McGlinchey’s Bar, which survived decades of shifting tastes, smoking laws, and disco, is now on the market, five months after its closing.
The asking price for the property at 259 S. 15th St. is $2.45 million, according to the listing, which is being handled by Nadia Bilynsky and Dennis Carlisle of MPN Realty on behalf of the Sokol family, which has owned the building since 1968.
The family is selling not only the century-old building — with bars on two floors and a vacant third floor — but its liquor license and the McGlinchey’s name.
For generations of regulars, McGlinchey’s was known less for reinvention than for what it refused to give up: cash-only tabs, smoking long after most bars banned it, and prices that seemed detached from inflation. It seemed to outlast trends simply by ignoring them.
And if walls could talk, McGlinchey’s would probably ask for another shot before answering.
Its building, on 15th between Locust and Spruce Streets, opened in 1922. For the first decade, it housed offices for the Allen-Sherman-Hoff Co. In 1932, Joseph A. McGlinchey bought it, leasing the first floor to a book and gift store called the Odd Shop, opening McGlinchey’s Restaurant on the second floor, and living upstairs.
The bar downstairs opened in the 1950s, and Henry Sokol purchased the business in 1968. In 1976, he converted the second floor into Top’s Bar, which began as a disco, later hosted music and poetry, and eventually became an extension of McGlinchey’s itself.
Five decades ago, the neighborhood sat on the seam between old Center City grit and the city’s new, corporate face; the clientele continued to reflect a broad cross-section of society.
Stained-glass windows inside of McGlinchey’s on Aug. 18, 2025.
After Henry Sokol’s death in 1985 — the year construction began on One Liberty Place, the city’s first building taller than William Penn’s hat on City Hall — McGlinchey’s was passed along to sons Ronald and Sheldon.
Ron Sokol died in 2022, and last summer’s closing was prompted by Sheldon’s retirement.
“It was just time,” said Sandra Sokol, Ron’s widow.
Sheldon Sokol was the daytime manager, while Sandra Sokol said she handled administrative work behind the scenes. Douglas Sokol, Ron and Sandra’s son, worked at the bar, too.
McGlinchey’s owner Sheldon Sokol in a 2004 photo taken for “The Regulars,” a series by former bartender Sarah Stolfa, who went on to publish the collection in a book of the same name.
For Sandra Sokol, the bar’s meaning extended well beyond its balance sheets. “We used to joke that we had two children, but McGlinchey’s was [Ron’s] third child,” she said. “It was that important to him. He was really responsible for what it became.”
Under Henry Sokol, she said, the business began as a more traditional restaurant and gradually evolved. “When Ronnie began hiring art students as bartenders and waitstaff, that’s when it started to shift into something more edgy,” she said. “What it became wasn’t planned. It just morphed that way, the way family businesses often do.”
Sign at McGlinchey’s.
That evolution extended upstairs as well. Sandra Sokol recalled visiting Top’s in its early disco days. One night, her sister, visiting from out of town, was asked to dance by a man who turned out to be a carpenter, still wearing his tool belt — hammers and all — straight from work. “It was that kind of place,” she said. “Spontaneous, serendipitous moments.”
Those moments, she said, added up to something larger. “People would often say — and I agreed — that it was like the experience of Cheers,” she said. “It was more than a bar. More than a business. It became an institution — and in many ways, an extension of our family.”
Even the bar’s most controversial feature — smoking — was handled pragmatically. “It was a double-edged sword,” she said. “If they banned smoking, they might gain new customers, but they would lose longtime ones.”
A Miller High Life on the bar inside McGlinchey’s on Aug. 18, 2025.
When Ron Sokol died, former employees turned out for the memorial. “So many people who had worked at McGlinchey’s over the years came and told me how important the bar had been in their lives,” she said. “I’m not really talking about the business side — I’m talking about the presence it had in people’s lives.”
Among its alumni was Fergus Carey, the serial Philadelphia bar owner, who got his start in the industry there, as did his business partner, Jim McNamara. Carey said they had considered putting in an offer on McGlinchey’s, “but at this point, Jim and I have let it go in our hearts. We met so many people there — people we worked with, people we served, people who became friends. It was an important steppingstone for both of us, professionally and personally. It’s a big part of our history in this business.”
As the property changes hands, Sandra Sokol said she hopes its identity survives the transition. “I would really like it to remain McGlinchey’s and for a new owner to keep it as close as possible to what it was,” she said. “I especially feel that way because I know Ronnie would have wanted it to continue into the next chapter.”
The question: Does ginger really help an upset stomach?
The science: For more than 2,500 years, ginger has been used for its medicinal properties.
Ginger is stilloften recommended as a way to ease stomach upset.
Ginger, which is available at almost any grocery store and often used as a spice, looks like a root but is technically a rhizome — a modified, horizontal-growing stem of the Zingiber officinale plant.And it has properties that can relieve mild to moderate nausea, experts and studies say. However, it works better for some types of stomach trouble than others — and it matters how you take it.
“We live in a world where there’s this gigantic box of options for our patients and so many of them are costly and have side effects,” said Joshua Forman, a gastroenterologist at the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center, who recommends ginger to his patients. “It’s interesting how sometimes the simplest things fly under the radar.”
What is ginger, and why does it work?
Ginger can be eaten raw or cooked, steeped in tea, or taken as lozenges, gummies, or chews. But when taken for medicinal purposes, Forman said, he advises his patients to take ginger root powder in capsule form, which offers more consistent dosing than most other variations, to ease symptoms of nausea, indigestion, and other symptoms.
Here’s why it works. Ginger contains compounds such as gingerol, shogaol, and zingerone that act on receptors in our gut and nerves that send signals to our central nervous system. One receptor, 5-HT3, regulates nausea, while another, TRPV1, triggers pain signals. By affecting these receptors, ginger may help ease nausea and discomfort, Forman said.
Additionally, these compounds can help the lower part of the stomach contract, which speeds up digestion and reduces fullness and bloating, he said.
Ginger also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which may help protect against gastrointestinal irritation, said Keshab Paudel, an associate professor of pharmacology at Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine in Florida, who studies ginger.
