Merakey USA, based in Lafayette Hill, is acquiring Boundless, an Ohio nonprofit that provides services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and behavioral health needs, in a deal that leaders of both organizations described this week as a model for their industry.
“It’s the marriage of two financially stable organizations” that are preparing for turbulence in the human services sector, said Merakey CEO Joseph S. Martz. More typically human services deals happen because one nonprofit needs a financial rescue, as happened with Philadelphia’s Resources for Human Development in 2024.
Merakey and Boundless planned to announce the news Thursday.
Martz and the CEO of Boundless, Patrick Maynard, both said the size of the combined organization — more than $1 billion in revenue — would enable it to invest in the systems, technology, training, and workforce development needed to be financially sustainable.
The deal, expected to close in July, will create an organization that supports 50,000 individuals and families annually in 12 states and employs 11,000 people.
Joseph S. Martz is CEO of Merakey USA, which is acquiring Boundless, a human services provider based in Columbus, Ohio.
The executives cited pressures from an expected change in how their organizations get paid. A shift is underway to payment for results rather than for straight volumes of services. Looming cuts to Medicaid over the next decade are also forcing human services providers to rethink how they operate.
“We’re entering a time when resources are going to be a lot tighter, and I think organizations need to be thinking differently about how they approach that. We’re seeing some other pretty large consolidations,” said Chuck Ingoglia, CEO of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, a Washington nonprofit advocacy group.
Origins of the Merakey-Boundless deal
Stacy DiStefano, CEO of Consulting for Human Services, a Philadelphia-based adviser firm, introduced Martz and Maynard to each other in July 2024.
That led to a series of conversations about issues the two organizations were spending money to solve and the realization: “Why don’t we just come together and use the combined resources of our organizations to solve that problem,” Martz said.
Merakey and Boundless had already been growing through acquisitions, though Boundless has grown more dramatically. In the last seven years, the nonprofit made five acquisitions that helped increase its annual revenue to an expected $200 million this year from $20 million, Maynard said.
“My goal was to create sustainability in a broken system where most of us are living off of Medicaid, which comes nowhere close to providing the resources that cover the costs,” Maynard said.
Patrick Maynard is CEO of Boundless, a Ohio human services provider that is merging into Merakey USA, of Lafayette Hill.
The added scale enabled Boundless to add healthcare and dentistry for its clients, but the Medicaid shortfall for those dental services is $75,000 a month, Maynard said. That kept Maynard looking for even bigger partners, like Merakey.
Maynard cited Merakey’s expenditure of $18 million for Workday software, a system for human resources and financial management as an example of something Boundless could never afford. At $200 million in annual revenue, Boundless struggled to spend $2 million on a system for electronic health records, he said.
A new structure
Merakey, which started as the Northwest Center in the Mount Airy section of Philadelphia in 1969, remains firmly rooted in Pennsylvania. The state is expected to account for more than half its $850 million in revenue for the fiscal year that ends this month, Martz said.
States where Merakey operates include Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin. A new division called Boundless Midwest, led by Maynard, will assume responsibility for Merakey’s operations in that region when the deal is done.
Both boards have approved the transaction, which remains under review by the Ohio Attorney General.
Martz said he expect Boundless to continue growing though acquisitions and the development of new programs with the support of Merakey.
“We are going to be a big organization, but it’s really about being a better organization, about the quality of care that we provide,” Martz said. “If you’re not culturally aligned, bigger for bigger sake, just doesn’t make any sense to me.”
No city does history quite like Philadelphia — and it’s all on full display this summer for the nation’s 250th. From museums and historic houses to outdoor experiences and more, here are some must-dos over the coming days, weeks, and months.
“Rushmore,” a 2016 painting by Tom Judd, is part of the “Arc of Promise” exhibit at the Woodmere Museum.
‘Arc of Promise’
Woodmere Museum
Examine how Philadelphia artists have imagined America — from earlier perspectives to modern day — in paintings, sculptures, and other media. Inspired by local artist Jerry Pinkney (1939-2021), whose “arc of promise” concept was influenced by America’s painful histories of slavery, displacement, and injustice, while holding onto the belief that renewal is still attainable.
Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History
Explore events surrounding Nov. 16, 1776, the day the Dutch governor of St. Eustatius welcomed a ship flying the new American flag into the harbor — making the first recognition of the new nation by a foreign entity. A critical thruway for commerce between Europe and North America, the island’s Dutch leaders offered Jews a relatively high level of religious tolerance. Highlights include a 1761 Hanukkah lamp.
