Silver lining? | Sports Daily Newsletter
Trea Turner’s injury is not severe, but Alec Bohm is out, too.
This is not the time of the season for the Phillies to be putting the left side of their infield on the injured list, but they seemed to put a positive spin on Monday’s news.
Rob Thomson said shortstop Trea Turner has a Grade 1 hamstring strain, an MRI outcome that was “better than we expected.” Turner leads the NL in hits and batting average, and the Phillies are confident that he can return in time for the postseason.
The flip side: Third baseman Alec Bohm landed on the 10-day injured list as well, battling soreness in his left shoulder. “He could feel it every once in a while on a swing, and [Sunday], he felt it on every swing, so we decided to shut this thing down,” Thomson said. “We expect him to be back in 10 days.”
With Turner on the shelf, the Phillies needed a new leadoff hitter and Bryce Harper stepped into that role. He turned down the chance to bat leadoff during spring training, but obviously, things have changed.
Without Turner and Bohm in the lineup, the Phillies scraped by the Mets in their series-opener thanks to a standout performance from pitcher Aaron Nola, who allowed three hits over six scoreless innings.
Which closer makes the more spectacular entrance, Jhoan Duran or the Mets’ Edwin Diaz? Here’s our rundown.
Next: Ranger Suárez (11-6, 2.89 ERA) is scheduled to start against Mets lefty Sean Manaea (1-2, 5.60) tonight at 6:45 (NBCSP).
— Jim Swan, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.
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Are the Eagles disciplining Jalen Carter for spitting on Dak Prescott and getting tossed out of the opener? Here is all Nick Sirianni will divulge on the matter: “Every conversation, whether it’s a personal conversation, a disciplinary thing, all those things will be handled privately.”
If Carter is not on the field for the first series Sunday against the Chiefs, that will tell us something. Meanwhile, the Eagles coach took time Monday to talk about edge rusher Za’Darius Smith, a 10-year NFL veteran who signed with the Birds on Friday.
Howie Roseman is not done dealing, by the way. The general manager is trading 2026 fifth- and sixth-round draft picks to the Jacksonville Jaguars for running back Tank Bigsby.
Next: The Eagles visit Kansas City for a Super Bowl rematch with the Chiefs on Sunday (4:25 p.m., Fox29).
Temple has beaten up on the likes of Massachusetts and Howard, but the Owls will stepping up in class this Saturday when No. 13 Oklahoma pays a visit. Temple coach K.C. Keeler is keeping things positive: “Now, we win the turnover battle and we execute, we’ll be right there. I like our chances to be right there.”
At Penn State, the Nittany Lions are also coming off two lopsided wins against overmatched foes. Coach James Franklin wants to see more from quarterback Drew Allar in the passing game, though. Another overmatched opponent is ahead: Villanova.
With the addition of No. 6 overall pick Porter Martone and eight other players in the NHL draft, the Flyers’ prospect cupboard is the fullest it has been in some time.
But where do Martone and the rest of the rookies fit? Check out Jackie Spiegel’s updated top 20 Flyers prospect rankings to find out.
While Martone won’t be there because of NCAA rules, several of the organization’s top prospects will be on display in Voorhees starting Thursday. Here’s a look at who will be there, who won’t, and the full rookie camp schedule.
76ers fans have been waiting for the black Allen Iverson-era throwback jerseys to come back into the fold. Well, here’s another indication that they could soon be on the court at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
The Sixers plan to honor the 2000-01 Sixers this season, 25 years after they made it to the NBA Finals and took on Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, and the Lakers, losing the series, 4-1. The team plans to hold 25th anniversary celebration nights. Those 14 games will include “alumni tributes, in-game and promotional throwbacks, custom merchandise, and much more.” And perhaps the team will suit up in that jersey fans have waited years to see.
Sports snapshot
Bestsellers: The Eagles have three players in the top 10 in NFL jersey sales, and Cooper DeJean is among them.
Soccer stumbles: The U.S. men’s team is aware of the criticism as it seeks something rare: a victory.
🧠 Trivia time
Who was the last Eagle to lead the NFL in passing yardage? First with the correct answer here will be featured in the newsletter.
A) Donovan McNabb
B) Michael Vick
C) Sonny Jurgensen
D) Roman Gabriel
What you’re saying about Trea Turner
We asked: How big of a blow is Trea Turner’s injury to the Phillies? Among your responses:
Huge blow. Trea is having an MVP season and it will be difficult to replace him, especially offensively. I’m hoping for a low grade strain with minimal time on the IL. Not sure they can overcome losing him after losing Wheels. I’m praying for him and the Phils. — Kathy T.
It’s huge. You’re losing your best and hottest hitter, your best and fastest baserunner, a guy whose fielding has steadily improved this year. At the same time, your top slugger has gone cold, and your superstar has had, for him, a subpar year. Sosa is a consistent hitter and fielder, but he’s also the utility infielder who lets you rest the other players now and again. The Phillies are close to set as the two seed for the playoffs, but they’ll need Trea when those games come around. — Joel G.
If tests determine that Trea is gone for an extended time it will surely hurt the team’s chances in the upcoming playoffs. He leads the team in hitting and stolen bases, and up at the top in all other offensive measures. His fielding lately has been outstanding, and of course with Harper and Schwarber he is one of the leaders of this team. Sosa will do an excellent job filling in if needed, but it won’t be the same without Turner. — Everett S.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Jeff Neiburg, Lochlahn March, Jackie Spiegel, Gina Mizell, Gabriela Carroll, Jonathan Tannenwald, Colin Schofield, and Greg Finberg.
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. Bella will be at the newsletter controls on Wednesday. — Jim