In a 2025 literature review on the pharmacological effects of ginger, Paudel and his colleagues found that ginger reduced nausea, particularly nausea related to pregnancy, but did not consistently relieve vomiting. Ginger also showed other potential benefits such as helping to reduce inflammation, oxidative stress, and blood glucose levels, said Paudel, who was the lead author of the study.
Additionally, some studies show that ginger may help with nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy, particularly when combined with antinausea medications. It may help ease nausea after surgery, though findings are mixed on postoperative vomiting. It may also help with nausea related to migraine pain.
There isn’t enough data, however, to suggest that ginger can curb nausea related to stomach viruses, hangovers, or chronic acid reflux, Paudel said.
How should I take ginger for a stomachache?
The amount of ginger used in studies to treat nausea varies from 500 to 1,500 milligrams divided throughout the day, with 1 to 3 grams daily at the upper end. More than that and itmay worsen reflux, heartburn, and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Forman said he recommends taking 500 mg twice per day.
If you like the taste, fresh ginger root works well in hot tea, though it’s harder to figure out what dose you are getting, Forman said.
Just boil freshly grated or sliced ginger in a pot of water and let it steep for at least 10 minutes, then strain out the ginger. Add a tea bag or loose tea leaves (which you would also strain out)and, if you’d like, honey and lemon.
Forman cautioned against using store-bought ginger tea drinks as they often contain sweeteners and other ingredients.
Don’t waste your time with most ginger ales,Forman said. Many contain ingredients such as high-fructose corn syrup and very little ginger, sometimes using artificial ginger flavoring. Ginger beers (which are generally nonalcoholic, despite the name) can sometimes contain more ginger than soda, but the amount can vary.
Who shouldn’t take ginger medicinally?
Although ginger is generally considered safe and is almost universally well-tolerated, it can lower blood sugar and impair blood platelet function when taken regularly at high doses, Forman said. If you have diabetes or take blood thinners, talk to your doctor before taking ginger supplements.
Additionally, there is limited clinical data on the use of ginger in young children, so before giving it to your child as a daily supplement, consult a pediatrician, Paudel said.
Ginger “should be viewed as a supportive, evidence-based complementary option, not a cure-all,” and people with persistent or severe gastrointestinal symptoms should seek medical care rather than trying to treat the condition on their own, he said.
What else you should know
There are various over-the-counter medications to treat nausea and vomiting such as dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), which is commonly used to combat motion sickness, and bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol), which can help with nausea, indigestion, and diarrhea often related to stomach bugs.
If you prefer natural remedies, however, here are some ideas from experts:
Peppermint oil may relieve gastrointestinal discomfort and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Although the evidence is not conclusive, some research suggests that enteric-coated peppermint oil capsules may reduce abdominal pain, bloating, and gas, Paudel said. (Enteric coating keeps the pill from dissolving in stomach acid so that the drug is released in the intestines, where it can be best absorbed.) But similar to ginger, “the effectiveness of these interventions largely depends on the underlying cause of the symptoms,” he said. In studies, peppermint oil appears safe for most people, but there isn’t much research on its medicinal use in women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, so consult your doctor before taking it.
Vitamin B6 may help with morning sickness — nausea and vomiting related to pregnancy, Paudel said. In some studies, doses have ranged from 10 mg to 25 mg, taken up to three times per day.
Chamomile tea also may help ease an upset stomach. A 2025 review found that chamomile was associated with reductions in sores and discomfort in the mucous membranes lining the digestive tract, suggesting it may have anti-inflammatory properties.
The bottom line: Ginger — whether taken in capsules or fresh, homemade tea — can ease mild to moderate nausea, but research doesn’t show that it consistently reduces vomiting. It also hasn’t been shown to help with nausea related to stomach viruses, hangovers or chronic acid reflux.
What difference does a turnpike ramp make? In tiny Malvern, an E-ZPass interchange helped pave the way for billions of dollars in commercial and residential development in Chester County’s Great Valley.
The Pennsylvania Turnpike opened Exit 320 in December 2012. The Route 29 ramp has since transformed businesses and communities in the region.
Chester County’s Great Valley has a lot going for it, which helps explain why it’s grown so much. One of its assets is the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s Exit 320.
After it opened, corporate office parks popped up and expanded, and thousands of people moved in, drawn by new jobs and suddenly easier commutes to Philly and the wider region.
In the last few years, the real estate landscape has shifted, and there’s less demand for offices. That’s led to a new rise in residential development.
A 10.3-acre property on Swedesford Road is headed for demolition so it can be transformed into hundreds of apartments and thousands of square feet of dining and retail space.
A developer just turned an empty office building in Exton into “hotel-apartments.”
A 111-acre office park off Route 29 is for sale and is being marketed as a redevelopment opportunity.
The residential shift isn’t a surprise. There’s more demand for homes than there is supply, and families are looking for anything they can afford.
Keep reading to learn about other residential projects underway and find out why a project manager says he sees “a runway for more.”
Coming up with $2.5 million in cash actually seems like it was the easy part of the home search for Carrita Thomas and Jake Stein.
When they started, they had one child and were expecting twins, so the family needed more space.
Thomas and Stein loved Society Hill and wanted to stay in the neighborhood, but there weren’t many rowhouses for sale that had at least six bedrooms, on-site parking, and outdoor space. Houses that could work sold in a blink.
Then they saw a for-sale sign on a long-vacant church two blocks from their home.
They originally hadn’t wanted a fixer-upper, but they ended up with their neighborhood’s most glaring example.
17 Market West was the first major project in Philly to turn offices into apartments in the post-pandemic era.
Allison Levari and Frank DiMeo were some of the first tenants to move in last June.
The couple’s 1,200-square-foot apartment has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and an open layout. The corner unit gets lots of natural light through large windows that Levari likes to open to let in fresh air and city sounds.
Light and views help define the transformed building, a property manager said. Alterra Property Group replaced old office windows when it converted the former Morgan Lewis building into a 299-unit apartment building.