View works by artist Sky Hopinka featuring personal perspectives of Indigenous homelands and landscapes. In recognition of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, these works of art thoughtfully explore and interrogate the American experience and its histories.
A fedora owned by Franklin Delano Roosevelt is part of the “Governing the Nation” exhibit at the National Constitution Center.
‘Governing the Nation’
National Constitution Center
Explore how the American system of government functions through immersive media, dynamic projections, and 3D models of the U.S. Capitol, the White House, and the U.S. Supreme Court. View a pamphlet written by Alexander Hamilton on the constitutionality of the National Bank, as well as Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s fedora.
A view of “Proving Ground: The First 250 Years of the American Experiment,” at Highmark Mann Satell Centennial Wall East.
‘Proving Ground: The First 250 Years of the American Experiment’
Highmark Mann Center for the Performing Arts
Enjoy an outdoor film experience with the 4,500-square-foot immersive LED canvas at the entrance of Highmark Mann on its new Satell Centennial Wall East. This massive storytelling canvas features cinematic visuals, motion design, music, and historical imagery that immerse visitors in Philadelphia’s role in shaping the American story.
‘Revolutionary Family: The Biddles and American Independence’
Andalusia Historic House
Explore historical art and documents based on the Biddles, one of America’s most prominent colonial families. Discover what happened at the Andalusia site during the time of the American Revolution, including the military activity that surrounded the area, and view the beautiful painted portrait miniatures of Clement and Rebekah Biddle.
‘Freedom Through Faith: Judaism at Eastern State and Beyond’
Eastern State Penitentiary
Discover how religious freedom, one of the “unalienable rights” stated in the Declaration of Independence, was strongly represented and practiced in America’s first penitentiary, especially by its Jewish inhabitants. A restored synagogue is a central feature of the exhibit and is the first synagogue in a U.S. prison.
2027 Fairmount Ave., opening July 2 for permanent display, easternstate.org
‘Creating a City of Medicine’
Mütter Museum
Explore 250 years of Philadelphia’s impact on health and healing in the U.S., including medical education, technological innovation, and community-based healing practices. Featuring well-recognized Philadelphia leaders as well as lesser-known figures, the exhibit will educate visitors on the vital role Philadelphia played in American medicine and medical education.
Barbara Bates Center for the Study of the History of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania
In celebration of America 250 at Penn, this exhibit showcases rare materials and reproductions surrounding Revolutionary-era nursing. Explore the influence of Black and Indigenous people on the profession, and the influences of African healing and Indigenous practices on early American medicine.
Explore the history of trade between the U.S. and China, as it relates to the birth of the United States and the long history of trade between them. View a bowl purchased by a Philadelphia merchant for George and Martha Washington, decorated with an unbroken circle and chains representing the strength of the new nation.
This exhibit traces the American Declaration of Independence’s global influence across 250 years, including political and social change. Featuring 120-plus artifacts from almost 20 nations, it explores how leaders from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Gandhi used the declaration’s words as inspiration to inspire political revolutions and civil rights movements worldwide.
Located next door to Independence Hall, this new exhibition shows that the declaration was a process, and continues to evolve and shape the nation. This exhibit displays 19 rare early printings of the declaration — including one handwritten by Thomas Jefferson, and a copy from July 4, 1776.
View 140 rare, original materials tracing how American colonists transformed from loyal British subjects to revolutionaries. Highlights include a letter written by John Adams the day after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, praising a Massachusetts woman as a “historiographer” of the revolution, and view early drafts of the Constitution.
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and Philadelphia Museum of Art
Two of Philadelphia’s premier institutions have united for this landmark exhibition. At PAFA, works made from the late 18th century to modern day showcase scenes of westward expansion and the rise of industry. At PMA, view American art from 1700 to 1960, identifying global connections that inspired artistic and technological innovation. Featuring more than 1,000 works — including pieces from the private Middleton Family Collection, and by Georgia O’Keeffe and Andy Warhol.
PAFA, 118-128 N. Broad St., now through Sept. 5, 2027; PMA, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, now through July 5, 2027; anationofartists.org
‘America Today: Voices in Contemporary Print’
The Print Center
Explore the current state of democracy through contemporary printmaking from 38 artists. This free exhibition was inspired by the New Deal of the 1930s and 1940s, when printmaking was used for political commentary. View works from generations of artists who use printmaking as an art form to explore and express the issues we face today.
