O Captain, Claude Giroux, farewell | Sports Daily Newsletter

One can’t help feel a little bit as if the Flyers organization, waiting until after Claude Giroux played his 1,000th game with the team and then trading him, acted a bit like a romantic partner who plans a breakup for the day after a big birthday bash.

No matter the exact circumstances of how it was all worked out, Philadelphia lost the player who had been its longest-tenured current pro athlete once the deal to send Giroux to Florida was made final on Saturday.

Giroux started with the Flyers as a baby-faced teenager with hockey assassin skills that shone on the ice. Now, he’s 34, with two baby-faced sons of his own. Loyal Flyers fans who remember Giroux’s early days can rightly feel as if they’ve watched him grow up.

Now it’s time to say goodbye, hopefully in a way that’s good for both sides. It’s possible the Flyers have set Giroux free in time for him to chase a title with another team, and meanwhile this organization can now take on a serious rebuild.

Still, it’s a bit of emotional whiplash for fans, to celebrate a player’s impressively long tenure with the Flyers one day and then a few days later, say so long.

— Inquirer Sports Staff, @phillysport

Tell us what your personal reaction is on the Giroux trade: sports.daily@inquirer.com

So far, the Eagles haven’t made another big splash after landing Haason Reddick in free agency. And they didn’t appear to be major players in potentially trading for Russell Wilson or Deshaun Watson.

The eye-popping news ended up being Fletcher Cox’s release, although his free agency was short-lived as the Eagles are bringing him back on a one-year contract. Otherwise, it has been relatively quiet since agreeing to terms with Reddick.

“Of course, the Eagles might have been more aggressive in free agency if they had more salary-cap space,” beat writer Jeff McLane notes. “And they might not have needed to take swings if they had drafted better.”

So here we are with the Eagles, still with Jalen Hurts as the starter and looking for ways to make impact additions to the club with the second wave of free agents.

Kyle Schwarber has arrived. The new Phillie strode into camp on Sunday and will be introduced during a 9:30 a.m. news conference today. The Phillies’ other big-ticket acquisition, Nick Castellanos, will get the same treatment on Wednesday as the Phillies show off their combined investments of almost $180 million. As good as those sluggers figure to be, the most crucial Phillie right now is on the mound.

Another Phillies pitcher key to their success this season is pleased with his progress in developing a new pitch.

Next: Check out Inquirer.com at 9:30 a.m. for coverage of Schwarber’s introductory press conference. Later today, the Phillies face the Yankees in Tampa at 1:05 p.m. (MLB Network).

After missing out on last season’s MVP, Joel Embiid has been out to prove that he’s durable and capable of playing through an entire season with a clean bill of health. With 12 games left in the 76ers season, it’s safe to say he’s accomplished that thus far and continues to do so. Embiid, who has been listed as questionable almost every game this week, played through a sore back in wins against the Cleveland Cavaliers and Dallas Mavericks. He followed that up Sunday night with 21 points and 13 rebounds, but the Sixers lost to the Toronto Raptors.

But while it’s important to Embiid that he make as many regular-season appearances as possible, the Sixers want to make sure he’s available during the NBA playoffs. It’s time for the Sixers to act with the postseason in mind and make sure Embiid gets a break, The Inquirer’s Keith Pompey writes.

Next: The Sixers play the second game of a back-to-back tonight at 7:30 against the Miami Heat at the Wells Fargo Center (NBCSP).

Claude Giroux will go down as one of the best players in Flyers history. He ranks second in franchise history in games played, points and assists. As prolific as Giroux has been on the stat sheet, his teammates, past and present, swear his biggest contributions have been as a leader and a friend.

Giana Han talked to those close to Giroux to get the untold stories of the man his teammates affectionately called “G” and discuss what ultimately will be his legacy in Philadelphia.

While the day after Giroux’s departure naturally sparked sadness for the Flyers and their fans, on the ice, the team was able to secure a victory. Kevin Hayes scored both goals as the Flyers held on for a 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders.

Next: The Flyers will travel to Detroit to take on the Red Wings on Tuesday night at 7:30 (NBCSP).

As good as the Union have been in the past, (and remember, last season the Union were one COVID-afflicted Eastern Conference final away from competing in the MLS Cup title game) the team has never started any season as well as now. Not only is the squad undefeated, on Saturday, the Union faced off against the reigning MLS Cup champion, NYCFC, on the road in Yankee Stadium, and emerged triumphant for the first time in that venue.

Jonathan Tannenwald takes a look at how the Union have started so well and what they can still improve upon.

The Phillies have been notoriously stingy about retiring players’ numbers, but they did so (even if unofficially at the time) for the legendary workhorse pitcher, Robin Roberts. From 1950-55 the seven-time All-Star won at least 20 games for the Phillies.

On March 21, 1962, in Clearwater, Fla., after his final season in Philadelphia, the Phillies retired No. 36. Roberts would play five more seasons for Baltimore, Houston, and the Cubs. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from EJ Smith, Jeff McLane, Jonathan Tannenwald, Olivia Reiner, Keith Pompey, Gina Mizell, Scott Lauber, Alex Coffey, Mike Jensen, Mike Sielski, and Kent Schwartz.