game radio interview about 10 feet away. What a different time that was! And I think I was even wearing a coat and tie, dressed up like my parents were for whatever seats my father had gotten. — Jeff G.

Optics! When Jim Bunning pitched his perfect game in 1964, only 10 Phillies in uniform came charging out to celebrate while one trainer, dressed in all white, stayed behind. On Wednesday night, double that number — security guards, interpreters, behind-the-scenes staff members, injured players, numerous coaches and the normal bench personnel watched Lorenzen’s final pitch from the dugout. In addition, there’s nothing like cooperation from the “no-hit team” playing flawless in the field. 0 runs, 0 hits AND, 0 errors. Thanks ‘64 Mets and ‘23 Nats — I just looks better on the scoreboard to see three zeros, even if the third zero has nothing to do with the no-hitter. — Mike P.

A game for the ages! It’s hard to remember a Phillies game that contained all the elements of greatness like this game did ... 2 things: I’m 88 years old and a Phillies fan since birth (figuratively); and postseason excluded.

By now your readers ... those unfortunates who missed any minute of what makes THE GAME OF BASEBALL so great and what makes the Phillies so special ... have read the awesome statistics of 8/9. But, you had to be there, in person, or watching on TV, or listening on radio, to have experienced the one element that sets 8/9 apart ... the Philly Fans! My God! Has any sports team ever had the likes of us? Notwithstanding the Seattle Seahawks 12th man ... that was just noise.

The emotional high we were given by the 30,000-plus who were there and a TEAM of 26, but the millions of others at home who experienced the THRILLS of 8/9, the game for the ages! — Harry A.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Josh Tolentino, Scott Lauber, David Murphy, Jeff McLane, Olivia Reiner, Giana Han, Jeff Neiburg, Kerith Gabriel, Marcus Hayes, and Isabella DiAmore.