CINCINNATI — In his final start before his first career All-Star appearance, Jesús Luzardo delivered a performance worthy of the honor.
His five-pitch first inning — the fewest pitches the Phillies lefty has ever thrown in an inning in his career — was a sign of things to come. He mowed down the Reds for seven innings, holding them to two hits. And the offense did just enough to back him up, eking out a 1-0 win to close the series against Cincinnati.
Luzardo struck out 11, eight of which came on his signature sweeper. He generated 12 total swing-and-misses with the pitch.
He outdueled Reds starter Brady Singer, who turned in his best start of the season. Bryson Stott’s double was the Phillies’ only hit against the Reds right hander until Kyle Schwarber singled in the seventh inning, and Schwarber was immediately erased after Bryce Harper grounded into a double play.
Even so, the Phillies were getting solid contact against Singer, with four line outs through the first six innings. They finally broke through in the eighth, thanks to an RBI single from Justin Crawford that found some grass.
The Phillies were only in position to score thanks to some heads-up baserunning. Gabriel Rincones Jr. was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, and was replaced with Derek Hill as a pinch-runner.
Phillies’ Derek Hill slides across home plate to score on a single hit by Justin Crawford during the eighth inning.
Hill took off on Singer’s 0-2 pitch to J.T. Realmuto, and when the Phillies catcher sent a chopper to Elly De La Cruz, the double play was off the table. De La Cruz’s only play was to first base, allowing Hill to advance to scoring position as Crawford came to the plate.
Luzardo struck out the side in order in the third and the sixth. The Reds put the leadoff man aboard only once against him, when Eugenio Suárez drew a leadoff walk in the seventh. But he escaped the trouble with two ground balls sandwiched around a strikeout.
The Phillies used Jonathan Bowlan as the setup man for closer Jhoan Duran. Bowlan delivered a 1-2-3 eighth inning, which included striking out De La Cruz on a 99.2 mph fastball.
One of the Phillies’ other first-time All-Stars finished it off. Duran wavered at first, allowing the first two Reds in the ninth to reach with a single and hit-by-pitch. But with the winning run on first base, Duran battled back to strike out the next two Reds before inducing a game-ending groundout.
He completed the Phillies’ 11th shutout win of the season.
The U.S. men’s soccer team set another viewership record in its loss to Belgium, despite the lopsided 4-1 defeat.
A combined total of 45.986 million viewers watched on Fox (33.006 million) and Telemundo (12.9 million), whether via traditional television or online streaming.
It is the biggest audience for a television event since Super Bowl LX, and not too far off this year’s NFL conference championship games. The AFC matchup drew 48.6 million viewers, and the NFC drew 46.1 million.
Fox also said its audience alone was the biggest for any non-NFL broadcast since Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, when the Chicago Cubs ended their infamous championship drought. That mark was previously held by this year’s college football national championship game, which drew 30.1 million viewers across a range of ESPN channels.
Fans watching the U.S.-Belgium gane at a viewing party in Kansas City, Mo.
Fox noted that Philadelphia was the network’s No. 5 local ratings market for U.S.-Belgium, with a 14.22 rating and a 38 share. That means around 38% of all households watching television at that time tuned in to the game.
It wasn’t lost on U.S. fans that the blowout score turned some casual viewers sour. But the World Cup overall has continued to be a big deal, and that seems unlikely to change.
England’s dramatic 3-2 win over Mexico on Sunday night drew an audience worth a Sunday night NFL game: 44.952 million viewers combined between Fox (21.752 million) and Telemundo (23.1 million, a network record for soccer).
Earlier Sunday, Norway’s upset of Brazil in the Meadowlands drew 28.373 million viewers combined.
Fans watching Norway-Brazil at the official World Cup fan festival in Dallas.
According to publicly-available data so far, 12 games this summer attracted audiences of over 20 million viewers across the two networks, including four in the round of 16: U.S.-Belgium, Mexico-England, Brazil-Norway, and Paraguay-France in Philadelphia on July 4 (22.924 million).
Data compiled by The Inquirer show that the top five soccer audiences in U.S. history, and seven of the top 10, have all come during this World Cup.
We’ll see if the numbers grow again in the quarterfinals, which include a Saturday doubleheader of England vs. Norway and Argentina vs. Switzerland (5 and 9 p.m., Fox29 and Telemundo 62).