The Pennsylvania Hospital Museum, which opened in May, transforms the historic Pine Building of America’s first chartered hospital, founded by Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Bond in 1751, into a public museum. Discover breakthroughs in brain health, and trace medicine from herbal healing teas to one of the most groundbreaking medical innovations: CRISPR gene editing.
Connect today’s Philadelphia to 1876, when Philadelphia made history as the first city in North America to host the World’s Fair. At this free exhibit, explore that period and see how far technology has taken us. Use your cell phones to capture a replica of Alexander Graham Bell’s first telephone.
Part of “The Doan Gang: Outlaws of the Revolution” exhibit at the Mercer Museum.
‘The Doan Gang: Outlaws of the Revolution’
Mercer Museum
Explore your rebellious side with these known enemies of the Founding Fathers, the Doan Gang, who were loyal to British rule in the colonies. This exhibit is from the perspective of Loyalists, who opposed American independence. Discover the untold stories that combine espionage, legendary robberies, and mythical lost treasure.
View powerful works by artists that invite viewers to immerse themselves in the memories, dreams, and histories of Black Americans from the past and present. Reflect on how Americans of color have shaped identities and created spaces of resistance, joy, and resilience in the face of systemic oppression. Featured artists include Philadelphia-based David Hartt and Tourmaline.
This summer, the Delaware River Waterfront transforms into a free, outdoor gallery called “Where Freedom Flows.” Highlights include “Let Freedom Ring” by Paul Ramírez Jonas — where visitors can strike a 600-pound bell to sound the final note of “My Country, ’Tis of Thee,” connecting Philadelphia’s historic waterfront to the nation’s evolving story of freedom.
Set your sights on this beautiful community-driven artwork installation by GrioXArts — artists Duwenavue Santé Johnson and Kara Mshinda. The textile centerpiece is a reimagined American flag composed of hand-embroidered bandannas created during a previous public workshop. It reflects personal and cultural narratives of BIPOC voices into Philadelphia’s evolving story and history.
‘At Liberty: Life in the City of Brotherly Love During the Early Republic’
Arthur Ross Gallery at the University of Pennsylvania
Explore fine art during our forefathers’ time with holdings from the University of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the Winterthur Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Curated by Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw, it features paintings, sculptures, and watercolor drawings of notable figures, including Benjamin Franklin.
A portrait by Tom McKinney is part of the “From Invisible to Invincible” exhibit at the Historic Strawberry Mansion.
‘From Invisible to Invincible: Honoring the Art of Color’
Historic Strawberry Mansion
This exhibit recognizes both the 250th anniversary of the founding of America and the 100th anniversary of the Committee of 1926, a women-led organization formed during the 1926 Sesquicentennial International Exposition, and dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of this mansion. It will showcase artists who did not get a fair opportunity to shine in the original 1926 exposition due to systemic inequities.
Americans deserve a just outcome of the war that Donald Trump began with Iran. Trump recklessly and without provocation ordered the attack on the sovereign country of Iran. Although our national pride is trying to convince us to believe we should be getting a “good deal,” we should be searching for a just deal.
A just deal requires that we pay retribution to Iran for this attack, the Iranian lives lost, sacred and historical sites ruined, and the destruction of infrastructure. A just deal also requires that Trump and his enablers be held accountable for the suffering Americans experienced, including lives lost, life-altering injuries received, financial hardships endured, and billions of hard-earned tax dollars wasted.
A just deal will only be delivered to Americans if we, as a nation, agree that the justice we deserve will not come from something Iran cedes to us. Justice will come only from our country paying for the destruction caused by this war of choice, and from Americans holding Trump and his Republican enablers accountable for the harm they brought to Iran, our country, and others around the world. Justice will come when we, as Americans, insist that they are prevented from executing such a harmful whim again.
Donna Nawalkowsky,Philadelphia
Hatred finds voice
You don’t need to search too far to find examples of distrust and dislike among Americans. At a recent conference I attended, a white woman fingered her cross necklace, telling me she was shaken when a prominent speaker said twice, “Some of my best friends are white,” a statement that led to a nodding, laughing agreement from hundreds of audience members. “This is the statement traditionally used by those who hate Jews … the word Jew is used, rather than white,” she explained. An unnecessary explanation, as I am Jewish. Soon after, I heard about the Cornell University student who turned down a potential job at a tech start-up because the founders are Jewish. He has received more than $19,000 from supporters who blame Jewish people for trying to “ruin” his reputation. I was even more sickened by the vicious remarks made about Michelle Obama by one of the fighters brought to the White House lawn in celebration of Donald Trump’s 80th birthday, as our 47th president sat silently.
