Star power | Sports Daily Newsletter

The trade deadline came and went Tuesday, and the Phillies remained largely unchanged.

Usually, Dave Dombrowski can be counted on to make a big splash (or a few). This year? Dombrowski and his team wasn’t going after the big names like Justin Verlander. He picked up a couple of depth pieces.

The message to the team was loud and clear, Marcus Hayes writes.

Earn your money.

If the Phillies are to make another deep postseason run, they’ll do it with the team they’ve got. Now, what remains to be seen is whether those stars will shine.

— Maria McIlwain, Inquirer Sports Staff, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

❓ Which Phillie do you most want to see more from in the second half and why? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.

Fifteen years later, a family still struggles with the unspoken pain of a young athlete’s death. Colleen Smith loved watching the Phillies and playing softball at Cardinal Dougherty High School. Her life and death are a lesson in the need to face the mental health crisis head-on. Mike Sielski tells a compelling story that is close to his heart.

When Michael Lorenzen walked into the visiting clubhouse at LoanDepot Park on Wednesday, he was not entering a room full of strangers. Lorenzen played USA Baseball with Bryce Harper and Trea Turner. He played alongside Brandon Marsh in 2022 with the Angels. He was teammates with Jeff Hoffman and Nick Castellanos in Cincinnati, and with Dylan Covey in high school. All of this familiarity has made joining a new organization — which became official on Wednesday, when the Phillies added Lorenzen to the active roster — much easier. And on Thursday, he will make his Phillies debut reunited with a pitching coach who played a role in his development.

The Phillies couldn’t hold onto a 5-0 lead and lost to the Marlins in 12 innings Wednesday night.

Next: The Phillies wrap up their series against the Marlins at 12:10 p.m. Thursday (NBCSP). Lorenzen (5-7, 3.58 ERA) will start against Marlins right-hander Johnny Cueto (0-2, 5.06).

How is the new-look running back corps stacking up at Eagles training camp? With newcomers D’Andre Swift and Rashaad Penny in the mix, the position group as a whole has more talent top to bottom than it did last year. EJ Smith sizes up how the Eagles running backs have looked in the first week of camp.

You’ve caught the action, now flip through it! Score JALEN HURTS: RARE BIRD today. Catch 20-plus stories and 50-plus photos from the award-winning staff of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Brought to you by the expert sports reporters, editors, and photographers of The Inquirer.

Our ultimate tribute to Philly’s star QB has touched down at The Inquirer Store. Shop now.

Montrezl Harrell has a torn anterior cruciate ligament and medial meniscus in his right knee, the 76ers announced Wednesday. The reserve big man’s injuries were revealed by an MRI performed to examine recent swelling following his offseason workouts, the team added. Harrell recently signed a one-year, $2.9 million contract to return to Philly — a surprise after he first declined the $2.7 million player option in his original two-year deal signed with the Sixers last fall.

When the Union take the field at Subaru Park in their Leagues Cup round of 32 matchup, they’ll face a familiar foe in D.C. United. Though the Union haven’t conceded a goal to their Eastern Conference rival in their last three matches dating back to 2022 — and have outscored them, 13-0, in that span — last time out was “a real battle,” manager Jim Curtin said, one that ended in a 0-0 draw.

The Union also bolstered their depth, signing Israeli forward Tai Baribo from Wolfsberger AC.

The knockout stage is fast approaching in the women’s World Cup as well, and the U.S. barely made it. Because of that disappointing showing, they’re no longer the favorites to win it all Down Under.

USWNT captain Lindsey Horan heard the criticism dished out by her former teammate, Delran’s Carli Lloyd (who’s now a broadcaster with Fox) and had a response of her own.

Next: The Union and D.C. United face off at 8 p.m. tonight (Apple TV+, free), while the USWNT takes on Sweden on Sunday (5 a.m., Fox29).