There’s a yoga studio and pickleball and basketball courts. The rooftop has a saltwater pool, sauna, and cold plunge. The lounge includes a chef’s prep kitchen.
Do you know the location this photo (from a friendlier snowfall) shows?
📮 If you think you do, email me back. You and your memories of visiting this spot might be featured in the newsletter.
Last week’s quiz featured a photo of the “Staircases and Mountaintops: Ascending Beyond the Dream” mural on the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center at 22nd Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue.
That answer evaded everyone except super reader Lars W. I remember stumping him only once or twice in the three years that I’ve been writing this newsletter.
Enjoy the rest of your week.
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A proposal calls for revitalizing Gladwyne’s town center.
Gladwyne residents are mixed on their support for a sweeping revitalization proposal of the town center, plans for which were revealed just a few weeks ago.
Led by design firm Haldon House and backed by billionaire Jeff Yass, the project calls for historic architecture, green spaces, and businesses that “fit the character” of the area, The Inquirer’s Denali Sagner reports.
One resident called the proposed changes an “absolute no-brainer,” but others are skeptical, particularly about one group having so much say over the town center. It’s even prompted a petition.
The $8.5 million property for sale in Gladwyne includes a 9,166-square-foot home.
This Gladwyne estate situated on 12.76 acres on Country Club Road is on the market for $8.5 million. While the lot size is rare for the area, and provides plenty of privacy, a future owner has the option to subdivide it into three parcels.
The property includes a more than 9,000-square-foot main home that was designed for entertaining. It has six bedrooms, eight full bathrooms, two kitchens, an elevator, a sauna, and a pool.
The region saw its largest snowstorm in a decade over the weekend, with many spots recording more than nine inches, including Penn Wynne, which saw 9.4 inches, according to one figure reported to the National Weather Service — and there’s a small chance more is on the way this weekend. Freezing temperatures are expected to remain this week, meaning the snow and ice aren’t going anywhere. Check out a map of where the most snow fell.
Jamal McCullough was sentenced on Friday to three to six years in a state prison after fatally hitting 61-year-old Tracey Cary as she crossed City Avenue in her wheelchair in 2024. While prosecutors said McCullough was not at fault since Cary wasn’t in a posted crosswalk, he fled the scene, which carries criminal penalties. Cary’s sister said the hearing offered a chance to give the public a more complete picture of her sister, who was unhoused and had a love of reading, traveling, and the outdoors.
There’s a public meeting on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Lower Merion Township Building to discuss the Montgomery Avenue Corridor Traffic Calming and Safety Action Plan. The study, which is supported by a Safe Streets and Roads for All grant, focuses on Montgomery Avenue between Spring Mill Road and City Avenue, assessing things like traffic volume and crashes. Lower Merion Township and the Borough of Narberth will use the data and the public’s feedback to help improve safety.
St. Matthias Catholic Church’s former business manager, Sean Michael Sweeney, who is accused of stealing $1.1 million from the Bala Cynwyd institution, has been ordered to stand trial and is scheduled for an arraignment hearing on Feb. 25. (Main Line Times)
The township’s planning commission will discuss a preliminary land development proposal for a portion of 1400 Waverly Rd. in Gladwyne on Monday. Retirement community Waverly Heights is seeking to demolish seven semi-attached single-family villas and put three buildings in their place. Two three-story buildings would be identical and house 12 units each, while the third would add 12 units onto the Blair Apartment Building. Plans also call for additional parking spaces. The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. at the Township Administration Building.
Lights are likely coming to Richie Ashburn Field in Gladwyne, after the Lower Merion Board of Commissioners voted to move forward with a memorandum of understanding to allow the Lower Merion Little League to build and operate lights there. The league will pay for the lights and can’t operate them after 10 p.m. (Main Line Times)
Members of the Lower Merion Township Police Department have donated a collective 800 hours of their time off to their colleague Dan Gilbert. The detective’s wife was diagnosed with Stage 4 colorectal cancer last year, and in a show of support, the department rallied to give him extra time to spend with his family. His wife, Lauren Gilbert, 42, has undergone surgeries and is currently on trial medications. (CBS News Philadelphia)
🏫 Schools Briefing
Tonight is course selection night for LMHS students and tomorrow is the school choice deadline. Tomorrow is also movie night for Penn Wynne Elementary, and there are middle school conferences Tuesday evening. See the district’s full calendar here.
For families who missed last week’s eighth grade to high school transition meeting, the district posted a video from the event, which you can watch here.
The district is hosting a presentation for parents and guardianswith students receiving special education services that will focusonpositive behavior support. It will be held virtually via Zoom on Wednesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
On Saturday, LMHS is hosting the 12th Annual Hope Classic to benefit the Angelman Syndrome Foundation. Angelman Syndrome is caused by a gene change and can result in developmental delays, speech and balance problems, mental disability, and seizures, according to the Mayo Clinic. The doubleheader will see the boys and girls basketball teams take on Haverford High’s teams at 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., respectively.
Lark is among the region’s 50 best restaurants, according to a new ranking from Philadelphia Magazine, which put Chef Nick Elmi’s Bala Cynwyd restaurant at No. 41. The outlet noted that “there’s hardly a dish that isn’t simultaneously approachable and elevated,” calling out the cavatelli with escargot and bone marrow and pork cheek agnolotti with Taleggio.
🎳 Things to Do
🌎 Ardmore Passport: World Pours: Take a trip around the world by sampling global cuisine, craft beers, and other sips at this festival-style event, which will also feature live music. ⏰ Saturday, Jan. 31, 12:30 p.m. 💵 $64.17-$124.20 📍 Ardmore Music Hall
🍿 Monday Night Movie: In honor of Groundhog Day, catch a screening of the iconic 1993 film starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. Registration is required. ⏰ Monday, Feb. 2, 6:30-8:30 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Penn Wynne Library
Built in 1924, this four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bathroom Wynnewood Tudor blends past and present. This home’s first floor features a living room with a gas fireplace, a dining room, a “bonus room,” and a kitchen, with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, and a separate coffee bar area. There are three bedrooms on the second floor, including the primary suite, which has dual closets, and an additional suite on the third level. The home also has a finished basement, a detached three-car garage, and a heated pool with a spa and waterfall. There’s an open house today from noon to 2 p.m.