Following the conference, I contacted a Black colleague, asking how best to address entrenched hatred. We spoke about the necessity of intense, far-reaching grassroots efforts to bring people together, including truthful examinations of our history. We also agreed on the necessity of deep listening to the experiences of others, in which we all do our best to free ourselves from bias and assumptions.
A neighbor recently asked if I thought today’s ugliness and dangers were new. My response was that the potential toward hate, a virulent, contagious, ever-sleeping monster, has always been there. The difference today is that the monster is being awakened, courted, and embraced by officials who will do all possible to destroy a precious, hard-won, ever-vulnerable democracy. They will stop at nothing to maintain their power and control, including the use of a war they instigated to call off a forthcoming presidential election.
SaraKay Smullens, Philadelphia
Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 150 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Your gift to relationships is thoughtfulness. You express affection through practical care, reliability and sincerity. Don’t let perfectionism in. Remember that people feel closest to you when they can relax around you. Love lets you relax the controls.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Your gift to relationships is devotion. You protect, uplift and celebrate the people you love with remarkable consistency. Don’t confuse being needed with being valued. Remember to leave room for mystery. Love will adore you “as-is,” no performance necessary.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Your gift to relationships is emotional courage. You’re willing to care deeply and create real intimacy. Don’t carry the entire emotional weight of the relationship alone. Remember that support is meant to flow both ways. Love will wrap you in tenderness.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Your gift to relationships is leadership. To initiate takes boldness and a willingness to be vulnerable. You move forward and show the other person it’s OK to trust you. Remember to take turns. Love will delight you with surprising reciprocity.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Your gift to relationships is compassion. With great empathy, you imagine emotional worlds that others can barely articulate themselves. Don’t lose your center trying to merge and bond. Remember that boundaries protect the specialness. Love teaches you to trust yourself.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Your gift to relationships is encouragement. You notice potentials and breathe life into unrealized talents and dreams. Remember to live in the present. Don’t focus exclusively on what could be. Love shows you the beauty that already exists between you.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Your gift to relationships is unparalleled attentiveness. You reflect, study and adore your partner’s unique way of moving through the world. Don’t let things get asymmetrical. Remember to receive. Love will reveal your own originality to you.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Your gift to relationships is depth. You crave honesty and have a rare ability to make others feel emotionally seen and profoundly desired. Don’t test people unnecessarily. Remember that trust grows more easily when it’s offered freely. Love rewards gentleness.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Your gift to relationships is openness. You bring humor and a perspective that makes life larger and more alive. Don’t run from stillness. Remember that commitment can expand your world instead of limiting it. Love has both roots and wings.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Your gift to relationships is understanding. You can see multiple perspectives at once. Don’t lose yourself trying to maintain harmony. Remember that honesty is more intimate than politeness. Love will help you discover the strength of your own desires.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Your gift to relationships is loyalty. You commit wholeheartedly to building something meaningful over time. Don’t become so responsible that vulnerability disappears. Remember that softness creates trust, too. Love will reward you when you allow yourself to be fully known.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You don’t distance yourself from emotional intensity. You give people room to be complicated, unconventional and entirely themselves without judgment. Remember that connection requires participation, not just understanding. Love will meet you with the same freedom and acceptance you offer others.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (June 25). It’s your Year of Following Footsteps as the well-worn path welcomes you and you don’t have to work to figure out what to do; you only have to step in the imprints. Because the basics are made easy for you, your creative mind will whir with ways to elevate your work. More highlights: You’ll plan and create games. Extraordinary relationships feel enchanted, as though they’re of another reality. Work awakens dormant talents. Aries and Virgo adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 12, 8, 19, 33 and 2.
DEAR ABBY: I have worked with “Bev” for 12 years. She is insufferable. I love my job and my other co-workers, but they all feel the same way as I do. Bev is a domineering, bullying, entitled woman in her late 50s. She has two “friends” in the entire facility and, unfortunately, considers me one of them, as well as our boss, “Janet,” who I am sure merely tolerates her as I do.