If all the favorites prevail, the semifinals would be France-Spain and England-Argentina. The first of those would match two of the sport’s biggest superstars, Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal; the second would pit Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane against Lionel Messi in a renewal of one of soccer’s most famous rivalries.
CINCINNATI — The revolving door in the Phillies bullpen continues to twirl.
Ahead of Thursday’s series finale against the Reds, Tanner Banks was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left forearm strain, and right-hander Chase Shugart was recalled in his place.
On Wednesday night, Banks allowed three consecutive homers to the top three batters in Cincinnati’s order — Elly De La Cruz, Sal Stewart, and JJ Bleday — as his struggles this season reached a new low. After posting a 3.07 ERA in 2025 and working his way into higher leverage opportunities, Banks has been unable to find his stride this year. His 7.14 ERA is currently the highest on the team, although fellow left-hander José Alvarado — who also allowed four runs Wednesday — is not far behind at 7.03.
The move leaves the Phillies with just two left-handers in their bullpen: Alvarado and Tim Mayza. Kyle Backhus was optioned to triple-A Lehigh Valley earlier this week after going through struggles of his own.
Interim manager Don Mattingly said that he first heard Banks had been dealing with fatigue in his forearm after he was optioned to triple A in June, but was able to pitch through it at that point.
“Just talking to him on the bus last night, it sounds like he was OK during the game, but he was having trouble getting moving and getting it going every day,” Mattingly said. “So that kind of told us something’s going on, and obviously it’s affecting a little bit with balls coming out, so felt like it was time to find out what’s going on.”
Mattingly believes the strain might have been affecting Banks’ performance this year. He said that Banks has undergone testing, and the Phillies hope to have more information after receiving the results.
“I think that’s probably what we’re kind of seeing. This is a possibility that this is what’s been causing some of the lack of command and things like that,” he said.
Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly told ESPN Wednesday that he would be willing to remain at the helm beyond this season, if asked.
Mattingly willing to become permanent manager
Mattingly, who took a 42-23 record into Thursday’s series finale against the Reds since taking over as interim Phillies manager from the fired Rob Thomson in April, told ESPN Wednesday that he would be willing to remain at the helm beyond this season, if asked.
Mattingly had been prepared to retire after stepping down from the Blue Jays bench coach job following last year’s World Series. But he changed his mind after being offered the Phillies’ bench coach role, which came with the chance to work under his son, Phillies general manager Preston Mattingly.
“I like doing it,” Don Mattingly said. “I didn’t come here to do it, but I actually like doing it. And I’d committed two years. In my mind, I told Dave [Dombrowski] two years, right? So at that point you make a commitment with your family and what’s going on with everything, that you’re going to do this for two years. So if that’s something that Dave wanted me to do, I would be fine with it.”
Extra bases
Aaron Nola (3-6, 5.87 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday’s series opener against Detroit Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty (2-8, 4.60).
The 76ers are in an enviable position less than two weeks after the open of NBA free agency. They entered the summer hampered by the contracts of Joel Embiid and Paul George and few options other than to run it back with a team that finished seventh in the East and lost to the eventual champion New York Knicks.
The Inquirer’s Gina Mizell and David Murphy talked about the recent moves that changed the Sixers’ fortunes, including the trade of Jaylen Brown, courtship of LeBron James and more.
This was edited for clarity and conciseness.
Gina Mizell: Let’s just start with this… How would you describe this offseason overall for the Sixers? It’s still lots that potentially could happen, which we’ll get to in a little bit, but just overall, what’s your impression of what president of basketball operations Mike Gansey and the Sixers have done so far this offseason?
David Murphy: I’m kind of at a loss for words. I mean, you could describe the Jaylen Brown trade with just, ‘Wow,’ you could go with ‘unforeseen.’ I don’t think anybody really saw this coming. Over the course of the offseason, I’ve been listening to just about every hoops podcast, national podcast, you could possibly think of, and absolutely nobody had this in the cards for the Sixers. And I think that the biggest surprise to me was that that Paul George’s contract was something that the Celtics actually viewed as something that was stomachable or palatable. I watched Brad Stevens’ press conference the other day, and I was surprised that it sounds like they wanted Paul George. This wasn’t necessarily a salary dump, so I think that was kind of the keystone that allowed all this to happen.
But from the Sixers perspective, I think it was a no-brainer. You don’t lose much in terms of financial flexibility. Jaylen Brown was signed for one more year than Paul George, and the Sixers have gone from kind of rebuilding and two timelines to another three-year window here, where they’re going for it. You can’t help but be excited whether you’re a fan or someone like us who covers the team.