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.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
Some local fire companies are weighing a merger. Here’s why. Also this week, we map snowfall totals from last weekend’s storm and take a look at the possibility of more snow to come, plus why our Delco is the one and only true Delco, according to an Inquirer columnist.
The Garden City Fire Department in Nether Providence is among the departments that could merge.
A new report recommends combining several local fire departments to create a larger regional department covering Nether Providence, Swarthmore, and Rose Valley.
The recommendation comes as several departments are facing a decline in volunteers and aging equipment, The Inquirer’s Torin Sweeney reports.
The report, released last month, is just a first step, and a complete merger of South Media and Garden City fire companies in Nether Providence with the Swarthmore Fire & Protective Association could take up to three years.
The region saw its largest snowstorm in a decade over the weekend, with many spots recording over half-a-foot of snow, including Nether Providence Township, which saw 8 inches, according to one figure reported to the National Weather Service. Swarthmore saw 7.3 inches, and Media got 7 inches. Freezing temperatures are expected to remain this week, meaning the snow and ice aren’t going anywhere — and there’s a small chance more is on the way this weekend. Check out a map of where the most snow fell on Sunday.
There is only one true Delco, The Inquirer’s Stephanie Farr recently proclaimed, and it’s right here in Southeastern Pennsylvania. In her latest column, Farr defends this Delco as the original — it was, after all, founded before any other Delaware Counties in the country — and its claim to use the moniker on, well, just about everything. Her defense of the region came after discovering a fashion brand in New York is selling a line of apparel for a Delco there, which might have been fine if it wasn’t trying “to co-opt Delco as a culture,“ she writes.
A Springfield man, Chad Lauletta, 50, has been charged with 56 felonies and misdemeanor invasion of privacy for allegedly possessing multiple pieces of child sexual abuse materials, as well as engaging in a sexual act with a woman and filming it without her consent.
Ice sculptures in varying shapes, including a corn hole set, were on display on Media’s State Street over the weekend for the fourth annual Ice on State. Check out some of the scenes and sculptures in this video from 6abc.
Fox 29’s Bob Kelly recently paid a visit to Hidden Treasures Antique Mall in Gradyville, which has been open at 1176 Middletown Rd. for about 15 years. During his visit, he toured its nine rooms, which contain a wide range of vintage housewares, furniture, decor, jewelry, and instruments. Among the hottest sellers currently? Salt and pepper shakers. See the full segment here.
Former Wallingford resident Helen Cherry died earlier this month at the age of 101. Born in West Philadelphia, Cherry was a lifelong artist who illustrated 30 books and dozens of magazine stories throughout her career. A mother of three, Cherry also helped her husband operate Cherry’s Pharmacy in Ridley Park for years.
🏫 Schools Briefing
Wallingford-Swarthmore School District’s Board of Education is considering a maximum 3.5% tax increase to help slash some of its budget deficit. The hike, discussed during a Facilities and Finance committee meeting last week, would generate about $2.3 million. The district, which is also weighing a $164 million capital improvement plan that calls for renovations to the high school, is facing a $2.6 million budget deficit for the 2027-28 school year. (The Swarthmorean)
Tonight is back-to-school night for Wallingford-Swarthmore School District, and Penncrest is hosting its “Jazz Night” on Saturday. See the district’s full calendar here.
WSSD is also hosting a community conversation on Wednesday about renovations to Strath Haven High School, where students, families, and residents can share ideas on project priorities. The discussion will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the high school’s library.
In the Rose Tree Media School District, tonight is course selection night for high school students. Tomorrow night is bingo night for Indian Lane, and Wednesday is the poetry slam. See the district’s full calendar here.
🍽️ On our Plate
Looking for a sweet spot ahead of Valentine’s Day? Main Line Today recently rounded up nine local shops, including Bevan’s Own Make Candy in Media, noting the decades-old shop offers things like butter creams, chocolate-covered pretzels, mints, nut clusters, and truffles.
🎳 Things to Do
🎭Draw the Circle: It’s your last chance to catch the one-person show that explores various identities. ⏰ Through Sunday, Feb. 1, times vary 💵 $20 for students and children, $35 for adults 📍Hedgerow Theatre Company, Rose Valley
🎵Acoustic Bob Marley Birthday Bash: Hear classic Bob Marley tunes ahead of what would have been his 81st birthday. ⏰ Thursday, Jan. 29, 7-11 p.m. 💵 Free 📍Shere-E-Punjab, Media
😂 Huge Soup: Comedians will take cues from the audience during this improv show. ⏰ Saturday, Jan. 31, 7:30 p.m. 💵 $13.50 📍 PCS Theater, Swarthmore
The kitchen has an island with seating for four and opens onto an open-concept space with living and dining areas.
This mid-century-style home has been fully updated inside and out, giving it a contemporary look befitting its architecture. The home’s first floor features an open-concept kitchen, living, and dining area. The kitchen features an island, quartz countertops, and stainless steel appliances. There’s also a flexible space on the first floor. There are four bedrooms upstairs, including the primary suite, which has a spacious walk-in closet. Other features include a finished basement, a new deck, and new landscaping for privacy.
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.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
In college, he played the Division II national championship game with a broken hand — and went 4-for-4. He also has a habit of getting hit by pitches, 26 total last year, including four in a single game in triple A to set a Lehigh Valley record.
But even so, Kemp is hoping for a healthier 2026 with the Phillies. He underwent two procedures this winter to address injuries he’d been grinding through last year: a bone fragment removed from his left knee and what he described as a “shoulder cleanup.”
Kemp had been playing with the bone fragment since June, but only missed a single game.
“He’s just so tough. He really is,” said manager Rob Thomson. “He’s just one of those guys that can put all that pain and little dings behind them, and forget about it, and go out and play. Some guys are like that, and he’s one of them. He’s a phenomenal kid.”