Bev calls me incessantly during the day to talk about her personal life. She demeans people and is controlling and rude. She says she is “so busy,” but other people end up doing her work for her while she takes all the credit. When my phone rings and it’s her, I can feel the life being sucked out of me, and I want to throw my phone at the wall.
The problem is that her other “friend” is Janet. Bev constantly says that nobody can say anything about her because the boss will tell her, which makes it hard for the rest of us who all feel the same way about her. It is affecting my mental health. She calls no fewer than 10 times a day, and then she complains about how busy she is, after she has kept me on the phone 15 minutes or more talking about her personal life. I feel like one day I’m going to explode, and I do not want to lose my job. Help!
— VAMPIRE VICTIM
DEAR VAMPIRE VICTIM: Do you know for a fact that Janet considers Bev a friend? You may see them talking frequently, but that doesn’t mean Janet is enjoying it. If, as you say, everyone else in the workplace dislikes her, it’s hard to believe the boss hasn’t noticed.
Have a private chat with Janet. Tell her about the long, unwelcome chats, the bullying and the rudeness. Be as specific as you can. Ask her if she really supports Bev’s habit of invoking their friendship to avoid social consequences. If Janet takes Bev’s side in everything — which is doubtful — at least you’ll know where you stand.
** ** **
DEAR ABBY: I have a male friend I would really like to get to know better. I would love to date him. We are both divorced and have relatives who no longer speak to us. I know he’s single and not seeing anyone.
I haven’t had a relationship in three years. I sometimes wonder what’s wrong with me. I’m a bit overweight but I have a great personality. I can’t understand why I can’t get a man interested in me. What can I do to get this man (or any man) interested in me?
— READY IN NORTH CAROLINA
DEAR READY: You say your personality isn’t the problem. Not every man finds skinny women attractive. However, if you suspect that your weight is what’s keeping him (and other men) away, it may be time to address it. Talk with your doctor about a healthy eating plan and join a gym.
WASHINGTON — Kyle Schwarber and Derek Hill were down in the batting cages together underneath Nationals Park when the ninth inning began.
Schwarber had been on the bench for the last two days with tightness in his lower back, but he started to feel like himself again by the seventh inning on Wednesday night. He let interim manager Don Mattingly know he was available to pinch-hit if needed.
The Phillies, trailing the Nationals by one run, hoped they would have an occasion to use him. And when right-handed pitcher Orlando Ribalta came out for the ninth, Schwarber knew they would.
He stepped into the box with two outs, representing the Phillies’ last chance. The Nationals convened on the mound to discuss how to approach him.
“You’re just trying to stay within yourself, stay in the zone, and just trying to find a way on base,” Schwarber said.
It took 10 pitches, but Schwarber got there. He fell behind 1-2, and then fouled off four pitches and held off on three more to draw a walk.
And when the Nationals brought in lefty Richard Lovelady, it was Hill’s turn. The outfielder, who the Phillies acquired earlier this month, delivered a pinch-hit, go-ahead two-run homer for a 5-4 win over Washington.
Kyle Schwarber, who was out of the starting lineup the last two days with lower back tightness, worked a 10-pitch walk in his pinch-hit appearance in the ninth inning on Wednesday.
“I’m just trying to go up there and just execute the plan that the hitting department has laid out for us,” Hill told the Phillies radio broadcasters. “And, obviously, tonight they gave us a pretty dang good one.”
In both at-bats, the Phillies were down to their last strike. And neither Schwarber nor Hill had an automated ball-strike challenge to fall back on, as the Phillies burned both by the fifth inning.
Hill, who left the clubhouse before reporters entered postgame, has plenty of experience coming off the bench in his six-year career. This season, he has 17 pinch-hit plate appearances between the Phillies and the White Sox.
But for an everyday player like Schwarber, it’s a much rarer occurrence. Schwarber has 61 career pinch-hit plate appearances, his last coming in 2024.
“It’s never easy,” Schwarber said. “It’s the hardest thing to do in the game, I think, is being a pinch-hitter and having to go up there and taking an at-bat.”
Schwarber watched the Phillies’ furious ninth-inning comeback on Tuesday night inside the visitors’ clubhouse. Due to his back tightness, he’d been unable to contribute as the Phillies went down to their final strike of the game and then rallied back to score eight runs.
As it unfolded, Schwarber had to keep himself from jumping up and down in excitement.
“It’s been a couple of crazy nights here,” said Mattingly.
