⚾ Three wild cards | Sports Daily Newsletter

We marvel at Howie Roseman as he tries to restock the Eagles’ roster, craftily signing players to one-year, “prove it” deals. In a way, Dave Dombrowski is doing the same thing with the Phillies.

We move a day closer to the season opener on Thursday, and today we take a look at the new additions to a team that still has World Series hopes. Seven position players and DH Kyle Schwarber return, and that pitching staff is even more loaded. Dombrowski has indeed added some players, though, and he is gambling on a few to have bounce-back seasons.

Outfielder Max Kepler played only 105 games for the Twins last year because of knee and hip injuries. The Marlins shut down starter Jesús Luzardo in June because of a stress reaction in his lower back. Reliever Jordan Romano underwent elbow surgery and was finished with the Blue Jays before June began.

Here’s the thing, though: All three of these players have starred in the majors. Luzardo has shown he can be a workhorse. Kepler and Romano can be key additions, and both are on one-year contracts.

“We’re in a situation where we have a lot of long-term contracts,” Dombrowski says. ”We’ve got some young players coming up through the system that we’re excited about, and we’re very close to getting that impact. So the one-year flexibility doesn’t hurt. Doesn’t mean that we can’t keep guys in the organization beyond that.”

Time to prove it.

— Jim Swan, @phillysport, [email protected].

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❓ Which new addition will have the biggest impact on this Phillies season? (You can include Andrew Painter in the mix.) Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.

The third day of June might tell the tale of the Phillies’ 2025 season, much the same way it told the tale in 2022. That’s the day the Phillies cut ties with Joe Girardi, who’d managed the Phillies to back-to-back underachieving seasons and was on his way to sabotaging a third. The Phillies were five games below .500 on June 2, an off day, which Dombrowski spent contemplating the direction of the team under Girardi. Then he woke up June 3, went for his daily one-hour run, showered, and fired the manager. The bar has been raised since the spring of 2022, but, no matter how you slice it, Rob Thomson now has managed the Phillies to back-to-back underachieving seasons, Marcus Hayes writes. Will early results this season keep Topper on the top step?

Turns out the Phillies will need Taijuan Walker in the rotation to start the season, and his final two tuneups didn’t go well.

The Phillies finalized their bench, and Millville’s Buddy Kennedy was left without a spot.

NBC Sports Philadelphia adds a familiar face to its lineup for Phillies coverage this season.

Here are 25 things to know ahead of a highly anticipated Phillies season.

Next: The Phillies open the season at 4:05 p.m. Thursday in Washington against the Nationals (NBC10, NBCSP+).

The Flyers are playing out the string in what will be a fifth straight season without playoff hockey. But if you take a step back from the five straight losses and look from a 30,000-foot lens, there are genuine reasons to believe the worst of the rebuild is behind them.

With Matvei Michkov having a Calder Trophy-worthy rookie season, top prospects like Oliver Bonk and Jett Luchanko poised to turn pro, and a fully stocked cupboard of draft picks, the Flyers are starting to accumulate the young talent needed to build a long-term contender.

Which prospects should you know beyond Luchanko and Bonk, and what future draft picks do the Flyers own after an eventful trade deadline? Jackie Spiegel resets the prospect pool and runs through the Flyers’ future assets as we approach what is setting up to be a pivotal offseason for the organization.

De’Andre Hunter, a Philly native and Friends’ Central School graduate, was moved to the Cleveland Cavaliers at the trade deadline, providing an opportunity to play more meaningful basketball than he had in Atlanta. He has answered the call and even coach Kenny Atkinson has been “thrilled” with how Hunter has instantly become an impactful player for his new team. Hunter entered Monday averaging 14.2 points on an eye-popping 47.7% shooting from three-point range and 50.3% overall in 18 games with Cleveland.

“That’s why they traded for me, because of the player I am,” Hunter says. “So I just wasn’t trying to change how I played or approach the game. … Do what the coaches wanted, obviously, but also do the things I know I’m good at.”

