Black eye | Sports Daily Newsletter

It was a historic day for Major League Baseball, and not in a good way.

For the first time in a century, the league handed down its first lifetime ban for gambling to an active player. Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano received the punishment for placing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of bets on baseball through a legal sportsbook.

(If you recall, Pete Rose agreed to his lifetime ban in 1989 for betting on the Cincinnati Reds while he was their manager.)

While Marcano’s punishment was most severe, four other players received one-year suspensions. Former New Jersey high school star Jay Groome, now a Padres farmhand, was one of them. Another was a Phillies prospect, José Rodríguez, who is said to have placed bets on baseball while he was in the Chicago White Sox system. Rodríguez had been one of the Phillies’ top 30 prospects and on the 40-man roster.

— Maria McIlwain, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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All eyes were on James Bradberry, the embattled veteran cornerback whose roster spot is in question. After coach Nick Sirianni said Bradberry would see some time at safety in Eagles minicamp, the cornerback walked to the medical tent with an apparent injury early in practice during individual drills. For the day’s practice, his participation was done.

It was second-year cornerback Kelee Ringo who was with the first team alongside Darius Slay. It remains to be seen what this means for Bradberry, as Avonte Maddox also is flashing versatility and cross-training at corner and safety.

On offense, the first minicamp practice offered a glimpse at what meshing Nick Sirianni’s and Kellen Moore’s systems will look like. One tweak could be adding more motion, and DeVonta Smith describes its effects thus far.

Another week, another Phillies game that went into extras. This time, though, the Phils broke through in the bottom of the 10th inning, defeating the Brewers, 2-1, powered by Nick Castellanos’ walk-off double.

Once a rising star, David Dahl was battling in triple A this season until Monday’s call-up. Here’s how a mental skills coach helped him persevere through injuries and on-field struggles.

Next: The Rhys Hoskins (I mean, Brewers) series wraps this afternoon (4:05 p.m., NBCSP). Aaron Nola (7-2, 3.03 ERA) faces a Brewers starter to be determined.

Join Inquirer Phillies writers Scott Lauber and Alex Coffey at noon this Saturday to discuss all things Phillies and take your questions before the team takes on the Mets in London.

The 76ers’ offseason priority — and every other priority — is centered on Joel Embiid. This summer, president of basketball operations Daryl Morey hopes to get a fully formed third star to play alongside Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, shoring up their place as a contender.

Well, he has one other way to solidify the team’s future: extending Embiid’s contract. The big man is eligible for a three-year extension worth $193.5 million starting on July 18. So this is a critical summer for the Sixers in several ways, and nothing could be more important for this franchise than Embiid’s long-term commitment.

Which is better, chasing stars or developing them? David Murphy examines case studies in roster building — and which is a fit for the Sixers.

Women’s basketball teams in the Big 5 will get a tournament of their own this season. On Thursday at Villanova, the Big 5 will unveil plans for a round-robin women’s tourney, with the Finneran Pavilion hosting a three-game finale at a date to be determined.

The tournament will use the same two-pod, round-robin format that debuted this past season in the men’s game. A possible early favorite in the women’s event? St. Joseph’s went 28-6, lost just three Atlantic 10 games, and was the only school in the Big 5 to not lose any players to the transfer portal.

We asked you: Who was the World Series MVP when the Phillies won it all in 2008?

Answer: D: Cole Hamels. Hamels pitched twice in the five-game series, including the clincher, in which he allowed two runs on five hits with a walk and three strikeouts over six innings. For the postseason, he went 4-0 and posted a 1.80 ERA. Tom L. was first with the correct answer.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Olivia Reiner, Jeff McLane, Jeff Neiburg, EJ Smith, Alex Coffey, David Murphy, Keith Pompey, 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.

Thanks for reading along! See you tomorrow. — Maria