‘A crazy experience’: Here’s how rowing took one recent St. Joseph’s grad from Hawk Hill to Bulgaria.

Deepest sympathies: Drexel men’s basketball player Terrence Butler was found dead in his apartment on Wednesday.

We asked you: Is this Phillies team equipped to make a deep postseason run again? Why or why not?

Yes, this Phils team is equipped to make a run to and in the postseason. Will they? I don’t think so. By this time last year, they had begun to play more consistent and dominant baseball. This year’s team is very undisciplined and I don’t think that’s changing anytime soon. Topper is going to have to pull several magical rabbits out of the hat to change. I don’t think he’s equipped to do that either. — Tom G.

They definitely have the pieces to make a deep run in the playoffs but those pieces are going to have to play more to their potential for that to happen. They can’t afford to have Turner, Schwarber, Castellanos and Realmuto all struggling come playoff time. Hopefully the rotation can get the job done, and Nola and Suárez can find their groove again. The bullpen could really use getting Alvarado back along with Domínguez, and hopefully Kimbrel can continue to do what he’s been doing. The pieces are all there, they just need to perform! — Bill R.

I think we were all very pleasantly surprised at what they accomplished last year with their remarkable run all the way to the World Series. I am almost always an enthusiastic Phillies fan, but I am very concerned regarding their ability to duplicate last year’s success. Aaron Nola is not performing anywhere near where he should be and unless he and Wheeler can really turn in on for the playoffs we will not be seeing a repeat. We have too many question marks with Bryce learning to play first base and Turner and Castellanos not producing offensively. The brightest spots so far have been Bohm who is without a doubt our MVP, and Stott, and Marsh and Walker currently being our most dependable starter. The nucleus is there if Rob can wake up and start managing as he did last year along with those underachievers we could pull off a repeat. I would not bet my last dollar on it though. — Everett S.

I doubt it. Lousy fundamentals, too many LOB, inconsistency across the board. I think the pitching has held up pretty well; it will be the hitters who cost the Phillies the postseason. — Karl Z.

It would be great if they could get back to the World Series again. The truth of it is, despite the talent on this team, I don’t think that will happen. The big pieces of the team need to step up and help carry this team to the postseason. That means players like Turner and Schwarber who are inconsistent at best. Hopefully Castellanos has turned a corner. And clearly Harper is still healing. Hitting the ball well but they need more production out of him. Not sure if that’s going to happen in 2023. I think they will make the postseason but will have an early exit. I hope I’m wrong. — Kathy T.

And more on Thomson ...

My thoughts on Rob Thomson’s job as manager. People don’t understand that the players rallied and got hot at the right time and got to the World Series, end of story. Thomson really did little or less in that accomplishment. He doesn’t know how to manage the pitching staff and his lineup decisions are often questionable. His decision to let analytics make a choice of a leadoff hitter is beyond me. When you have a guy batting 1st and his average is hovering around .180, you need to do something different. Come on, this is getting embarrassing. I just think they jumped the gun extending so fast, and now you’re stuck.

— Joseph D.

Thomson’s decisions have not been as good as in 2022. That alone should not be a cause of firing ... yet. ... We are told that the players like Thomson. He is making managerial mistakes. Example: taking Sánchez out after pitching a five-inning no-hit shutout. We were ahead then 2-0. He had no issues in that fifth inning, and looked comfortable at the end of his last inning. Thomson then brought in Domínguez, who has not done well anytime this year. Also, he is just coming off the IR. Why do this then? Domínguez promptly gave up two runs before they replaced him with another reliever. Already, Sánchez could not get a win. And a couple innings later, another reliever gave up two more runs to lose the game. This kind of thing has happened too often. He should complete the season, and then be re-evaluated. — John W.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Marcus Hayes, Mike Sielski, Alex Coffey, EJ Smith, Gina Mizell, Sapna Bansil, Kerith Gabriel, Jeff Neiburg, Jonathan Tannenwald, and Lochlahn March.