I was at the park with my 15-month-old son, Max, and it was, I think, 5:30 p.m. We were killing time before dinner, and I just got a text from a buddy of mine, because we have been group chatting about NBA stuff for four weeks. We had each kind of wagered our bets on where Jaylen Brown would end up, and the text message I got just said, “Wow, didn’t see that coming.”
Where were you when it happened, and what was your initial reaction when that came across your phone or your computer or whoever you saw the news,
GM: I was at home, and what I always share with our fellow NBA reporter friends is that my mom’s birthday is July 1, so it’s actually a miracle that she has not disowned me, given that July 1 is always a busy day in the NBA calendar because it’s the opening day of free agency. But I had called her finally, maybe like about 4:30 p.m. in the afternoon, Eastern time, because the Sixers had a lot of things that happened. Kelly Oubre had moved on, Quentin Grimes had moved on, they had signed Ariel Hukporti, and it kind of reached this point in time where I’m like, ‘OK, I think I can get this like 15-minute phone call in and catch up and do all that stuff.
Jaylen Brown has shared that he’s excited to join the Sixers and get started in Philly.
At that point I wasn’t really expecting anything else to happen that day, and then the news pops about an hour later. And when it came across my phone, I literally said many expletives out loud, loud enough that my apartment neighbors maybe could have heard, because I just could not believe it. And so, no, it was just crazy when it all went down.
But now that we’ve had a chance to sort of marinate on this deal — it’s a few days old — has anything changed about sort of what you wrote in that initial column, as far as the fit financially, as far as building that championship window, like you mentioned, just kind of now that you’ve sort of sat with it? Any new thoughts, any additional thoughts, any deeper thoughts about how this is all going to work out now, adding Jalen Brown to this group?
DM: Not really from the Sixers perspective. I’ve actually spent most of my time, but I’m in the process right now of writing for tomorrow, the end result of that. Just kind of trying to answer the question, ‘What were the Celtics thinking?’ That was my first reaction along with just about everybody else in the world. My reaction first and foremost was, ‘Wow, like that’s all? That’s all they got for Jalen Brown? And I think my thinking on that, more than anything, has changed a little bit. I’m still surprised that you know, look, people want to rip the Celtics, but this is, first and foremost, a story of 28 other teams that did not beat the Sixers offer. So you can absolutely blame the Celtics for trading Brown, if that was the best offer on the table, the fact is that was the best offer on the table, and that’s something to think about.
I think that, you know, one of the key points that, and I believe this before the trade, I think people are underestimating how valuable that the Clippers pick is, that the Sixers traded to the Celtics. And I think Stevens kind of hinted at that yesterday in his press conference. Somebody asked him why Philly, and his response was essentially that this was the best move for the future of the franchise and the assets that we could get. I agree with him 100 percent. You know, I talked to somebody in the Sixers orbit during the season. I was shooting the bull and asking about the new lottery odds, and they said to me that Clippers pick is going to get a lot more valuable with these new odds, and I think you know that’s something that people really need to understand.
GM: The contracts of Paul George for Jaylen Brown are very similar but Brown does have one more year on his current deal, and he is extension eligible on July 26. So the Sixers roster is already very top heavy and is going to continue to be top heavy when you look at Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, obviously still on his big deal, and then potentially coming up if VJ Edgecomb is going to get a payday in a few years. But I think you’re exactly right about that Clippers pick, because you look at what they’ve been and who they are now in the last six months or so with trading James Harden, trading Ivica Zubac, obviously trading Kawhi Leonard right before free agency opened. And that is a team that you would expect that pick to be very valuable.
But just adding Brown to this mix coming off of the best individual season of his career, sixth in MVP voting, really carried that Celtics team that a lot of people thought would take a gap year with Jayson Tatum out with the Achilles injury, and now adding him to this group. Who is he going to enhance the most? Who does his game, when you look at Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid when healthy, VJ Edgecombe, some of these other complimentary players, who do you think Jalen Brown is most going to enhance? Where is he most going to make this team even better, in addition to what he does individually on the floor?
DM: A few years from now, Peyton Pritchard, and that’s really the second apron. This is really a story of the second apron doing what it was intended to do, and it was intended to spread superstar talent, and it’s doing that, so I think that more than anything, from the Celtics perspective. I actually think they made a very tough decision but I admire them for that. I think when you really look at, when you really look at the nuts and bolts of it, this move will leave them better off for the long haul, and maybe even the short and medium term.
