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  • Phillies spring training 2026: TV schedule, new rules, changes to NBC Sports Philadelphia

    Phillies spring training 2026: TV schedule, new rules, changes to NBC Sports Philadelphia

    After a cold, snow-filled winter in Philadelphia, the city is finally getting its first glimpse at spring, thanks to the Phillies.

    The Phillies’ 2026 spring training schedule kicks off Saturday afternoon against the Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin, Fla., followed by their Clearwater debut Sunday at BayCare Ballpark, their Sunshine State home since 2004.

    Fans will be able to tune in to more spring training games than ever. Between NBC Sports Philadelphia, the MLB Network, 94.1 WIP, and the Phillies themselves, there will be a broadcast for all but three games of this year’s 30-game Grapefruit League schedule.

    Despite a roster that looks remarkably similar to last year’s squad, there are some interesting story lines for Phillies fans to follow this spring. Top of the list is how top pitching prospect Andrew Painter performs with a spot in the rotation up for grabs.

    There’s also Aidan Miller, the No. 23 prospect in baseball. The 22-year-old shortstop is expected to start the season in Triple-A, but will get some playing time at third base during spring training, according to my colleague Scott Lauber. That would set up Miller for an early promotion if Alex Bohm gets off to a slow start.

    As far as new faces, the most prominent is outfielder Adolis García, who is replacing Nick Castellanos and is just two seasons removed from hitting 39 home runs for the Texas Rangers.

    Here’s everything you need to know to watch or stream Phillies spring training games:

    What channel are Phillies spring training games on?

    Phillies broadcasters Tom McCarthy (left) and John Kruk will be back again for NBC Sports Philadelphia.

    The bulk of the Phillies’ televised spring training games will air on NBC Sports Philadelphia, which plans to broadcast 17 games — nine on the main channel and eight on NBC Sports Philadelphia+. That’s a big jump from last year, when it aired 12 games.

    The schedule includes an exhibition game against Team Canada on March 4 serving as a warm-up for this year’s World Baseball Classic. The multicountry tournament begins on March 5 in Tokyo, and the Phillies will be well-represented — 11 players, including Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, will leave spring training early to participate.

    Returning for his 19th season as the TV voice of the Phillies is play-by-play announcer Tom McCarthy, who will be joined in the booth by a familiar cast of analysts that includes Rubén Amaro Jr., Ben Davis, and John Kruk.

    MLB Network will broadcast six Phillies spring training games (though just two will be available in the Philly TV market due to blackout rules). ESPN won’t be airing any — the network is broadcasting just four spring training games on their main channel, and six more on its ESPN Unlimited subscription service.

    Radio listeners can tune into 94.1 WIP to hear 10 weekend games. Play-by-play announcer Scott Franzke is back for his 21st season calling the Phillies, joined once again by a rotation featuring veteran analyst Larry Anderson and Kevin Stocker.

    Cole Hamels will be back, but not Taryn Hatcher

    Former Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels (right) called nine games last season for NBC Sports Philadelphia.

    A little bit of Hollywood will be back in the Phillies booth this season.

    2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels will call a few spring training games for the second straight season, beginning in the middle of March. Hamels was something of a natural in the booth last season, calling the nine regular-season games he worked a “crash course” in broadcasting.

    “I tried to tell myself, ‘Don’t overtalk. Don’t be long-winded. Don’t just talk to talk,’” Hamels told The Inquirer in September. “I start watching the game and enjoying it, and I forget sometimes I have to talk.”

    Taryn Hatcher, seen here during a 2019 media softball game.

    One NBC Sports personality who won’t be back is Taryn Hatcher, who joined the network in 2018 and spent the past few seasons covering the game as an in-stadium reporter.

    Hatcher’s contract wasn’t renewed at the end of the year and NBC Sports Philadelphia eliminated the position, according to sources.

