⚾ Wheeler wants in | Sports Daily Newsletter

To listen to what he had to go through this offseason just to get back on the mound, it’s possible no Philly athlete has gone through more than Phillies ace Zack Wheeler.

Oh, you thought we forgot about Joel Embiid with that last statement? Come on now, you know we track his every move.

But today, we’re talking about Wheeler, who underwent thoracic outlet decompression surgery, which is as complex as it sounds, and for Wheeler wasn’t without complication.

However, he’s back, throwing, and although being on the mound for opening day looks unlikely, he says he’s not worried about the surgery or the setback it has caused in his return. In part because this isn’t his first rodeo with injuries derailing his time on the mound.

It’s what we’re leading off (pun intended) your Wednesday with, courtesy of our Phillies beat writer Scott Lauber.

Speaking of today, we might get some of this snow to melt a bit with temperatures expected to reach into the 40s across the region under partly cloudy skies.

— Kerith Gabriel, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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❓What’s your favorite athlete comeback story? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.

As headlines continue to swirl around Sean Mannion’s plans for the offense and whether A.J. Brown fits in any of it, news around fellow Eagles wideout DeVonta Smith has been relatively obscure this offseason.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t grand plans for the team’s other star receiver. Now five seasons into his time as an Eagle, Smith might be ready to take it up another notch.

“I think he continually gets better,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “I think you saw him have a great year this year. And even when a guy appears not to have as good a year, you’re always looking at it like, ‘Is his arrow on the rise? Is his arrow on the fall?’ And even if a guy doesn’t have his best year, he still can be on the rise. Well, I think we saw DeVonta have a great year, and I think you just continue to see him play better and better. ”

Inquirer writer Olivia Reiner dives into the intangibles that surround Smith and what the plans for him look like heading into this season.

🏐 Introducing: Meet Casey Burford, the new head coach of Rowan’s volleyball team, a program still reeling from the passing of previous coach Deana Jespersen, who died from breast cancer last year.

🎧 Listening: The latest Inquirer unCovering the Birds podcast, which teed up what to expect heading into this week’s scouting combine.

😮 Realizing: Sean Mannion’s grand plans for a new scheme as he gets set to lead the Eagles as offensive coordinator next season.

⚽ Sharing: The lessons learned by Delran native Carli Lloyd as she gets set for her second time as a lead studio analyst for Fox’s coverage of the FIFA World Cup later this summer.

🤔 Wondering: What’s the move for hosting FIFA playoff matches and games of the World Cup in Mexico, with civil unrest now unfolding?

We brought up Joel Embiid earlier, and it was partly due to the fact that he returned to the floor for last night’s game against the Pacers in Indianapolis.

It was the star center’s return after missing five games with shin soreness, coupled with continued management of his right knee. He was a noticeable loss, considering that, preinjury, he averaged 30 points on 52.7% shooting, 8.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists over his last 20 games from Dec. 23 through Feb. 7.

So how’d he do last night? Embiid scored 27 points in a Sixers blowout win over the Pacers to close out a three-game road trip.

Next up for Embiid and the Sixers are the Miami Heat at the Xfinity Mobile Arena on Thursday (7 p.m., NBCSP), followed by a road test against Boston on Sunday (8 p.m., NBCSP).

The NHL season reconvenes for the Flyers tonight in Washington, with one player ready to see whether all the work he put in during the Olympic break will pay off against the Capitals (7 p.m., ESPN).

On Tuesday, Matvei Michkov was adamant that the break wasn’t spent off the ice but on it, with two-a-day personal practices featuring strength and conditioning training coinciding with his ice time. But it wasn’t a Rocky IV training montage as some of that training took place in the Dominican Republic.

“I was training every day. Was not resting,” the winger said through team translator Slava Kuznetsov about how he spent his Olympic break.

Flyers writer Jackie Spiegel has more on Michkov and his plans for the second half of the season in a push for the playoffs.

Right now, Villanova is in pretty solid shape.

Despite a weekend loss to now-No. 6 Connecticut, the Wildcats are 21-6, 12-4 in the Big East. Barring the unforeseen, they have all but ensured themselves the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament, which begins in two weeks at Madison Square Garden.

Just four regular-season games remain until then, and coupled with a strong showing in the Big East tournament, Villanova could find a return to the Big Dance for the first time since 2022. But these next few weeks are crucial, and Inquirer writer Jeff Neiburg examines five key things the Wildcats need to do to ensure they’ll be a part of the Madness this time next month.

It all gets started tonight as Villanova hosts Butler (15-13, 6-11) at the Finneran Pavilion (7 p.m., FS1).

Feb. 25, 1972: The Phillies benefited from a salary dispute between pitcher Steve Carlton and the St. Louis Cardinals, who traded Carlton to Philly for pitcher Rick Wise.

“Two weeks into spring training, the Phillies aren’t going out of their way to disguise their hopes for their top prospect. The whole organization seems to understand that a certain degree of aggression is required in order to overtake the Dodgers in the National League and survive the Mets and Braves in the NL East.” — The latest from Inquirer columnist David Murphy takes a look at why the Phillies aren’t wasting time getting top prospect Aidan Miller up to speed.

LABE REKLDR

Which Phillies hurler said he’s come to grips with being a reliever, but one who’s ready to prove he isn’t a just one-year wonder? Think you know? Take a guess and click here to see if you’re correct.

We asked: Who was the first Phillie to homer from both sides of the plate in a game?

Answer: C: Steve “Jet” Jeltz was the first among the lot. And kudos to reader Carol B. for being the first to provide the answer.

We asked: Which rookie will have the best season for the Phillies?

I think and hope Justin Crawford will be the most successful of our rookies. Center field has been an up-and-down position for quite a few years, with Marsh, Rojas, Bader, and others not quite looking like the next Richie Ashburn, Gary Maddox, or Victorino. And of course, look to Painter and maybe later in the season, Miller becoming a strong contributor. — Everett S.

Justin Crawford is well-positioned to shine in 2026. He anchors the outfield in center and has an opportunity to climb the batting order. His power was on display in the opening spring training game, going 2-for-3. His speed will energize the bottom portion of the lineup. — Bob C.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from David Murphy, Kerith Gabriel, Owen Hewitt, Jeff McLane, Olivia Reiner, Jeff Neiburg, Jackie Spiegel, and Scott Lauber.

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 allowing me to get your day started. Jim picks up the ball tomorrow to get your Thursday off to a running start.— Kerith