I think it’s kind of a package thing. He’s going to make the pairing of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe workable. Edgecombe and Maxey, in the future, and you know, building around them. Anytime I talked about Edgecomb and Maxey in the future, and building around them, you almost have to put Joel Embiid out of it. I’m not convinced at this point that he’s even 100% going to be here next year. It wouldn’t stun me. He’s been conspicuously silent on social media ever since this trade went down. I’m not predicting that. I think it’s more of a possibility now than it was before, you know, especially seeing what we just saw. I’m not ruling anything out is what it comes down to.
HSBE president of sports Bob Myers hired Mike Gansey, Daryl Morey’s replacement. Can he also help bring LeBron to Philly?
So, I think you almost have to put him to the side, regardless of whether he’s here or not, you know, Mike Gansey’s number one priority was to build, start building a team that can win with Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe as their back court, and that was going to take, it was absolutely going to take two big wings, and ideally one of them being a guy who could could score, who could slash, who could play some bully ball, who could give them an element that, at least at this point, you know, Maxey probably will never have in terms of strength, and VJ, I think, could but just isn’t there yet.
GM: You wrote yesterday or the day before, just about the basketball fit for LeBron, and how and why the Sixers make a ton of sense, just not to make you regurgitate what you wrote on the Inquirer, but just what are sort of the reasons why, based on everything that you just said, that just adding a guy like Lebron, who obviously is not the perennial MVP contender that he once was, but is still really, really, really good, and would that be the type of piece that would put the Sixers over the top?
DM: Someone made an argument to me that I now buy… I think the Timberwolves are probably the best basketball fit for them, for him, you know, and I think that he would probably have better title hopes with them as well, just because of the presence of Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels on the defensive end. But I think the Sixers are right there with the Timberwolves in terms of pure basketball fit. I think, again, Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo are clunky as it is. LeBron could maybe help alleviate some of that, but at the same time that’s an interesting threesome to have out there on the court, and it certainly has a chance to not be an enjoyable basketball playing experience for LeBron. And I think he’d say the same thing about, you know, Cleveland, assuming Harden comes back. No disrespect to James Harden, but I wouldn’t want to spend the last year of my career watching him dribble, dribble around a basketball court.
I personally think if I was LeBron I would opt for the Warriors and the Nuggets, just because I think playing alongside Nikola Jokic or Steph Curry would be a heck of a lot of fun, and just kind of a neat way to see what happens for the last year of my career. LeBron will fit anywhere, is what it comes down to. If you plug him in at the three or the four for the Sixers, whatever you want to consider, with Jaylen Brown, I think I think they’ve got as good a chance as anybody.
CINCINNATI — This year’s Home Run Derby will officially have some hometown flavor.
Bryce Harper announced on Instagram Thursday he will participate in the derby, which will be held on Monday.
“Derby at home? Sure why not?” Harper captioned a video of himself homering off the Pirates’ Braxton Ashcraft.
Harper, who was included on the National League All-Star roster as MLB commissioner Rob Manfred’s “Legend Pick,” has 20 homers entering Thursday’s series finale against the Reds.
He last won the Derby in 2018 as a member of the Nationals, the year the All-Star festivities were hosted in Washington, D.C. In the final round, Harper beat future teammate Kyle Schwarber, who was representing the Cubs. Harper tied Schwarber with his 18th homer when the horn sounded before hitting the winner in bonus time.
Bryce Harper won the 2018 Home Run Derby at Nationals Park as a member of the Nationals.
This year will look a little different, however. Rather than using a timer, the Derby is reverting to a swing-based format where each competitor has a set number of swings for each round.
Schwarber, who bashed his league-leading 32nd homer of the season on Wednesday against the Reds, has not confirmed whether he has decided to participate as well. In addition to Harper, the field includes Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker, Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, Yankees first baseman Ben Rice, Royals outfielder Jac Caglianone, and Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras.
Harper will look to become the first Phillie to win the Derby since Ryan Howard in 2006.
Philadelphia is gearing up for a star-studded week with the arrival of MLB’s midsummer classic.
As Citizens Bank Park becomes a temporary home for some of the league’s top players, the Pennsylvania Convention Center will welcome fans to MLB’s All-Star Village, a four-day baseball experience featuring classic ballpark snacks, baseball challenges, photo opportunities, special appearances and more.