Kemp expects to be fully ready for spring training. The Phillies’ first full-squad workout is set for Feb. 16 in Clearwater, Fla.
And it figures to be a big spring training for the 26-year-old. Over the offseason, Thomson and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski both emphasized the importance of injecting youth into the Phillies roster in 2026. The Phillies had the second-oldest lineup in baseball last year, with an average age of 30.3 years old.
Otto Kemp (right) worked with coach Paco Figueroa to get acclimated to left field last season.
One name that keeps cropping up? Kemp.
“We like a lot of things about him,” Dombrowski said. “He’s a good hitter, and the ball jumps off his bat. He’s a threat when he comes to the plate. … He’s a tough son of a gun. He’s a championship-type player. I mean, what he played through last year, injury-wise, I don’t think that there’s many people that would have done that.”
Kemp will likely have an opportunity in left field as a right-handed platoon partner for Brandon Marsh. He came up through the Phillies’ system as an infielder but played 63 major league innings last season in left field, logging significant time working with coach Paco Figueroa. Kemp recorded plus-1 defensive runs saved in the outfield in 2025.
But he also acknowledged that he still has a lot to learn about the position.
“Every place that you play at, the dimensions are different, the environment is different,” Kemp said. “So just learning how to play through the elements, and learning what I need to take away from any ballpark that we’re at, and how the ball bounces off the wall, what the dimensions are like. Learning overall feel in the outfield, I think, is just going to be the biggest part moving forward.”
The Phillies are most excited about Kemp’s bat, especially when he’s fully healthy. He had a .234 batting average and .709 OPS in 62 major league games last season, but the potential for more power is there. He hit 16 home runs in 74 triple-A games.
With a big spring on the horizon, Kemp is looking forward to the opportunity to be one of the young players potentially impacting the lineup and clubhouse.
Otto Kemp had a .709 OPS in 62 games with the Phillies last season.
“It’s awesome to be recognized for the work that we’ve been putting in,” Kemp said. “… Really just try and lean into that, and just be gamers, and play the game hard and do things the right way. Just seeing all of that kind of take shape and start to form something has been really cool.”
Kemp could share the outfield with another young player in Justin Crawford, who is the Phillies’ presumptive opening day center fielder. Kemp has teamed up with the 22-year-old at several minor league stops.
“He’s a gamer. He’s a game changer,” Kemp said. “He’s got speed. He’s just raw athletic. He’s just a grindy guy. He’s going to get the job done, and I’m excited to see what he can do at the big league level, because just playing with him over the last three years has been really special.
“Fun to see him in the leadoff spot, just setting the tone, swiping bags, taking extra 90s [bases]. I think it’s all stuff that plays a big factor in winning baseball games, so it’s going to be fun to see him do that on the biggest stage.”
After Kemp’s whirlwind rookie year ended and he started to address the injuries he’d been playing through, he took some time with his wife to reflect on the journey. When he made his major league debut in June, he accomplished something that few other Division II college players and undrafted free agents have.
But he doesn’t want the story to end there.
“You get a lot of ups and downs in this game,” Kemp said. “And there’s people that don’t stick. And hopefully I’m trying to prove to be one of those guys that can get established up here.”
Yes, it’s still a dice roll if Joel Embiid’s knees will hold up on any given night or if Paul George will consistently rip off the warmups. But let’s remove our collective Negadelphian tendencies for one second, and you’ll find a team that’s been pretty fun to watch underneath, with a pair of stars not named Embiid or George receiving national attention.
Any hoophead will tell you that the cover of SLAM Magazine is the holy grail, and in their latest issue, the magazine features both Tyrese Maxey and rookie VJ Edgecombe in the Sixers’ signature throwback black uniforms.
As my 9-year-old would say, the SLAM cover and the distinction “is tough.”
It headlines a strong year for both players, with Maxey named a starter for the NBA’s All-Star game while Edgecombe is lauded as one of the league’s top rookies, averaging 15.4 points and a fan favorite of the prime minister of the Bahamas.
Oh, and not discounting Embiid and George, let’s remember the two got together on Tuesday, combining for 61 points in a win over the Bucks. Now, they all collectively look to run it back inside Xfinity Mobile Arena against Sacramento tonight (7 p.m., NBCSP).
As for today, expect sunny skies, but we’re still in a tundra across the region, with temperatures not expected to leave the teens — again.
The Phillies are excited about Otto Kemp’s bat, especially when he’s fully healthy, which he was not in 2025.
Otto Kemp is hoping for a healthier 2026 with the Phillies. He underwent two procedures this winter to address injuries he’d been grinding through last year: a bone fragment removed from his left knee and what he described as a “shoulder cleanup.”
Kemp had been playing with the bone fragment since June, but only missed a single game.
“He’s just so tough. He really is,” said manager Rob Thomson. “He’s just one of those guys that can put all that pain and little dings behind them, and forget about it, and go out and play..”
Kemp expects to be fully ready for spring training. The Phillies’ first full-squad workout is set for Feb. 16 in Clearwater, Fla.
Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday, January 12, 2026 in Philadelphia.
Win or lose, we’re sure it felt good for Flyers fans to see goalie Dan Vladǎr between the pipes against the Columbus Blue Jackets last night.
After missing the last six games due to a lower-body injury, Vladǎr made 26 saves in a 5-3 loss in his 29th start, which matched a career-high.
“He’s been very consistent for us, and a really competitive guy, and he adds a lot to our locker,” said Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet said, … [he] likes to be involved with the players with instructions, even just being positive with the guys. So he’s going to add a lot to our room, especially on the ice and off the ice.”
Nathan Harriel is one part of a rotating corps of defenders that the Union are trying out at the outside back position.
Union manager Bradley Carnell offered a good deal of insight into the team’s current state as they ramp up preseason training in Marbella, Spain. During his weekly press conference, Carnell exuded calm as he explained a number of issues that still need clarity before the season gets going in a few weeks.
It was like watching a mallard hover gracefully on water, unable to see its feet flapping feverishly below the surface. Currently, the Union is trying to get players up to speed both defensively and on offense, the latter of which finds newcomer Ezekiel Alladoh looking to build chemistry with potential fellow strike partner Bruno Damiani up top.
