Wednesday seemed primed for a Phillies win.
A bullpen game for the Arizona Diamondbacks; a sparkling game from Phils starter Andrew Painter. But the offense didn’t rise to the occasion.
And in the end, one swing by D-backs catcher James McCann (on the first pitch by reliever Jonathan Bowlan, no less) made all the difference in the series finale as a six-game winning streak came to an end.
Despite the lackluster finish — and subpar production from the top two spots in the lineup — the Phillies went 6-3 on the trip and are heading into a day off with some breathing room in the National League wild-card race.
But it doesn’t get easier from here. The Phillies are four games behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL East standings and will welcome them to Citizens Bank Park on Friday. It’ll be a battle of aces in the series opener as Cristopher Sánchez (16-4, 2.52 ERA) faces Chris Sale (13-9, 2.06) on Friday (6:40 p.m., NBCSP)
Bryce Harper was the DH on Wednesday, but he’s been on a roll since his move back to the outfield. He and his wife, Kayla, also recently offered a rare glimpse into their home life.
— Maria McIlwain, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.
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Jonathan Greenard is not starting the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list, but the veteran pass rusher’s status is going to be kept “close to the vest” as he works his way back from a pectoral strain, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said.
Even if his status for Week 1 is unclear, his impact on the team is certain, according to his position coach, Jeremiah Washburn.
“We’ve been blessed with a lot of guys that can play, and guys just kind of carve out their roles as we go, and we figure that [out] week-to-week,” Washburn said. “But, man, I’ve been here since ’19, and we’ve just been blessed with depth and different guys that can play. So it’ll look a lot similar to what we’ve done in the past.”
Some of that depth is in the developmental ranks, and Washburn also shared what’s next for practice squad players like Uar Bernard and Joshua Weru.
Off the field, New Heights is back, and former Eagles star Jason Kelce and his brother, Travis, discussed Travis’ wedding to pop megastar Taylor Swift, the Birds’ offensive line, and more.
Next: In case you need a reminder, the Eagles’ season kicks off vs. the Washington Commanders on Sept. 13 (4:25 p.m., Fox29).
The Flyers enter the season, at least on paper, with their strongest roster in quite some time. There is serious competition for roles; not a ton separates the wingers who will play on the first line from the four who will comprise the second and third lines.
Other spots — such as goaltender — are more secure. So where do established stars like Travis Konecny, stalwarts like Sean Couturier, and newer faces like Porter Martone or David Jiříček fit into the puzzle?
We’ll address those questions and more in our breakdown of potential Flyers lines.
Next: Puck drop for the 2026-27 season starts with a big one, at home vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sept. 30 (7:30 p.m., TNT, truTV).
Ever since James Harden was traded in 2023, Tyrese Maxey has been the Sixers’ primary ballhandler. An increased usage rate led to bigger accolades.
But, as things go when your team signs LeBron James, things are changing for Maxey. James, who averages 7.4 assists per game in his career, likely will take over some of those point guard duties. Sixers beat writer Chris Hine takes a look back at the early seasons of Maxey’s career to predict how the point guard’s role could evolve after a seismic offseason.
Also, why was Sixers rookie Labaron Philon Jr. locked inside of a truck on Tuesday?
Next: It feels like forever, but the season will tip off in primetime at the defending champion New York Knicks on Oct. 20 (7 p.m., NBC10).
Sunday’s Tour Championship seemingly had it all: Drama, history on the line, and a lot of money at stake. So why change?
Just look at the schedule: All the really good stuff (think the Players Championship and the Masters) is in the front half of the year. By the time the sports world has turned its attention to football and the MLB stretch run, all but the most rabid golf fans are burned out.
The PGA’s solution? A convoluted playoff, starting in 2028, that culminates with a single-elimination, 16-player match-play tournament to determine a winner.
We’ll let the experts explain that one. Marcus Hayes takes us inside the new system and why changing the format won’t fix the root problem.
What you’re saying about Week 1 vs. opening day
We asked: Which is more exciting, NFL Week 1 or MLB opening day? Why?
The Phillies may be America’s most historic one-name sports franchise — but football own Opening Day in Philly. It’s a sport that has become beloved in this town since the days of the Frankford Yellow Jackets and Bert Bell’s struggling Eagles of the 1930s. Sports have been a part of the City for over 150 years — and while we want the Phillies in the World Series — it’s football that is Philly. — Michael L.
As a diehard baseball fan, I have to say the NFL opener is more exciting. The build-up to the NFL season is fantastic, with the draft, schedule release and training camp with only 3 pre-season games. The NFL’s 17 game regular season slate (vs. MLB’s 162) makes every game count more! — Bob C.
Just my opinion of course, but I think the beginning of the baseball season has always been more important to me than the NFL start. Baseball is still America’s Game and now played throughout the world. An individual NFL game is more exciting than most individual baseball games generally, but baseball is a game of stats that are so interesting to all baseball fans who so look forward to the new season. MLB plays 2,430 games vs 272 for the NFL. — Everett S.
Well for me MLB opening day even though I am an Eagles fan. Somehow the NFL with all their greed has made it opening week. — Bill M.
Neither! The 76ers’ OPENING GAME is going to be like no other opening game this city has ever witnessed. Press from all over the world will be covering the game. We have our tickets and Mary can’t wait. — Ronald R.
What about the NHL? The last week of September will be huge for the Flyers. The Gritty 5k, a huge fundraiser and a ton of fun on the 26th, plus the home opener against PGH that Wednesday and then the next day we play the Devils for their home opener. Hopefully you remember how things went against the Pens out last game! Should be wildly exciting with a team that has a lot of hype around them. NBA a month later! — Kitty H.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Lochlahn March, Olivia Reiner, Gustav Elvin, Mia Messina, Chris Hine, Gabriela Carroll, and Marcus Hayes.
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! Kerith will be back in your inboxes tomorrow morning to close out the week. — Maria