    Sadly, it wouldn’t be the first time. In the past few years NBC Sports Philadelphia has hired a number of in-game reporters they haven’t kept, including Jessica Camerato, Molly Sullivan, and Serena Winters. They also said goodbye to longtime Phillies reporter Gregg Murphy in 2020, who is now the team’s pre- and postgame radio host.

    Can I stream Phillies spring training games?

    For the second straight season, Phillies fans will be able to stream spring training games without a cable subscription.

    NBC Sports Philadelphia is available directly through MLB.com for $24.99 a month. You can also get the network as an add-on to your Peacock subscription for the same price, though you’ll need to have a premium plan, which runs $10.99 a month.

    You can also stream NBC Sports Philadelphia on Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV, which will soon roll out a skinny sports bundle. And NBC Sports Philadelphia will stream its games on the NBC Sports app, but a subscription to a cable service is required.

    One streaming service where you won’t find the network is Fubo, which hasn’t broadcast any NBC channels since November due to a carriage dispute. NBC Sports Philadelphia is also not available on Sling TV or DirecTV Stream.

    For the third straight season, the Phillies will also exclusively stream a handful of spring training games from BayCare Ballpark for free on the team’s website.

    The team will also provide an audio-only feed for a few midweek road games that aren’t airing on WIP.

    Are there any new MLB rules in spring training?

    Umpires will have their balls and strikes face challenges this season.

    There aren’t any new rules in play during spring training, but MLB is fully rolling out its automatic ball-strike (ABS) challenge system ahead of its launch in the regular season. The Phillies plan on giving it a healthy test drive.

    The rules are pretty straightforward. Pitchers, catchers, or batters can challenge a ball or strike by taping their head immediately after the umpire’s call.

    Each team starts the game with two challenges, which they only lose when a challenge is unsuccessful. If a team has no challenges remaining and the game goes into extra innings, they’re awarded one per inning until the game is over.

    Phillies news and spring training updates

    Trea Turner fields a ground ball during spring training Wednesday.

    When is opening day for the Phillies?

    The Phillies will open the season against the Texas Rangers at Citizens Bank Park.

    The Phillies are scheduled to open the 2026 season on March 26 against the Texas Rangers at Citizens Bank Park, where the team will hang its 2025 NL East pennant.

    The Phillies have had several memorable openers since they were defeated, 4-3, by Old Hoss Radbourn of the Providence Grays on May 1, 1883. Here are nine of the more memorable season openers in franchise history.

    Phillies spring training TV schedule 2026

    • Saturday: Phillies at Blue Jays, 1:07 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia, 94.1 WIP)
    • Sunday: Pirates at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia, 94.1 WIP)
    • Monday: Phillies at Nationals, 6:05 p.m. (Phillies webcast, 94.1 WIP)
    • Tuesday: Phillies at Marlins, 1:10 p.m. (Phillies audio feed)
    • Wednesday: Tigers at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia+)
    • Thursday: Nationals at Phillies, 1:05 p.m.
    • Friday, Feb. 27: Phillies at Tigers and vs. Marlins (split team), 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia+)
    • Saturday, Feb. 28: Phillies at Blue Jays, 1:07 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia, 94.1 WIP)
    • Sunday, March 1: Yankees at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia, 94.1 WIP)
    • Tuesday, March 3: Phillies at Rays, 1:05 p.m.
    • Wednesday, March 4: Team Canada at Phillies (World Baseball Classic exhibition), 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia+)
    • Thursday, March 5: Red Sox at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia+, MLB Network, Phillies audio feed)
    • Friday, March 6: Phillies at Pirates, 1:05 p.m. (94.1 WIP)
    • Saturday, March 7: Blue Jays at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. (Phillies webcast)
    • Sunday, March 8: Phillies at Twins, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia, 94.1 WIP)
    • Monday, March 9: Phillies at Red Sox, 1:05 p.m. (Phillies audio feed)
    • Tuesday, March 10: Yankees at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia+)
    • Thursday, March 12: Blue Jays at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. (Phillies webcast)
    • Friday, March 13: Orioles at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia+)
    • Saturday, March 14: Phillies at Yankees, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia+, 94.1 WIP)
    • Sunday, March 15: Braves at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia, 94.1 WIP)
    • Monday, March 16: Phillies at Tigers, 1:05 p.m. (Phillies audio feed)
    • Tuesday, March 17: Twins at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia+)
    • Wednesday, March 18: Phillies at Braves, 1:05 p.m. (Phillies audio feed)
    • Thursday, March 19: Rays at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. (Phillies webcast)
    • Thursday, March 19: Twins prospects at Phillies prospects, 1:05 p.m. (MLB Network)
    • Friday, March 20: Tigers at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia+)
    • Saturday, March 21: Phillies at Orioles, 1:05 p.m.
    • Saturday, March 21: Blue Jays prospects at Phillies prospects, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia+, MLB Network)
    • Sunday, March 22: Phillies at Yankees, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia, 94.1 WIP)
    • Monday, March 23: Rays at Phillies, 12:05 p.m. (Phillies webcast)
  • With free agency looming next year, Alec Bohm is prepared to bat cleanup (again) for Kyle Schwarber or Bryce Harper