Here’s everything you need to know before you visit …
Philly neighborhoods on display
Taking over 500,000 square feet of real estate, the MLB All-Star Village is paying homage to five Philadelphia neighborhoods: Center City, Fishtown, South Philly, Fairmount, and Old City.
“Every neighborhood will have a different vibe,” said Rob Field, MLB’s senior manager of global events. “We have a different look for each of the neighborhoods. You’ll get to see the hometown flavor of each neighborhood.
“Old City is our historical component. Center City is kind of like our town hall, town square where we’ll have an entertainment stage and a diamond. South Philly, where Citizens Bank Park is, is where a lot of our play area is. … There really is something for everyone.”
The World’s Largest Baseball is one of the many attractions fans can find in the Center City section of the All-Star Village.
Unique baseball-themed attractions
The convention center brings fans into each neighborhood, each with its own decorations and attractions.
Center City features the entertainment stage, the World’s Largest Baseball, and one of three mini diamonds, the Playball Diamond, designed for youth activities such as baseball clinics, wiffleball games, and free play. Programming is scheduled to take place every 45 minutes.
Fishtown was decorated with several murals and artsy neon signs. Within this neighborhood, fans will find the MLB Arcade which features a virtual reality Home Run Derby and a number of gaming consoles where fans can play MLB The Show.
Old City takes fans into the history of the sport with an area dedicated to the Pillars of the Game.
South Philly’s attractions include the Deer Park Diamond, batting cages, and pitching challenges. Meanwhile, Fairmount was dedicated to the children — featuring mini batting cages, balloon animals, face painting, and Home Run robber, a game that puts fans in Velcro suits to imitate outfield home run robberies.
The All-Star Village will provide photo opportunities with the World’s Largest Baseball, a replica Liberty Bell, a collection of MLB trophies, and the Home Run Derby chain.
A replica Liberty Bell is one of the many photo opportunities fans can experience at the All-Star Village.
Ballpark food from around the globe
There will also be Ballpark Bites available to fans, featuring unique menu items from MLB ballparks across the country.
“Whether you’re someone who is a collector and wants to see some players, you can come and do that,” Field said. “Or if you’re interested in food, you can certainly come and taste some of the MLB bites. There’s signature dishes from different teams across the league. And it’s indoors. You can certainly come here and enjoy the fresh air, AC that is.”
Some of the food items include: the Texas Rangers’ 9th Inning Rally Sombrero, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Cookies & Cream Cold Brew, Arizona Diamondback’s Korean Pork Belly Nachos, the New York Mets’ Deli Pastrami Sandwich, Houston Astros’ Crawford Dog, Phillies’ Uncle Charlie’s Cheesesteak, Boston Red Sox’s Fenway Lobster Roll, Pittsburgh Pirates’ Manny’s Pierogies, Kansas City Royals’ Footlong Hot Dog Wellington, and Baltimore Orioles’ Banana Pudding.
Fishtown’s section of the All-Star Village will feature a lot of art.
Programming and ticketing
The All-Star Village will open on Saturday and feature a special appearance from Ryan Howard, who will be take photos with fans at the Capital One booth.
Throughout the All-Star Week, there will be appearances from former Phillies like Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Luis Clemente, Shane Victorino, Sam Allen, Bobby Abreu, Dave Cash, and more.
“Saturday is our opening ceremony,” Field said. “We’ll start at 8:45 a.m. right here at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. We’re going to kick things off, we’ll have entertainment. We’ll have mascots from various teams. … In addition to that we have our legends program. So, we invited all our former All-Stars, legends from the Philadelphia Phillies will be here to sign autographs, Q&A’s and be part of the clinics that we have.”
Joanne Graham decorates an exhibit featuring vintage Phillies gear for the Fanatics booth at the MLB All-Star Village inside the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.
The village is open from Saturday through Tuesday. On Saturday and Sunday, it’ll be open between 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., while the venue will close at 6 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday.
The Union wanted to host a closed-door friendly against the New England Revolution at Subaru Park on Thursday morning to help prepare them for MLS’s return after a six-week break for the FIFA World Cup.
Mother Nature had other plans.
After lightning extended the exhibition’s halftime break, the game entered a second delay in the 66th minute after a loud clap of thunder sent the players off the pitch at Subaru Park. The match, which was initially planned as a 120-minute exhibition, was relocated and finished with a 45-minute half inside the WSFS Sportsplex.
