On a mission | Sports Daily Newsletter

The Phillies are only human, despite what their record might say. Many of them still feel the sting of last October, when they gagged up Games 6 and 7 and lost the NL Championship Series.

But a second chance is a powerful thing, Scott Lauber writes, and the Phillies sure do appear to be on a mission. They wanted to get off to a better start this season and you might say they’ve accomplished that: With a series-sweeping 5-2 win against the Texas Rangers on Thursday, they improved to 37-14.

“We all know what we’re here for, we all know where we want to go, and we all know what our goal is,” said shortstop Edmundo Sosa, who has filled in admirably for the injured Trea Turner. “Our goal is set. We want to go and finish something that we have on hold right now.”

A return to the World Series? David Murphy writes that this team’s greatness won’t truly be tested until it faces the Braves and Dodgers down the road.

Rob Thomson likes the Phillies’ chances. “They’re never complacent,” he says. “They keep fighting. They prepare, they compete, they have a lot of fun doing it. There’s kind of an edge to everybody. They want to finish it.”

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

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Nick Castellanos’ homer against the Rangers on Thursday was his first extra-base hit since May 12. He was in a 5-for-32 funk before he collected two hits in the Phillies victory. So maybe he is coming around. At the very least, the free swinger is trying to focus on laying off pitches out of the strike zone and actually taking walks.

Next: The Phillies open a three-game road series with the Colorado Rockies tonight (8:40 p.m., NBCSP). Cristopher Sánchez (2-3, 3.31 ERA) will face Colorado’s Ty Blach (1-2, 5.14).

The Eagles moved quickly to replace retired wide receiver DeVante Parker, signing veteran John Ross to a one-year deal. Ross had retired himself but is attempting a comeback after five NFL seasons, the last being in 2021. Ross isn’t the big-bodied receiver that Parker was, but he is fast. Can he make up for lost time and become a factor in the competition for the third wideout spot?

The Union have signed goalkeeper Andre Blake to a new multiyear contract that is guaranteed through 2026 with a team option for 2027. The new deal gives the 33-year-old the long-term stability he has sought, and he hasn’t been shy about it. Blake publicly aired his frustrations over the slow pace of talks in a May 1 Instagram post that said: “When you are no longer happy it’s time …”

Now the goal is to get Blake healthy enough to play again.

On the U.S. women’s soccer team, Emma Hayes is taking the managerial reins after a long journey in her career. “I’ve worked hard to get to this point,” she says.

Next: The Union will visit Charlotte FC on Saturday (7:30 p.m., Apple TV+).

TNT has televised NBA games for more than three decades, delivering iconic moments over the years as Inside the NBA became one of the biggest in-studio shows in sports. Now that run appears to be coming to an end as the league appears set to approve a new TV deal with NBC, Amazon, and ESPN’s parent company, Disney. Widespread disappointment followed this development, with 76ers legend Charles Barkley being one of the most vocal. He called out his bosses at Warner Bros. Discovery, including CEO David Zaslav. “The people I work with, they’ve screwed this thing up, clearly,” Barkley said, calling them “clowns.”

Pausing for the Memorial Day weekend, Sports Daily will not be published on Monday or Tuesday. We’ll return to your inboxes on Wednesday.

We asked you: Which current Eagle would you like to see in the broadcast booth someday? Among your responses:

Jordan Mailata. He’s affable and charming, and he can add perspective as the NFL continues to grow internationally. Plus, he’s learned the sport from the basics to the highest level. — Joel G.

Brian Dawkins — Mark B.

I would love to see Brandon Graham in the booth. He would be a great addition to Kelce! — Kathy T.

For a current Eagle making it in the broadcast booth I will go with Saquon Barkley. He has been around enough to have the gravitas to be comfortable with the press and being comfortable in the limelight and speaking his mind. And he is a Penn State guy. — 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 Scott Lauber, David Murphy, Olivia Reiner, Jonathan Tannenwald, Rob Tornoe, Jackie Spiegel, Isabella DiAmore, Lochlahn March, Aaron Carter, and Gabriela Carroll.

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. Sports Daily will return to your inbox on Wednesday. Have a great Memorial Day weekend. — Jim