On Wednesday, the Phillies once again fell behind early. The Nationals built a 2-0 lead on solo home runs off Aaron Nola in the first and second innings. Washington stacked eight lefties — including two switch-hitters — in its lineup. But by the time the Phillies offense jumped ahead in the fourth, Nola appeared to find a rhythm.
“I just tried to keep the guys in the game as long as I could,” he said.
After giving up two early solo home runs, Aaron Nola appeared to settle in for the Phillies.
He got ahead in the count more often, throwing first-pitch strikes 62% of the time. Nola successfully shut down Nationals star James Wood in all three of his plate appearances against him, striking him out in the third inning with a knuckle curve. It was one of five strikeouts Nola recorded over five innings.
“He’s the kind of guy I’ve learned to appreciate more and more, just the way he continues to fight, continues to make pitches,” Mattingly said. “He may bend a little bit, but he just doesn’t give in and stop pitching.”
The Phillies punched back, capitalizing on two singles, a double, a fielding error, and a sacrifice fly to score three runs and take the lead in the fourth. Alec Bohm, who ultimately reached first base on the error, fouled a ball off his foot in his at-bat and appeared to be in some pain. He played through it and remained in the game, but Mattingly said afterward that Bohm will get X-rays to ensure there isn’t a break.
Some managerial maneuvering backfired on Mattingly in the sixth as the Nationals jumped back in front. When Curtis Mead stepped up to pinch-hit against Phillies lefty Kyle Backhus, Mattingly countered by bringing in Jonathan Bowlan. As a righty, Bowlan had the advantageous matchup on paper against Mead, a right-handed hitter.
But Bowlan served up a first-pitch sweeper to Mead, who blasted it over Brandon Marsh’s head and into the left field seats for a two-run homer.
Things worked out, however, after a similar countermove in the ninth. After Schwarber’s walk, the Nationals brought in the left-handed Lovelady to face Justin Crawford, prompting Mattingly to call on Hill.
“He’s been making some really good adjustments since he’s gotten to us,” Schwarber said of Hill. “He works extremely hard, and he fits right in with our group. And to see him go out there and have that big swing, put us ahead, it’s really cool.”
Mattingly also used Garrett Stubbs as a pinch-runner for Schwarber, and Stubbs remained in the game to play third base for the bottom of the ninth.
Phillies closer Jhoan Duran struck out the Nationals in order in the ninth inning to pick up his 19th save of the season.
He was not tested defensively, though, because Jhoan Duran struck out the side to earn the save and seal the Phillies’ second straight ninth-inning comeback.
“It’s them understanding that this game’s never over,” Mattingly said. “ … I think that’s important for our club to know that we can score a lot, we can score a little, we can score in different ways. I think these wins are very important.”
Jason Kelce must have learned that “no shirt, no shoes, no service” applies to pants as well.
After starting last year’s fundraiser with tear-away shorts and a Speedo, Jason Kelce was comparatively reserved this year for his entrance when he and wife Kylie Kelce hosted the sixth annual “Shore Birds” event at the Ocean Drive in Sea Isle City benefiting the Eagles Autism Foundation on Wednesday.
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) June 24, 2026
Local social media influencer Katie Begley, also known as Popstar Katie, led the workout, which took place on the grass at Sea Isle City’s Excursion Park.
While most of the other current and former football players opted to sport their own names and numbers on their jersey, Allen, who played with the Eagles across four seasons from 2014-17, instead represented one of his former teammates.
Allen, a staple at the Team 62 fundraiser, not only had a new jersey, but he also had a new job this year, helping Donna Kelce serve — or in Allen’s case, eat— water ice, alongside Eagles edge rusher Jalyx Hunt.
Cornerback Cooper DeJean, defensive tackle Ty Robinson, and safety Andre’ Sam were also in attendance, along with chief of security for the Eagles Dom DiSandro, and Cole Peterson, assistant to the head coach.
WASHINGTON — Kyle Schwarber was out of the Phillies lineup on Wednesday, missing a second consecutive game with tightness in his lower back.
The Phillies designated hitter felt his back lock up a few minutes before first pitch on Tuesday. He found it difficult to swing, and was a late scratch from what would ultimately be a roller coaster 14-9 win over Washington.
Interim manager Don Mattingly said Wednesday that Schwarber was feeling better, but he wanted to be cautious and give him another day off. Bryce Harper was in the lineup at designated hitter, with Alec Bohm moving to first base and Edmundo Sosa starting at third.