    With free agency looming next year, Alec Bohm is prepared to bat cleanup (again) for Kyle Schwarber or Bryce Harper

    CLEARWATER, Fla. — Six years into his major-league career, Alec Bohm knows exactly who he is as a player.

    Also, who he’s not.

    “In the grand scheme of things,” Bohm said here Tuesday, “you think about it, I’m prototypically not your average cleanup hitter. Body type-wise, yeah. But the way my game is, I guess, is not that of a typical [No.] 4 hitter.”

    Bohm has thought about it. A lot. Because he does look the part — 6-foot-5, with shoulders that block the sun and never-ending arms and legs. But he hasn’t hit more than 20 homers or slugged .450 in a full season.

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    And yet, guess the Phillies‘ most frequent cleanup hitter over the last two seasons — and the leading candidate to reprise the role on opening day of Bohm’s last year before free agency.

    Rob Thomson hasn’t settled on the order but wants Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, and Bryce Harper to bat in the first inning. And whether Schwarber and Harper bat second and third, or vice versa, the cleanup hitter will be tasked with protecting one of the Phillies’ feared lefty sluggers.

    Thomson has mentioned new right fielder Adolis García and J.T. Realmuto as options. But he noted that Bohm “would have taken down most of the at-bats” in the cleanup spot if not for two stints on the injured list. He was the cleanup hitter 102 times — and an All-Star — in 2024.

    Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm hasn’t hit more than 20 homers or slugged .450 in a full season of his career.

    Get ready, then, for one more round of the familiar gripe about the Phillies’ atypical cleanup hitter, notably that someone as big and strong as Bohm doesn’t hit more balls over the fence.

    “Anybody that says that has no [bleeping] clue how hard this game is and how good the pitching is at this point,” Bohm said. “Would you rather me swing at stuff that’s bouncing in front of the plate and strike out 180 times and get you 25 to 30 home runs so you feel better about it? Or do you want me to hit .280 and drive in 80 to 90 to 100 runs and hit 40 doubles and do it that way?

    “To me, that’s more productive than me walking up there and striking out 190 times. That’s not my game.”

    Bohm concedes that his game was “down last year.” He opened the season in a 9-for-60 tailspin with one extra-base hit through 14 games. He missed 27 games after the All-Star break with a cracked left rib and 11 in September with a cyst in his left shoulder that needed to be drained.

    Bryce Harper says Dave Dombrowski’s ‘not elite’ comment is ‘kind of wild to me still’

    And after back-to-back 97-RBI seasons in which he was 11% more productive than league average based on OPS-plus, he backslid to 18 doubles, 11 homers, and a .741 OPS, 2% more productive than league average.