New England won the disjointed friendly, 3-2. Milan Iloski and Ezekiel Alladoh scored for the Union.
Despite the interruptions, the friendly gave an early glimpse of what the Union may look like under interim manager Ryan Richter, who took over after the Bradley Carnell’s dismissal in May.
Here’s three things we learned from the Union’s exhibition against New England:
Union uniformity
Those expecting the dismissal of Carnell to change the Union’s identity will be disappointed.
Richter has kept the Union’s structure and shape the same through the club’s World Cup break.
The Union came out for Thursday’s friendly in their usual shape, with four backs, two defensive midfielders playing centrally, two attacking midfielders stretching wider, and two strikers atop the formation.
Interim manager Ryan Richter kept the Union’s shape the same during Thursday’s friendly.
The club’s shape stayed consistent through both portions of the outdoor friendly. The Union trotted out an entirely different lineup of players after the second delay moved the friendly indoors, but the shape stayed the same.
The Union pressed New England in their own defensive third, as they have done to all of their MLS opponents this season. Richter is well-versed in the way the Union want to play. The Warminster, Bucks County native, who played college soccer at La Salle, has been on the Union coaching staff since 2018 and spent last season as the head coach of Union II.
Players in place
The personnel on the field looked a bit different during the friendly. Olwethu Makhanya and Danley Jean-Jacques, still recovering from World Cup runs with South Africa and Haiti, respectively, did not play.
Andre Blake started in goal, and Nathan Harriel and Frankie Westfield took their usual spots at outside back. Japhet Sery Larsen played in central defense alongside Neil Pierre, the 18-year-old center back currently on loan at Lyngby, a Danish club the Union own a minority share of.
“He can clearly hang with the physicality,” Richter said of Pierre. “He’s improved so much in the way he’s reading the game and his decision making. … There’s no reason why he can’t compete at this level.”
Indiana Vassilev and Jesús Bueno made up the defensive midfield, Ben Bender and Cavan Sullivan started in attacking midfield, and Bruno Damiani and Iloski made up the starting striking partnership.
The lineup remained unchanged after a lengthy lightning delay at halftime. Richter made a pair of changes in the 65th, bringing in Alladoh for Damiani and Jovan Lukić for Bender, shortly before the second lightning delay.
Ezekiel Alladoh, shown in May, scored the Union’s second goal on Thursday when the friendly moved indoors.
The Union made mass substitutions after the friendly moved indoors. Geiner Martinez, Philippe Ndinga, Finn Sundstrom and Agustín Anello, among some Union II players, were brought into the lineup for the indoor portion of the match.
Alladoh scored the Union’s second goal once the match moved indoors. Ndinga made a run into the right side of the 18-yard box before playing the ball across the face of goal to Anello, who set it for Alladoh. The 20-year-old Alladoh laced a shot from close range that beat New England’s keeper.
The Union got a chance to see their depth in a competitive environment, which may prove important as the club restarts its match schedule. After two MLS matches in July, the Union will play eight matches in August as they start the Leagues Cup, a competition between MLS and Liga MX.
“You can train well, but you can’t hide once the game actually starts,” Richter said. “You see exactly how guys fit in, what they’re capable of, what their role could possibly be.”
Sullivan starts
Sullivan played well in the friendly, creating the Union’s first goal with a run down the right flank and a cross into the box for Iloski, who headed the ball in.
Sullivan created a few other chances that didn’t end up in the back of the net and put a free kick from the edge of the 18-yard box on frame. He was brought off the pitch after the friendly moved inside.
Sullivan, 16, made nine starts across all competitions during the first half of the Union’s season, including five of the last six matches before the World Cup break. He scored twice in the Concacaf Champions Cup and scored his first MLS goal against Orlando City in May.
It is yet to be seen if Sullivan, set to depart the Union for English Premier League side Manchester City at the end of 2027, will start to play a bigger role for the Union as they close out the 2026 season.
The Union will return to MLS play on July 22 when they host the New York Red Bulls (7:30 p.m., Apple TV+).
With the MLB All-Star Game around the corner, sports apparel company ’47 is teaming up with Sarcone’s Bakery for an exclusive pop-up inside the South Philadelphia staple.
The event will run Monday and Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The bakery will offer a special ’47 menu that boasts their famous bread and tomato pie. More importantly, guests who purchase food will receive an exclusive Sarcone’s T-shirt and hat, produced in partnership with ’47.