Ahead of another preseason game scheduled for later this morning, when they play an extended match against Montenegro’s FK Buducnost, Inquirer reporter Jonathan Tannenwald examines what the Union are still looking to perfect.
Inquirer reporter Scott Lauber sits down with Phillies manager Rob Thomson ahead of spring training.
In less than three weeks, Phillies pitchers and catchers will hold their first spring-training workout. It’s a good time to sit down with manager Rob Thomson, who discussed the roster in the aftermath of not signing Bo Bichette, the potential impact of rookies Justin Crawford and Andrew Painter, the value of J.T. Realmuto, and, perhaps most importantly, if he thinks the Phillies are better now than at the end of last season. Watch here.
On this date
Jan. 29, 2023: The Eagles were headed to Super Bowl LIX following a 31-7 dismantling of the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field.
Standings, stats, and more
Looking for a deeper breakdown of last night’s Flyers game? Here’s a place to access your favorite Philadelphia teams’ statistics, schedules, and standings in real time.
Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is on the outside looking in at the ballot for the 2026 NFL Hall of Fame induction class.
“In Bill Belichick’s hour of disappointment and shame, Philly can savor revenge…Why should Belichick, a proven and penalized two-time cheater, be treated any better than other scofflaw? He might not be Pete Rose, but he ain’t Bill Walsh, either.” — The latest from Hayes diving into the former Patriots head coach’s first ballot Hall of Fame snub.
What you’re saying about the WNBA
We asked: What are your thoughts on an WNBA team in Philly?
Absolutely, Philadelphia should have a WNBA team. Philadelphia is a basketball city with a far richer basketball history and heritage than almost any other city in the U.S. Right now, there are no Philly-area schools in the top 25 women’s college rankings. I think the presence of a WNBA team might even help some of Philly’s Big 5 women’s teams become UConn- or South Carolina-level powerhouses. Maybe coach [Dawn] Staley would retire and be the first Philly coach. — Everett S.
I think it’s great, especially for young women. It’s long overdue. — Tom G.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Marcus Hayes, Gabriela Carroll, Kerith Gabriel, Jonathan Tannenwald, Lochlahn March, Jackie Spiegel, Gina Mizell, Devin Jackson, Vaughn Johnson, and Scott Lauber.
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.
That’s Thursday. Stay warm, be safe, and we’ll be back tomorrow to get you ready for the weekend. — Kerith
For Cheryl and Jesse Jacobs, the three-bedroom, 2½-bathroom twin in Mount Airy had it all: friendly neighbors, good schools, nearby parks, and a short walk to the Sedgwick SEPTA Regional Rail station.
And for Jesse, a finished basement he called “my man cave,” where he played with the couple’s son.
The house had been in their family a long time. Cheryl grew up there. When her father died in 2013, they decided to make major renovations.
The home’s living room. There are working wood-burning fireplaces on the first level and in the basement.
They opened up the kitchen on the lower floor, reworked the primary bathroom to enlarge the shower, installed recessed lighting, and replaced the water heater and home heating system.
Now the Jacobs family — he’s a retired facilities manager for large corporations; she’s a semi-retired HR consultant — are downsizing to a home in South Jersey and planning to winter in Florida with their son.
The Mount Airy house, built in the 1920s, is 2,062 square feet and has a brick-and-stone facade.
The kitchen.
The main level has a large living room with hardwood floors, and the dining room has the original plaster detailing. Arched French doors lead into the kitchen, which has stained glass windows.
There are working wood-burning fireplaces on the first level and in the basement.
The three bedrooms are on the second level.
The basement could serve as a home office, media room, or in-law suite.
One of the home’s bathrooms.
The house has a covered front porch, a two-car garage with extra storage space, two green outdoor areas, and a rear patio.
Mount Airy Playground, Pleasant Playground, and Benjamin L. Johnston Memorial Stadium are all easily accessible.
The house is in the Henry H. Houston School catchment area.
It is listed by Cherise Wynne of Compass Realty for $600,000.
If you’ve never heard the parable of the “Prodigal Son,” you can watch it unfold in real time over the next few months on the PGA Tour.
LIV defector Brooks Koepka is back.
It’s the biggest moment in golf since Phil Mickelson announced he was joining the renegade league on June 6, 2022. Koepka, a five-time major championship winner, an all-American success story, is the first LIV player to kneel and beg forgiveness of the men that he betrayed.
This is biblical, if you will, in its importance to the golf world.
Briefly: Jesus, in Luke 15: 13-31, tells a tale in which the younger son of a rich man asks to have his inheritance immediately, so he can seek his fortune in the world. The son soon squanders the money, the economy collapses, and he hits rock bottom feeding pigs (sorry, LIV fans). The son then crawls back home, hoping his father will hire him as a servant. Instead, the father rejoices at his son’s return and calls for a feast, featuring a fatted calf.
In this analogy, Koepka is the son. New PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp is the father — or, perhaps the stepfather, considering Jay Monahan ran the Tour when Koepka followed dozens of other LIV defectors, all of whom Monahan banned, and who remain banned by Rolapp.
The feast of the fatted calf? That would be the Farmers Insurance Open, Koepka’s first tournament during his season of mild penance. It begins Thursday at Torrey Pines in San Diego. Harris English is the defending champion. Two-time major winner Xander Schauffele, ranked sixth, and U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun, ranked seventh, lead a 147-player field that includes 25 of the top 50 players in the world.
But make no mistake: This is Brooks Koepka’s party.
But he’s bringing guests.
About 24 hours before Koepka’s marquee comeback tee time, golf’s biggest brat, LIV dud Patrick Reed, announced that he will return to the PGA Tour, too. Reed, who won just once on LIV, on Wednesday said in a statement that he will leave LIV and compete on the DP World Tour until Aug. 25, when he will be eligible to play in PGA Tour events. His DP performances have him ranked 29th in the world, which, along with his lifetime exemption as a Masters champion, virtually assures him entry to all four majors this year.