“I think if it was a different time of year, we’d do everything we could to get him to play today, and he would too, I think,” Mattingly said. “But just being a little cautious with him, don’t want to end up being two weeks or something.”
Mattingly said pregame on Wednesday that he hoped Schwarber would improve enough to be available off the bench in an emergency situation as a pinch-hitter. But he didn’t want to put a definitive timetable on Schwarber’s return.
“If it takes another day, it takes another day,” Mattingly said. “And we got guys who can play. So [better to] be cautious.”
On Tuesday, Sosa slid into the lineup at designated hitter in Schwarber’s place on short notice, and had five RBIs in the Phillies’ comeback win, including a ninth-inning double that was part of their eight-run rally with two outs.
“I definitely wish Schwarber was out there every single night for us, but health always comes first, and we got to make sure he’s OK, and get him back out there,” Brandon Marsh said. “But it’s just next-man-up mentality. Sosa stepped up and had a tremendous game for us, man.”
Andrew Painter was optioned to triple A by the Phillies on June 18.
Painter set to return to action in triple A
Andrew Painter is scheduled to start on Sunday for triple-A Lehigh Valley, his first game appearance since being optioned on June 18.
After the Phillies’ prized rookie struggled to a 7.06 ERA in 14 games, the Phillies sent him down to the minors to work on his fastball. Batters were slugging .660 against his four-seam. The pitch has a run value of minus-11 according to StatCast, which is third-worst among four-seamers in the majors, only better than those thrown by Aaron Nola (minus-13) and the Rockies’ Kyle Freeland (minus-12).
Instead of getting into a triple-A game right away, Painter threw multiple bullpen sessions to work on his delivery. But he will be back facing the Syracuse Mets on Sunday, which Mattingly said he expects to be a “full start.”
“I don’t know if it would be a 100-pitch type start, they may want to be cautious a little bit, but there’s no limitations on him, anything he can’t do. It’s a start,” Mattingly said. “Hopefully we get able to start ironing things out, and that starts to take hold.”
Adolis García’s recovery from surgery is expected be last six to eight months.
García undergoes surgery
Adolis García’s season is officially over after undergoing right latissimus dorsi repair surgery on Wednesday morning in Chicago. The timeline for recovery is six to eight months.
García tore his lat while making a throw from the outfield in Toronto on June 10. He had become a popular member of the Phillies clubhouse after signing a one-year deal in the winter.
The right fielder has a strong relationship with Sosa, dating back to their time in the St. Louis Cardinals‘ minor league system. García would use his DJ skills to soundtrack the Phillies’ postgame win celebrations, and had a turntable set up in the home clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park.
Mattingly said García will be rehabbing at the Phillies complex in Clearwater, Fla., instead of being around the major league club.
“It’s just hard to have guys that you’re rehabbing every day, when you have a bunch of guys that need treatment and things like that,” Mattingly said. “But he was very popular. I think he was easy to be popular, because he was a positive guy, played with a smile on his face, just a professional from the standpoint of being ready to play every day.”
Extra bases
Right-hander Bryse Wilson, who was designated for assignment on Monday, was claimed on waivers by the Chicago Cubs. … Cristopher Sánchez (9-3, 1.80 ERA) is scheduled to start Thursday’s series finale against Nationals right-hander Cade Cavalli (4-4, 4.07).
SAN FRANCISCO — A rural area of Northern California experienced its strongest earthquake since 1940 on Wednesday morning, causing some injuries but no immediate reports of major damage, officials said.
The epicenter of the quake, with a preliminary magnitude of 5.6, was about 7 miles northwest of the agricultural town of Willits, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was widely felt, including in the coastal city of Fort Bragg. The initial quake was centered inland about 50 miles east of Fort Bragg at 8:10 a.m. Pacific Time, and the USGS said it was about 5 miles deep.
The area in Mendocino County dotted with small, agricultural towns is 140 miles northeast of San Francisco.
Heather Rose, a Mendocino County spokesperson, said that hospitals had reported some injuries but that she had no details on their nature or extent. She said officials plan to meet later Wednesday when more information could be released.
Power outages are affecting more than 6,000 residents of six towns near the epicenter, the Mendocino County Executive Office said in a statement. The office encouraged people to stay off the highways and roads to allow work crews to inspect for damage and make repairs.
Brie Leon and her colleagues had just opened Club Calpella Restaurant when the building started shaking, rattling plates and liquor bottles.
