Weighty issue | Sports Daily Newsletter

An enduring image from the last, lost Eagles season: a gassed Jordan Davis flopping to the turf after he chased a ballcarrier out of bounds. The hulking defensive tackle out of Georgia is a big talent, but his conditioning (or lack of it) has always been a concern.

Davis conceded Thursday after the team’s offseason workout that he spent last season north of the 350-pound mark. He also said he is seriously dieting in an effort to improve that conditioning.

We’re from Philly, where we hear that “Joel Embiid is in great shape” line every season, so we are inherently cautious. But the retired Fletcher Cox won’t have Davis’ back anymore after the veteran played 58.9% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps last season. Opportunity knocks. If there was ever a time for Davis to slim down and be great, this is it.

— Jim Swan, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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Ranger Suárez will carry a 9-1 record and a 1.75 ERA into his next start for the Phillies on Saturday against St. Louis. His 9-0 start in the first 50 games was the best in team history without a loss.

Suárez‘s sizzling start put his name among Phillies greats Robin Roberts, Steve Carlton, and Grover Alexander. There are plenty of fun facts about him in our weekly top-10 feature.

Next: The Phillies open a three-game home series against the St. Louis Cardinals tonight at 6:40 (NBCSP). Aaron Nola (6-2, 3.04 ERA) faces Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas (3-5, 5.64).

The Eagles offense didn’t have its best day. The quarterbacks combined to throw four interceptions, with a number of passes being errant or dropped. That said, there’s a new offense to install and DeVonta Smith didn’t participate in the offseason practice. And some encouraging signs came out of it for the Eagles, too.

Among those collecting an interception was cornerback Isaiah Rodgers, who had a pick-six off Jalen Hurts and is back in action after being reinstated from a season-long gambling suspension. He spoke to the media in Philadelphia for the first time and addressed his mistakes. Could he have an inside track on a starting cornerback role?

Wide receiver John Ross is also making a comeback after having previously retired. He showed some of his speed in an interception Kenny Pickett threw in his direction. Could he be an outside candidate to make the team?

Daryl Morey has built a reputation as a win-now executive over the last decade with the Houston Rockets and 76ers, making moves to bring in major talent and chase a title. While he has yet to reach the promised land, Morey has a chance as Sixers president of basketball operations, with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey as the main pillars of the franchise. He also has a big summer ahead, as the team is expected to have $65 million in salary-cap space and a shot at landing a third star. The Sixers also have the No. 16 pick, and The Inquirer’s Keith Pompey argues that it should be traded in the draft to add immediate assistance.

The shorthanded Phoenix Mercury dropped an 81-78 decision to the New York Liberty on Wednesday, but guards Kahleah Copper and Natasha Cloud left an unmistakably Philly imprint on the game.

“Every single night when you go up against a Philly guard, you’ve got to go [expletive] through us,” Cloud said. “You’re gonna meet a dog on both ends of the floor.”

Manager Jim Curtin was glad his Union team produced another shutout Wednesday night against Toronto. On the bad side, the Union picked up a second straight scoreless tie. “We have to hit the back of the net,” Curtin said, “and that has to start on Saturday against Montreal before the international break.”

Next: The Union host Montreal on Saturday (7:30 p.m., Apple TV+).

We asked you: Who was your baseball hero growing up and why? Among your responses:

Mike Schmidt #20 the best 3rd baseman on the planet! — Jill L.

Definitely Richie Ashburn. Hit singles like me, got on base a lot. Could cover center field like no one except Willie Mays. I was at a game where he had 17 or 18 foul balls at Connie Mack Stadium. Close second was Steve Carlton when he won [27] games ... but by then I was back from the Army and was grown up as best I could. — Bill M.

Richie Ashburn! I loved the way he played the game with such hustle and enthusiasm to go along with an incredible talent! — Joe V.

My hero was Richie “Dick” Allen. As a 10-year-old boy my dad took me on a bus trip with the Knights of Columbus from Paulsboro NJ to Connie Mack Stadium to see the Phillies play. It was 1964 and Richie Allen was a rookie. The game went extra innings and Richie won it with a home run off of the scoreboard/clock in the bottom of the 11th. The crowd went wild and I instantly became a Richie Allen fan! It’s a night and an experience that I have never and will never forget. — Bob A.

Thurman Munson. Saw him as a minor league player in Syracuse NY. Watched him move up to the Yankees and win Rookie of the Year and eventually the AL MVP. He was a great clutch hitter and a great defensive catcher. He became Captain of the great Yankees teams — playing in three World Series, winning two. His death in 1979 was crushing. Put him in the Hall of Fame! — Andy G.

My baseball hero was Robin Roberts the Phillies Hall of Famer to be who I first saw on a warm August 7 afternoon at Shibe Park where he, as a rookie, pitched a complete game beating the Cardinals 6-2 while also getting 2 hits that included a home rune he hit over the right field wall. I was 10 years old and this was the first MLB game I had ever seen. I was hooked for life as a Phillies fan and Robin fan. I got to meet him at the Vet many years later at a season ticket promotion and had an extraordinary time with my hero. We got talking about his career and his awesome last day of the season heroic victory against the Dodgers to win the Pennant for the Whiz kids. He called over Harry Kallas and Richie and By Saam and told them that I knew more about the Phillies than any of them did. — Everett S.

In Episode 6 of unCovering the Birds, Inquirer Eagles beat reporter Jeff McLane delves into the profound consequences Steven Means faced for his 2016 protest against racial injustice. Despite fierce backlash and personal risk, Means stood with Malcolm Jenkins, raising a fist during the national anthem. McLane explores how Means navigated criticism within and outside the Eagles and reflects on whether he believes it was worth it years later. Listen now.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Olivia Reiner, EJ Smith, Jeff McLane, Jeff Neiburg, Ed Barkowitz, Keith Pompey, Jackie Spiegel, Aaron Carter, Lochlahn March, Gabriela Carroll, and Jonathan Tannenwald.

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.

That wraps up another week of Sports Daily. Thanks for reading. Devin will be at the controls in Monday’s newsletter. — Jim