“When you think of Philly, you think of the passionate sports fans, and you also think of the food scene,” bakery owner Louis Sarcone III said. “The main thing of the food scene in Philly is the Philly cheesesteaks, and our bread is a staple in the city of Philly cheesesteaks. And when you go into a stadium, you see the iconic ‘47 logo everywhere. I think we’re two similar companies that have been around for generations.”
Patrick Cassidy, the vice president of marketing at ’47, helped launch the search for a Philadelphia-based business to partner with. Cassidy, who was born in the city and grew up in Delaware County, felt a bit of pressure to pick the right one.
“We’re going into Philly, and I’m from Philly,” Cassidy recalled. “It’s important to me to get this right in a very real way. I’ve got plenty of cousins and aunts and uncles to answer to if I don’t do it right.”
The front of the T-shirt (left) and a black snapback hat from Sarcone’s collab with ’47.
Sarcone’s was eventually brought up as an option. To Cassidy, the partnership made perfect sense. Sarcone’s was opened in 1918 by Sarcone III’s great-great grandfather, an immigrant from Italy. Five generations later, the bakery is still family-owned. Similarly, Boston-based ‘47 was owned and operated by two families until it was sold to New Era in 2024.
“Sarcone’s, much like us, started as a family business,” Cassidy said. “Heart, history, heritage, a crazy attention to detail. The same amount of detail with how they make their bread, we’ve barely touched the ingredients in our headwear for almost eighty years.”
Sarcone III and the rest of his family are just as excited.
“We get to give something back to our existing customers,” he said. “But also we get a reach that we normally wouldn’t get because of how big [‘47 is], get a bump. And for all the people that are coming in for the All-Star Game, we’re going to be able to reach out to new customers and show them what we’re about as well.”
Guests who purchase an item from the ‘47 menu will not only receive a shirt and hat, but they’ll also be able to customize their new gear with a heat-press station on site. The MLB All-Star Game takes place Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park, with the Home Run Derby taking place one night earlier.
After a month of World Cup festivities, baseball is taking over Philadelphia for Major League Baseball All-Star Week. The biggest event — outside of the All-Star Game itself on Tuesday — will be Monday night’s Home Run Derby headlined by Phillies star Bryce Harper — and soon maybe Kyle Schwarber? — at Citizens Bank Park.
The derby begins at 8 p.m. and streams for the first time on Netflix. This year, instead of each batter having an unlimited amount of swings in a designated time period, participants will be capped at 20 attempts in the first round and 15 in the semifinals and final.
Eight hitters are slated to compete, but just six have signed on so far. Schwarber has not made his decision whether he will join his teammate Harper and participate. Schwarber’s 32 home runs lead the majors. Harper announced on Thursday that he will be competing.
Here’s what you need to know about the six confirmed participants with two more to come:
Bryce Harper, Phillies
Home Run Derby appearances: Three
2026 power numbers: 20 home runs, .509 slugging percentage
What to know: In Harper’s second Home Run Derby in 2018, then wearing a Nationals uniform, he beat out future teammates Schwarber and Rhys Hoskins on his way to winning. He finished with 45 home runs. Harper has 12 seasons with at least 20 home runs, and is on pace to finish with the season with 397 for his career.
Junior Caminero, Rays
Home Run Derby appearances: Two
2026 power numbers: 26 home runs, .541 slugging percentage
What to know: At 22 years old, Caminero almost became the youngest player to win the Derby last year, losing out to Cal Raleigh in the finals. He hit 45 home runs last season and is tied for fourth in baseball with 26 in 2026.
Ben Rice, Yankees
Home Run Derby appearances: First
2026 power numbers: 26 home runs, .573 slugging percentage
What to know: The 27-year old Rice is leading the Yankees in home runs. He has 59 since being called up to the majors three seasons ago.
Jac Caglianone, Royals
Home Run Derby appearances: First
2026 power numbers: 14 home runs, .455 slugging percentage
What to know: Caglianone’s numbers may seem a bit underwhelming compared to his competition. However, the 23-year-old Royals right fielder is coming off a month in which he was one of the best power hitters in baseball. In June, Caglianone hit nine home runs, tied for the second most in the American League in the month.