The undermanned Sixers dropped their fifth straight game in a 112-99 loss at the New Orleans Pelicans.

It has been 32 years since Eagles defensive tackle Jerome Brown died in a car crash at age 27. His death was tragic and a blow to Buddy Ryan’s defense, one that once seemed destined to end the Eagles’ Super Bowl drought. In the decades that have followed, Brown’s family and close friends have remained devoted to keeping his memory alive. They also remain devoted to the Eagles.

Who was the last Phillies rookie to pitch a shutout? First with the correct answer here will be featured in the newsletter.

A) Tyler Phillips

B) Zach Eflin

C) Cole Hamels

D) J.A. Happ

We asked you: What do the Phillies need to do to get over the postseason hump this year? Among your responses:

Hypnotist. — David B.

Very simply the Phillies need hitters to put the ball in play, not sluggers swinging for the cheap seats and chasing out of the strike zone pitches. Their lineup needs .300 batting average hitters and more than one. — Joe T.

A good contact hitter who does not strike out and is a smart base runner. Phils need to play some small ball to go along with their big bats and be more aggressive in all aspects of the game. A Pete Rose type of player! — Bob W.

They need to be more consistent. And start off stronger instead of digging a hole, then struggling to get out of it. Switch up the lineup. Put Turner in the leadoff spot. The fans need to see more from this well-paid group of athletes. — Kathy T.

Simple answer. A team psychologist on call 24/7. — Ronald R.

Two things: 1.) a more disciplined approach at the plate, and 2.) a closer. — Doug R.

The Phillies’ biggest problem in the postseason has been the failure of their hitters to hit. They swing at pitches out of the strike zone in their aggressiveness to get over the “hump.” They need to learn patience and try for more walks. Once they start getting on base more, they will see more strikes. — Richard F.

The Phillies need to be better at not chasing pitches out of the strike zone. We’ve seen the chase rate number increase, especially in the last half of last season. I think if they are able to be more disciplined at the plate, they’ll get more runners on base, resulting in a better chance of scoring more runs. It’s a habit that starts from day one. Hopefully they will be a better disciplined hitting team this season. — Mitch B.

Let your best players play every day! Don’t give out too many days off and don’t over-manage the righty/lefty situations. The Phillies position players are established stars who have hit both lefties and righties their entire careers. Have confidence in them and let them play. Don’t yank the starting pitchers too soon! These guys are also established stars and can pitch more than 5 innings per game. Have confidence in them and let them pitch. Get an established closer! This is the most suspect spot on the roster. The guys in the bullpen are also excellent and experienced pitchers but there is not an established closer amongst them. — Bob A.

I believe the Phils need a more professional approach and less crowing and gesturing after getting a hit. Thomson needs to manage better and make changes in a timely manner instead of waiting till it is too late. Better management of the bullpen. The lineup needs to stay focused and not swing at every pitch in the dirt. Finally, the team needs to believe they can accomplish their goals rather than expecting that it will happen because of who they are! We do not need a three-pete this year in failing to make it through the playoffs. — Vince O.

... First I think a 6-man starting rotation that really works would definitely help. If Luzardo and Walker can come through and maybe Painter later in the year I think they would be well rested going into the playoffs. On the offensive side of the game it would help to use Sosa and Clemens and the other reserves more often to help keep our starting guys fresh and especially Bohm. Fortunately there is no trip to London to tire our guys out so that is a plus. — Everett S.

Wheeler, Nola, Suarez, should do well. Walker may be the Achilles’ heel. “Spahn and Sain then pray for rain.” — Ted N.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Lochlahn March, Marcus Hayes, Scott Lauber, Ed Barkowitz, Rob Tornoe, Gina Mizell, Jackie Spiegel, Alex Coffey, Jonathan Tannenwald, Isabella DiAmore, Owen Hewitt, Conor Smith, and Paulie Loscalzo.

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.

Thank you for reading. Bella will be at the newsletter controls on Wednesday. — Jim