    The Phillies shuttled Nick Castellanos, Realmuto, and Bohm through the cleanup spot, behind Harper. Phillies cleanup hitters combined for a .720 OPS, 20th in the majors. And Harper saw the lowest rate of pitches in the strike zone (43%) of anyone who qualified for the batting title.

    Coincidence? Somewhat. Harper saw 42.6% of pitches in the zone through his first six Phillies seasons (2019-24). He has long contended that teams take extreme care in how they pitch to him no matter who bats behind him.

    “There’s a lot of situations throughout the game, especially later in the game, where they’re obviously not going to let the franchise player beat them,” Bohm said. “You’ve got a righty on the mound, who in their right mind would let Bryce beat them?”

    When Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm was an All-Star in 2024, he batted in the cleanup spot 102 times.

    Maybe it would make the decision to pitch around Harper more difficult if Schwarber batted behind him, so Thomson is mulling that arrangement.

    “But if Schwarbs is sitting there [in the No. 3 spot], the same thing’s going to kind of happen, right?” Harper said. “So, whoever’s in that four spot is going to have a big job to do.”

    Bohm believes he’s up for it, even if his homer total doesn’t rise far above his 14.8 average over the last four years.

    “For me, it’s not necessarily putting up a certain number of home runs,” Bohm said. “It’s just, am I executing with runners in scoring position? Am I driving in runs? Am I putting tough at-bats up there?

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    “The protection [of Harper or Schwarber] aspect of it, the way I want to go about it just being a good situational baseball player. The home runs, the damage, the doubles, all that stuff is going to come. But it’s not going to come as frequently if I’m up there trying to force it.”

    Bohm’s best work over the years has come with runners in scoring position, largely because he makes more consistent contact than most hitters in the Phillies’ lineup. Even last year, his strikeout rate (16.3%) was well below major-league average (22.2%).

    It’s one of the attributes cited by Thomson as a reason to like Bohm in the cleanup spot.

    “If there’s runners out there, he’s going to put the ball in play,” Thomson said. “Typically, he hits a lot of doubles. And I love doubles. I love home runs, but I love doubles as well because that clears the bases.”

    Phillies right fielder Adolis Garcia (left) is another candidate to bat in the cleanup spot.

    And Bohm has millions of reasons to capitalize on another opportunity to fill the cleanup role. He’s eligible for free agency after the season, which he said feels “really far off in the distance.”

    Bohm’s successor may be only a few lockers away in the spring-training clubhouse. Top prospect Aidan Miller will play third base at times this year. And the Phillies discussed moving on from Bohm in each of the last two offseasons. They nearly signed free-agent infielder Bo Bichette last month, a move that would’ve corresponded with trading Bohm.

    But for as long as he’s here, Bohm believes he can handle batting behind Harper or Schwarber.

    “I can do things in a different way to create runs and not let the other team go, ‘We got through Kyle, now just walk Bryce, and we should be home free,’” Bohm said. “What I do is put the ball in play to where I’m not a hole behind a very important piece of our lineup.”

  • Phillies are well-represented across the World Baseball Classic team pool

    Phillies are well-represented across the World Baseball Classic team pool

    All 20 rosters for the World Baseball Classic were announced on Thursday night, and the Phillies are well-represented.

    Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber will play for the United States under manager and Penn alum Mark DeRosa, joined by Brad Keller in the bullpen.

    Schwarber represented the U.S. at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, helping the team win a silver medal. Harper had plans to play for the 2023 team as well, but withdrew after undergoing elbow surgery the previous winter.

    “[Schwarber] was the chemistry guy for me, last time,” DeRosa said in December.

    Spring training preview: Outlook for Aidan Miller, level of concern for Bryce Harper, and more from Reddit AMA

    Cristopher Sánchez will join the Dominican Republic’s rotation, with outfielder Johan Rojas also named to the team.