After careful thought and consideration, my family and I have decided that I will no longer compete on the LIV Golf Tour.
I am excited to announce that I am returning to the PGA TOUR as a past champion member for the 2027 season and am eligible to begin competing in PGA TOUR… pic.twitter.com/LFq61njCrh
The parameters of Reed’s imminent return are murky, and he has applied to return to the PGA Tour in 2027 as a past champion (he has nine wins), but he is not subject to the hastily constructed Returning Player Program (RPP) that Koepka’s interest spurred and targets only the biggest names on LIV.
One of the facets of the program produced a 147-player field at the Farmers. It would have been a 144-player field, but according to Rolapp’s RPP, the Tour couldn’t kick out an actual qualifier to add Koepka. However, adding Koepka made it necessary to add two other players to balance out the three-player groups. That meant alternates Lanto Griffin and Jackson Suber got spots.
The eventual return of Reed indicates that Rolapp is eager to build his business and to siphon talent from LIV, no matter how bad the optics or how minor the love. Reed, who won the Dubai Desert Classic last week on the DP World Tour, is a far less formidable presence than Koepka. Further, he has a reputation as a longtime cheater with a bad temper, a potty mouth, and little time for fellow competitors.
Patrick Reed, who won just once on LIV, is returning to the PGA Tour.
Rolapp might not kill the fatted calf for Reed, but, as Rolapp knows from his NFL days dealing with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, every sport needs villains.
With a 12:32 p.m. EST tee time Thursday and a 1:38 p.m. tee time Friday, Koepka will be part of the featured group with Ludvig Åberg, an inoffensive rising Eurostar, and Max Homa, the PGA Tour’s social media genius.
The program is open to any LIV player who won a major from 2022-25 and has been away from the PGA Tour for at least two years, a group that includes only Koepka, Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cameron Smith, all of whom have, so far, decided to stay with LIV. They have until Monday to change their minds, and then the application window closes.
So, for the foreseeable future, it’s the Brooks Koepka Returning Player Program.
As a punitive measure, the program restricts Koepka earning power from ancillary means, such as FedEx Cup bonus money and the Player Equity Program, for varied periods of time; makes sure that Koepka doesn’t bump anyone from any field; requires that he plays in at least 15 events this season; and demands a $5 million donation to charity.
None of this is especially “punitive” for the likes of Koepka, who reportedly made $165 million in signing bonus and winnings on LIV, added to his $43 million he made on the Tour.
Because it is the first real, tangible, important step into reconciling the best LIV players with the best players in the world, which is what fans deserve.
The Tour suffered from the absences of superb players in their primes such as Koepka, Rahm, DeChambeau, young Chilean star Joaquin Niemann, who has been the cream of the LIV Tour, and even Mickelson, whose game is garbage but whose name still would sell tickets on both the PGA and Champions tours.
The careers and games of all of the LIV players suffered, playing benign, inferior courses in 54-hole tournaments against laughable competition.
The game also lost personalities to LIV obscurity: Koepka’s surliness, Rahm’s earnestness, Dustin Johnson’s goofiness, Mickelson’s buttery condescension, and DeChambeau’s energetic petulance which, thanks to YouTube, has somehow transformed into energetic affability.
None of the LIV stars has sworn to never return to the PGA Tour, but no one is better suited to begin reconciliation than Koepka.
Brooks Koepka celebrates after a LIV win in 2024 with his wife, Jena Sims, and son Crew.
When he joined LIV in 2022, in contrast to most players who were clearly interested in only the sportswashing money offered by the Saudi-backed rival tour, Koepka was cast as a reluctant defector — a massive talent who feared that the injuries he’d been dealing with for months might derail the career of the most promising player since Rory McIlroy.
Koepka, mellowed by years of insignificance and decline, seemed repentant when he addressed his return at a Farmers news conference Tuesday. He was less like the Koepka who belligerently denied cheating at the 2023 Masters, when his caddie told Koepka’s playing partner which club Koepka had used, and more like the Koepka who, in 2018 at Shinnecock, won a second consecutive U.S. Open: reflective, appreciative, mature.
There are reasons for that.
Since winning the 2023 PGA Championship, which keeps him qualified for all majors, Koepka has finished inside the top 25 of his last eight majors just once. In 2025, he finished tied for 30th in the LIV rankings among just 52 regular players, many of them the definitions of “washed” and “obscure.” Koepka’s game is poor, and, at 35, time is running out.
His family life has changed, too. His wife, Jena Sims, suffered a miscarriage last fall.
Jena Sims has posted on Instagram that her and Brooks Koepka lost a pregnancy at 16 weeks earlier this year.
This is awful news and we’d just like to wish Jena, Brooks and Crew all the best 🙏 pic.twitter.com/NVsarKBVdD
Koepka, who has a 2½-year old son named Crew, enjoys fatherhood, and the international nature of the LIV Tour, combined with playing DP World Tour events in Europe to accumulate world golf ranking points, made a normal family life more difficult than he’d imagined.
“Just having my family around’s really important. I’ve grown up a lot over the last few years, and especially the last few months,” he said.
The timeline of his decision seems dubious on its face, both from him and the PGA Tour.
Koepka said Tuesday that he negotiated his release from LIV, finalized on Dec. 23, before contacting any PGA Tour entities regarding reinstatement. He said only then did he contact Tiger Woods, the chairman of the PGA Tour’s competition committee, and, voilá, just 19 days later, over the busiest holiday season of the calendar year, the PGA Tour had devised a comprehensive Return to Play protocol for the Koepka crowd.
It took five years for these guys to agree on how to limit golf ball flight. So, yeah.
The machinations that led to Koepka’s return are far less important than the reality of Koepka’s return. In many ways, Koepka was the PGA Tour’s biggest loss to LIV.
Rahm was more dynamic, DeChambeau was more interesting, Koepka was the best player, was the best athlete, was American, and was a major championship-winning machine.
Does McIlroy win eight times in Koepka’s absence? Does he complete the career Grand Slam last April if Koepka’s in good form?
