World Series, Game 1: Bring it on | Sports Daily Newsletter

Why stop now, Phillies? Still on an incredible postseason roll, Rob Thomson’s team will open the World Series against the favored Astros on Friday night in Houston. It’s Aaron Nola vs. Justin Verlander in Game 1, and the stakes could not be any higher.

So far, the upstart Phillies have lived up to every moment. The magnitude of this one began to sink in for the ballclub Thursday amid the glare of the national media in Houston. The team’s president of baseball operations, Dave Dombrowski, has taken teams to five World Series. He tried to explain the experience to the players, most of whom have never gotten this far.

“You guys haven’t seen the World Series yet,” he said. “Wait until you get to the World Series. I mean, the [League Championship Series] is great. The World Series is different.”

The Phillies soon found that out for themselves. They went through a series of video shoots and a Super Bowl-style media day. “It’s the big dance, right?” Rhys Hoskins said. “I mean, just look at this room. How many people are in here? Coverage from all over the world, probably. But where is there a better place to be right now?”

The only better place to be is on the podium, hoisting the World Series trophy. Now we’ll see if the Phillies have one more upset in them.

This weekend sizes up as a feast for Philly fans. After the thrills of Games 1 and 2, the Eagles put their 6-0 record on the line against the Steelers on Sunday, and the Union play in the Eastern Conference final that night. For good measure, Penn State takes a swing at a heavyweight, Ohio State, on Saturday afternoon.

Monday should be a recovery day for fans … but then everyone will rev up for World Series Game 3 that night.

After banging the biggest homer of his life — a two-run shot that pushed the Phillies to the verge of winning the pennant in the eighth inning Sunday at Citizens Bank Park — Bryce Harper stood and watched it for a beat, then looked into the dugout, put his head down, and circled the bases. There was no bat flip, no yelling, no excess celebration. “The way that he was able to immerse himself in the moment and stay focused and calm was [bleeping] incredible. Please use those exact words,” said Nick Castellanos, the Phillies’ right fielder. “He was the calmest person in the stadium. And I think that’s a lot of growth on his part.” Entering the 118th World Series, Harper is at the absolute peak of his powers.

Rob Thomson turned to J.T. Realmuto to count down every win on the Phillies’ way to the World Series.

The Phillies have multiple paths to victory. The Astros probably have more of them. Here are some keys to success for Philly.

Héctor Neris, a friend and mentor to several Phillies relievers, has found a home in the Astros bullpen.

Next: The Phillies open the World Series in Houston at 8:03 p.m. Friday (Fox29). Aaron Nola will start against Astros right-hander Justin Verlander.

A day after being acquired in a trade with the Chicago Bears, pass rusher Robert Quinn was in Philadelphia to participate in his first practice and meet his new Eagles teammates.

EJ Smith was at the NovaCare Complex on Thursday to hear what Quinn and some of his teammates had to say about the move.

Next: The Eagles host the Pittsburgh Steelers at 1 p.m. Sunday (CBS3).

Yep, that’s Union backup goalkeeper Matt Freese (a fine player in his own right, but definitely not three-time MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Andre Blake) playing in the 2021 Major League Soccer Eastern Conference final. The Union had six regular starters, including Blake and captain Alejandro Bedoya, unable to play last year because of COVID-19 protocols. They’ve wanted to get revenge on New York City FC, who beat the Union in that game en route to becoming MLS Cup champions, ever since.

Now, the Union have their wish, and Bedoya’s return from a recent injury signals a full-strength Union squad for Sunday’s rematch.

However, NYCFC has sailed through the playoffs so far, so Jonathan Tannenwald might be correct in assessing that the Union should be careful what they wish for.

Next: The Union host NYCFC in the MLS Eastern Conference final at 8 p.m. Sunday at Subaru Park (FS1, Fox Deportes).

The 76ers are in the midst of a whirlwind start to the 2022-23 season, complete with a 1-4 start and losses to several teams with which they are expected to compete in the Eastern Conference.

With all of this happening around the Sixers, Georges Niang delivered the first entry of his player diary for The Inquirer. Niang provides a glimpse into the team during this crucial time and shares how he decompresses away from the court.

Next: The Sixers play the Raptors in Toronto on Friday at 7:30 p.m. (NBCSP).

While things for the Flyers may be looking up on the ice, in a continuation of last season, the news from the training room continues to be less promising.

After losing winger James van Riemsdyk to a fractured finger on Sunday, John Tortorella revealed Thursday that two of the team’s top players, center Sean Couturier (back) and winger Cam Atkinson (upper body), are still not close to returning from injury.

The Flyers also added a new face on Thursday, as the team claimed former first-round pick Kieffer Bellows off waivers from the New York Islanders.

In their latest game, the players might be proving that the Flyers’ transformation this season may just be for real.

Next: The Flyers host the Carolina Hurricanes at 7:30 p.m. Saturday (NBCSP).

The Portland Thorns and their fans have been through a lot lately. But with 90 seconds of stoppage time remaining in the second half of their NWSL semifinal, Crystal Dunn provided a spark, scoring the game-winner to send the Thorns to the NWSL championship, where they’ll face the Kansas City Current on Saturday (8 p.m., CBS3, Paramount+).

Making the moment even more special is the fact that Dunn is just 156 days removed from giving birth to her son.

North Philly’s Kahleah Copper, who stars for the WNBA’s Chicago Sky, took part in a Twitter Space on Thursday to raise breast cancer awareness. It’s a cause that’s important to her.

We asked you: What are your plans for watching the World Series? Among your responses:

As a former Philadelphia resident for 24 years, I have stayed so plugged into Philadelphia sports since I moved away in 2018. The passion of the city for sports and the pursuit of excellence by the Phillies, Eagles, Sixers and Flyers inspires me every day. I am super excited for the Phillies and despite all the naysayers, I believe they have an awesome lineup with a great chance to get past the Astros. I spent my youth in the Astrodome, as I grew up in Houston. However, there is something magical about the Philadelphia sports scene. I really miss going to games in person. However, I will be glued to the television during the World Series watching The Fightins. There is a two-hour time difference, so I will rush home for the first game on Friday. — Michael B.

Being a fan of the Phillies for nearly 70 years, my plan might have been to watch every pitch on TV from our house in Florida. But I screwed up many months ago, and committed to a 2-week trip to Scotland starting Saturday. I’ll see the first game at home, miss the second game while in transit, and then watch others with the 5- or 6-hour time zone difference. ... Ugh. I’ll be up until 5 a.m. to see the end of night games. I’ll do it, but at 72 years old, I’ll probably not be chipper for the rest of that day. I have checked out my ability to watch a game. I am pretty sure that my Direct TV streaming will give me access, but on my laptop. I would not otherwise take my computer, except for the Phillies. It’s a small price to pay to see these games. I can still remember watching the last playoff series against the Astros, in 1980, on their way to their first world championship. I hope this series is half as good as that one was, as many agree that the 1980 NLCS was the greatest series of all time. Maybe Del Unser will come out of retirement to lay down the most impactful bunt in Phillies history. Go Phillies. — John W.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Scott Lauber, Alex Coffey, EJ Smith, Mike Jensen, Sam Cohn, Jonathan Tannenwald, Andrea Canales, David Murphy, and Olivia Reiner.