Willson Contreras, Red Sox
Home Run Derby appearances: First
2026 power numbers: 20 home runs, .541 slugging percentage
What to know: Contreras, who is on pace for a career high in home runs this season, still has tremendous bat speed at age 34, ranking in the 96th percentile (77 mph). He will have his brother William, himself an All-Star as a catcher with the Brewers, there to support him.
Jordan Walker, Cardinals
Home Run Derby appearances: First
2026 power numbers: 21 home runs, .534 slugging percentage
What to know: Walker, also a first-time All-Star, is looking to become the first Cardinal to win the derby. After being demoted to triple-A last year, the 24-year-old Walker is having a breakout season after retooling his swing in the offseason. His 92.4 mph exit velocity when he makes contact is fifth-highest in the league.
Think of the Flyers as an explorer who landed on a deserted island. On this island, deep within miles of thick jungle, is treasure. The explorer knows the treasure is there somewhere, and he aims to find it.
Leo Carlsson would have been a new machete: sharp, strong, capable of cutting through all those vines and branches and trunks to make the Flyers’ journey to those riches easier and faster. Now the explorer won’t have that tool. Now that the Anaheim Ducks have matched the five-year, $90-million offer sheet that Carlsson signed with the Flyers last week, the Flyers won’t have the steel blade that Carlsson represented as a 6-foot-3, 21-year-old, clear-cut first-line center just entering his prime.
So where does that leave them? It means that their trek to that treasure, to their first Stanley Cup since 1974-75, will likely be slower and less certain. They may get to it eventually, but it’s going to take more time and be more costly.
Had the Ducks declined to match the Flyers’ audacious offer — and make no mistake, this gambit by Danny Brière was bold and creative, as close to a Now youse can’t leave move as an NHL general manager can make — Anaheim would have received four first-round picks from the Flyers. That price would have been steep. But the Flyers would have added Carlsson, who averaged nearly a point a game last season, is an excellent player now, and has shown every sign that he will get even better.
They need a No. 1 center, not merely for the talent and scoring touch such a player would provide, but also so they can slot their other centers — Trevor Zegras, Christian Dvorak, and Sean Couturier — more appropriately. With Carlsson (or any center of similar caliber, for that matter), Zegras would have become the second-line guy. Dvorak would have become a terrific third-line guy. And Couturier would have remained in the role he played so well in last season’s playoffs, as an outstanding fourth-line checker, faceoff-taker, and leader.
What’s more, the Flyers have a roster and a farm system with plenty of promising young players, and if this move had come to fruition, they wouldn’t have had to sacrifice any of them to fill one of their biggest holes. That’s perhaps the most disappointing aspect of this result for them: That luxury of gaining an emerging superstar without having to give up valuable players and/or prospects already within the organization likely is no longer available to them.
With the Carlsson episode behind him, Flyers general manager Danny Brière must be practical about the team’s range of needs.
They’re interested in the Detroit Red Wings’ Dylan Larkin, for instance; though Larkin is 7½ years older than Carlsson, he still would fit the Flyers like a well-tailored suit. But assuming Larkin, who has a full no-movement clause, is even willing to join the Flyers, the trade package necessary to acquire him would probably have to include a player or two on their current roster. Would Larkin be worth the departure of, say, Owen Tippett and/or Denver Barkey?
Just because Brière made such a huge play for Carlsson doesn’t mean he has to answer that question, immediately or ever. The smartest thing he and the Flyers’ leadership team have done in the three years since he took over as GM has been to give themselves flexibility in improving the team. They didn’t have to shock the NHL by presenting that offer sheet to Carlsson — a proposal for a contract that has now made him the league’s highest-paid player. But they did. After years of running in place, after qualifying for the postseason for the first time since 2020, they declared that they were ready to spend again, but they made that declaration on their terms.
They have several choices for how they can proceed. They need not just a No. 1 center, but a top-pair defenseman, or at least one capable of quarterbacking a power play. They can act quickly to acquire one or both of those players, to find short-term and/or long-term answers to those lingering questions, or they can wait.
Remember: Even if they had won their duel with the Ducks for Carlsson, the Flyers wouldn’t have been considered a true contender this season for the Stanley Cup. Porter Martone, Matvei Michkov, Tyson Foerster, Jamie Drysdale, Alex Bump, Zegras: All of them have growth and development ahead of them. Yes, the Flyers’ hunt will take longer now that Leo Carlsson, that oh-so useful tool, will remain on the West Coast, but they can still find that chest of gold. They just have to take care not to get lost along the way.