“I had just turned the open sign on and went back into the kitchen, and that’s when it happened,” she said. “It almost felt like something hit the building.”
The restaurant is in Calpella, Calif., a town about 10 miles south of the epicenter and in a region of Mendocino County that has been struck by smaller quakes this year.
This was the biggest earthquake in nearly nine decades in the region, which is not on a major fault, said Lucy Jones, a veteran California seismologist.
“The area is not without earthquakes, but they’re usually smaller than this,” Jones said. She added that aftershocks are likely, but they’ll “probably stay on the low side.”
Three other quakes under a 2.7 magnitude struck near the epicenter within an hour.
Leon said the quake knocked frames off the walls and bottles off the shelves in the restaurant and the stockroom next door. She and other servers were cleaning up not long after to welcome customers for breakfast.
“It wasn’t a big, big quake, but things went everywhere,” she said.
Alan Harris and his family were at home in Kelseyville, about 40 miles southeast of the epicenter, when he received an earthquake alert on his cell phone. Soon after, the house began shaking.
“I yelled downstairs immediately to my wife and daughter to make sure they were hanging on,” Harris said. “It was scary. You could hear things crashing, mostly on the third floor of the house.”
A security camera inside Harris’ home shook vigorously as the quake struck. A few loud, crashing sounds can be heard on the video footage before Harris calls out: “Is everyone OK?”
It lasted only about 30 seconds. Framed photos fell off the walls and a computer monitor was knocked over, Harris said. Nothing appeared badly damaged, he added, noting he found no structural damage to the house.
Nearly 657,000 earthquake early warning alerts were sent by the MyShake App throughout Northern California, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services said. Cal OES had not received any reports of damage or injuries, but it was coordinating with authorities to evaluate impacts, the office said in a statement.
Hundreds of thousands more people received alerts through other public safety alert systems, but those numbers have not been finalized, said Robert de Groot, a scientist with the ShakeAlert operations team.
“The alert deliveries for this are going to be well over a million,” Groot said.
BOGOTA, Colombia — Conservative outsider Abelardo de la Espriella, a millionaire political neophyte, will be Colombia’s next president after electoral authorities on Wednesday declared him the winner of Sunday’s runoff election.
The businessman and lawyer, whose ventures include a clothing line, wine and rum brands, and a restaurant, earned President Donald Trump’s endorsement despite never having run for office. He defeated progressive lawmaker Iván Cepeda by 1 percentage point, or more than 251,000 votes.
The result effectively was an indictment of outgoing President Gustavo Petro’s government, whose policies Cepeda had promised to continue, including a largely failed effort to establish dialogue with multiple armed groups.
Electoral authorities published all but a fraction of the vote count hours after polls closed Sunday. Petro and Cepeda did not accept those results, with the latter saying he would wait for a recount to do so. Authorities finished the recount before declaring de la Espriella’s victory.
De la Espriella’s victory adds Colombia to a growing list of countries that have turned to political outsiders in search for solutions to complex social, security, and economic challenges.
The self-proclaimed representative of “the never-before-seen” promised voters fearful of renewed internal conflict to take a heavy-handed approach to combating violent crime with strategies borrowed from Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele’s playbook, including building mega-prisons. Those tactics have lowered homicide rates in the Central American country but have fueled accusations of human rights abuses.
Earlier Wednesday, Cepeda conceded Colombia’s presidential election to de la Espriella and accepted a Senate seat reserved for the runner-up in the presidential election.
“We assume with serenity, responsibility, and absolute resolve — and let there be no doubt about it — the role that circumstances demand of us,” Cepeda said in an address to the nation. “We will exercise a democratic, vigilant and constructive opposition.”
De la Espriella, 47, will begin a 4-year term Aug. 7.
In a statement on Wednesday, de la Espriella’s campaign said de la Espriella’s “purpose is to work for national unity, with the people and for the people.” The campaign also stated his government will be committed to guaranteeing “the right to political opposition and peaceful protest, within the framework of the Constitution, the law, and respect for democratic institutions.”
A day earlier, de la Espriella announced he is putting together his cabinet. He also said he plans to add Colombia to the Trump-dubbed “Shield of the Americas,” a coalition of countries purportedly aimed at cracking down on criminal groups in Latin America.
More than 26 million people voted in the polarizing runoff, setting a historic record. Of those, over 426,000 people chose a third, no-name option on the ballot that allows voters to express dislike of both candidates. About 29,000 people cast blank ballots.
