The Boss gets his man | Sports Daily Newsletter

We asked our Sports Daily readers Tuesday to imagine being the general manager for the Phillies, but let’s face it, that role is a lot easier when there’s an owner like John Middleton willing to write the checks for the big moves. The latest one for the Phillies happened because Dave Dombrowski identified shortstop Trea Turner as the player who could make a difference for the team and Middleton was all-in.

No hesitation. No second-guessing. No backseat driving.

Scott Lauber describes how the deal went down, and how Middleton passed over the chips Dombrowski needed to up the ante and wrap up Turner as a Phillie for more than a decade.

As Lauber details, it was a Steinbrenner moment for the normally soft-spoken, affable Middleton.

— Andrea Canales, Inquirer Sports Staff, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

❓ Was the Trea Turner deal the right move for the Phillies? Why or why not? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.

Dave Dombrowski assessed the Phillies’ search for a middle-of-the-rotation starting pitcher on Tuesday afternoon. “I’d say we’ve had a lot of conversations,” he said. “I can’t say we’ve made any headway.” By dinnertime, the Phillies had an agreement with free-agent right-hander Taijuan Walker on a four-year, $72 million contract. Walker, 30, is expected to slot in behind Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, and Ranger Suárez. In 29 starts this year for the New York Mets, he posted a 3.49 ERA and 132 strikeouts in 157⅓ innings.

The 76ers were expected to be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference this season, but it’s becoming clearer that they have a long list of issues to work out before that can come to pass.

And, as The Inquirer’s Keith Pompey writes, Monday’s loss to the Houston Rockets was a manifestation of their many problems. With Joel Embiid and James Harden together, the Sixers still have kinks to work out. And until those are settled, they’ll continue to drop games to lesser opponents.

Mike Sielski writes that Embiid must give the Sixers more to make them great.

Next: The Sixers host the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday at 7:30 p.m. (ESPN).

The Eagles haven’t seen a significant impact from Robert Quinn since trading for him, and now the defensive end has landed on injured reserve to leave him unavailable for at least the next four games.

On special teams, a unit that hasn’t played its best until Sunday’s win against the Titans, coordinator Michael Clay says the next step is consistency.

The Flyers have struggled in many areas over the last season-plus, but nowhere more so than on the power play. Entering Saturday, the team’s power play ranked dead last among the 32 teams at 13.3%.

But don’t look now, as the Flyers are 3-for-6 over the last two games and have climbed up two spots in the league rankings. More good news could be on the way, as winger James van Riemsdyk (broken finger), the team’s best net-front presence on the PP, could return Wednesday to give the unit another boost.

Next: The Flyers will look to make it two in a row on Wednesday at home against the Washington Capitals (7:30 p.m., NBCSP).

Union fans are waiting for the deals to drop which will determine what the team looks like next year. The latest news, however, is not a player lost, but one gained, as the team has signed Andrés Perea.

Jonathan Tannenwald explains that this young talent provides important cover in the midfield for the many competitions the Union will take part in next season.

Meanwhile, Morocco has pulled off the upset of the World Cup tournament so far, and it meant so much to Philadelphia’s Arab community.

Next: The World Cup continues! Follow all our coverage.

I signed as a free agent with the Phillies but lasted only one season here before they traded me away. Who am I?

A) Carlos Santana played for the Phillies in the 2018 season. Bill F. was first with the correct response.

What’s the next move for the Phillies? Tell us the rest of your offseason plan to wrap up a World Series title.

I will sign a legitimate closer. I will allow the “young arms” to compete and make the opening day roster. I’d keep reminding John Middleton that quality ($$$) pitching wins in the end. I’d most likely be fired by day’s end. ... I don’t know how Dave Dombrowski sleeps at night. — John S.

Make Nick Castellanos great again. Figure out how to make Rhys consistent — he’s already great.

Figure out the DH for 2023 — Still too early, spring training will tell.

And now the hard part: Pitching. Two new starters and as many relievers as needed.

And oh yes, keep improving the minors. — Mark R.

I’m a native Philadelphian who provoked the gods and got banished to the New York city area to live among the Yankee/Mets hordes of barbarians. I do not like buying World Series titles via free agency. My analytic is what percentage of the 40-man roster is homegrown. I enjoyed laughing at my NYC brethren as their teams threw millions and millions of dollars at free agents with little to show for it in October/November! Now I have to defend my team for doing the same damn thing!

The Phils should spend big bucks on a dominant closer with a proven track record because their American League three-run homer-based look these days requires them to make those late-inning leads hold up! Dombrowski is eyeing some of the young Turk arms in the minors as his offset for starting pitching which is a reasonable gamble to me. Middle relief looks good after the 2022 season BUT no more three-walk ninth-inning situations — enough already! — Frank P.

Ohtani! Pitching, power hitting, speed. Give up Hoskins, Castellanos (eating some of his money), a third player, and exchange blue-chip prospects. And throw in Chuck Fletcher. — Tom O.

The Phils need pitching, both starting and relief. You can score all the runs in the world, but you need to effectively stop the other team from scoring. — Tom G.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Josh Tolentino, Mike Sielski, Jonathan Tannenwald, Massarah Mikati, Keith Pompey, Olivia Reiner, Aaron Tully, Jeff Neiburg, Scott Lauber, and Ellen Dunkel.