More significantly, does Scottie Scheffler win 17 times, including three majors, if Koepka’s not honing his skills against Pat Perez on a burned-out course in Indiana? (Notably, Perez, Kevin Na, and Hudson Swafford also have been reinstated, sort of, pending unspecified penalties. Perez plans to join the Champions Tour when he turns 50 in March, pending penalties and fines.)
Maybe Koepka delays Scottie’s ascension, and maybe he slows Rory’s roll. Maybe not.
He isn’t likely to make much noise any time soon, especially at Torrey, where he’s missed four of five cuts at the Farmers.
At any rate, the game will be better for the presence of Koepka’s talent. His penalties aren’t nearly harsh enough, considering the hundreds of millions of dollars players like Sheffler, McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth, and Justin Thomas left on the table by declining LIV offers, but that isn’t Rolapp’s main objective.
Rolapp, the NFL’s former chief media and business officer, oversaw much of the growth of the most lucrative league in the history of the planet. Don’t expect Monday to be the last chance for the biggest LIV stars to return. Rolapp clearly will do anything he needs to do to accommodate the return of any player who can help the PGA Tour heal.
Just after noon on Thursday, Koepka, the prodigal son, begins that healing.
Cailin Williams was always interested in hockey. Like most middle-school athletes, she just wanted to make friends and compete. It didn’t matter that she could barely skate — Williams just wanted to play.
But there was one issue: There was no league for her to play in.
In 2021, Comcast Spectator and the Flyers Training Center changed that. Together, they launched The Philadelphia Liberties, a youth hockey program for girls.
The girls train and practice out of the Flyers Training Center and often have a front-row view of Flyers practice. This past month, Flyers forward Trevor Zegras dropped in after a Liberties game to take pictures and meet some of the girls.
“I think it’s just something really cool to experience,” Williams, 16, said. “To be able to have this opportunity, knowing that I get to play when some people aren’t lucky enough to, and then I also get to share the same ice as professional players is really great.”
But it wasn’t necessarily a smooth start.
“We didn’t win one game [that first season],” said Flyers Training Center director of development Jeremy Hall. “Actually, I don’t know if we even scored a singular goal. But that first season was just something to get them started.”
Since then, the Liberties have only continued to expand. The organization started with just one team, but it now has three teams running across various age groups — 10U, 14U, and 19U — for a total of 53 girls in the program.
“We actually won a handful of games [the second season] and just really got some momentum going,” Hall said. “From that point forward, the growth in the last three to four years is honestly quite incredible to see where we’re at today, compared to where we were when we started. I’ve been in the rink here for 17 years, and I haven’t seen another program grow as fast and have had as much success as this one.”
Thank you to all of our staff, volunteers, and teams that make the Liberties Invitational an event we look forward to every year.
Four years ago the Invitational began with 7 teams. Since then this tournament has exceeded our wildest expectations pic.twitter.com/hR96VG6rrf
But the program’s goal wasn’t just getting more girls involved in hockey — it was about visibility for girls’ hockey in general.
In 2023, the program hosted the first Philadelphia Liberties Invitational, which featured seven teams. Three years later, the tournament hosted 45 teams ranging from 8U to 19U. And the visibility that has come from this expansion is setting up the players for a childhood full of opportunities.
These opportunities aren’t just limited to on the ice, though. Through the Flyers and Comcast, the girls have done ceremonial puck drops at Flyers games, have been invited to the White House to skate at the rink, and some players even met Jessica Campbell, an assistant coach for the Seattle Kraken and the first female coach in the NHL.
“Some of those opportunities come from [the Flyers’ Training Center] being our home,” Hall said. “That’s something that the girls definitely don’t downplay. They recognize that it’s a privilege.”
Philadelphia Liberties U16 player Emily Esposito does the ceremonial puck drop at a Flyers game against the Vegas Golden Knights on March 8, 2022, to celebrate International Women’s Day.
As the Liberties have expanded, girls’ hockey in general is on the same path.
“In the last two to three years, [girls’ hockey has] exponentially grown,” Flyers Training Center general manager Jay Freeman said. “Not only for us, but just in general, for the country.”
And that’s the goal of the Liberties: growth. In every possible way.
“I always tell my team that hockey is the most beautiful game in the world,” 19U coach Linda Rehmann said. “And any day you get to play it, you’re a lucky person. But the game is about more than what happens on the ice. Our organization is about growing good people, teaching life lessons that they’re going to take with them, adversity, teamwork, resilience, all kinds of things that I think when you’re in that intense, competitive sport environment, it just accelerates your learning process.”
Rehmann started her hockey journey in Canada when she was just 5 years old. She played with boys for the first seven years before making the transition to girls’ hockey.
Her journey led her to Cornell, where she won an Ivy League title as a sophomore and was cocaptain her senior year.
“Hockey played a huge role the first 22 years [of my life],” Rehmann said. “My whole life was basically centered around my hockey schedule, and I loved it. I really felt like it shaped who I became. I’m an engineer. Professionally, I feel very comfortable in rooms full of men, and I believe that competitive sport makes girls strong.”
Rehmann has been with the Liberties for the past three years, and that message of empowering girls and women has carried over to her athletes.
Congratulations to the New York Islanders and New Jersey Colonials!
After four days of non-stop action, the 4th annual Liberties Invitational has officially come to a close. pic.twitter.com/dS7ru89W9A
“Coach Linda, she’s been amazing,” Williams said. “I started out not really being able to skate very well, and now I can move, I’m doing good. I think a big part of it is having a really supportive group of coaches who are always there and want us to get better.”
Said Rehmann: “I’m getting a little bit teary just thinking about [how Liberties has changed these girls’ lives]. What we offer is a place where they can be themselves. They can be honest with each other; they can make mistakes.
“[They have social pressures in their lives], but at the rink, they can relax, they feel at home, they feel safe. I think that’s really what [this] is. [The Liberties] gives them a tremendous growth opportunity as an athlete. It shows that they’re willing to put [themselves] out there, try new things, and open [themselves] up to something else that [they] might otherwise not be willing to do.”