    The Phillies’ other participants include José Alvarado (Venezuela); Taijuan Walker (Mexico); Garrett Stubbs and Max Lazar (Israel); Edmundo Sosa (Panama); and Aaron Nola (Italy).

    Several Phillies prospects were also named to rosters. Outfielder Dante Nori, the Phillies’ 2024 first-round selection and No. 6 prospect, will join Nola on Team Italy.

    Pitching prospect Jaydenn Estanista will play for the Netherlands. Estanista had a 4.84 ERA in 44⅔ innings last season between high-A Jersey Shore and double-A Reading. Mitch Neunborn, who pitched for Reading and triple-A Lehigh Valley last year, will represent Australia.

    Phillies prospect Dante Nori will represent Italy in the WBC.

    Gabriel Barbosa was named to Brazil’s roster. Barbosa had a 3.62 ERA across three levels in the Phillies’ system in 2025, finishing the season in double A.

    The Phillies will play an exhibition game against Team Canada in Clearwater, Fla. on March 4 before WBC pool play takes place March 5-10 in Tokyo, San Juan, Miami, and Houston.

    The quarterfinals will be held on March 13 in Miami and Houston, while the semifinals and finals are March 15-17 in Miami.

  • ‘Not elite’ Bryce Harper might lose his No. 3 spot in the Phillies lineup, flip with Kyle Schwarber at No. 2

    ‘Not elite’ Bryce Harper might lose his No. 3 spot in the Phillies lineup, flip with Kyle Schwarber at No. 2

    Maybe giving Bryce Harper better protection will return him to “elite” status.

    The most intriguing tidbit the Phillies provided Tuesday in their Hot Stove state of the union news conferences concerned how the run-it-back lineup will be organized.

    The Phils led the National League in batting average and finished second in OPS as they won their second consecutive NL East title. That offense was led by a lineup that generally featured Trea Turner leading off, Kyle Schwarber batting second, and Harper batting third. Harper has spent most of his career batting third.

    This year might be different.

    “Yeah, I’ve got some ideas,” said manager Rob Thomson. “I’ve got to talk to the players about it, but you could see a change this year, flipping those guys around a little bit.”

    Are the Phillies ‘running it back’? Maybe, but that’s not the most important question for 2026

    Asked later if the changes could involve Harper moving out of the three-hole, Thomson said, “Yes.”

    A change might do him good.

    A wrist injury and a steady diet of breaking balls — a career-high 41.3% — led to Harper’s worst season since 2016. His .844 OPS was 22nd in baseball and more than 50 points below his .911 career OPS entering 2025.

    This dip in production led Phillies president Dave Dombrowski, in his postseason news conference in October, to cast Harper as “a quality player” who didn’t “have an elite season like he has had in the past.”

    This upset Harper, who, nine days later, told The Athletic he was “hurt” by the comments and the resulting fallout. That included speculation that the Phillies might be better off trading Harper — media-fueled speculation, and something the Phillies never considered.

    Dombrowski has said he had a conversation with Harper in November and emerged from that discussion believing that their relationship was fine.

    Then, on Dec. 26, Harper posted a TikTok video of himself hitting in a batting cage while wearing a sweatshirt that said, “NOT ELITE.”

    He doesn’t seem fine.

    Simmering

    Harper had announced via social on Dec. 23 that he plans to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic in March.

    Thomson said Tuesday that Harper had been hitting in late December, earlier than usual, to better prepare for the WBC … and, maybe, to make Dombrowski eat his words.

    “I think he’s motivated. I really do,” Thomson said. “I think he’s motivated to play for his country, and I think he’s motivated to win a world championship.”

    Marcus Hayes: Dave Dombrowski says ‘we’re content’ despite big-name free agents still available. ‘Not elite’ offseason continues for Phillies.

    Will Harper be motivated to move from the No. 3 spot?

    His career OPS while batting second is .791 in 1,010 plate appearances, though those numbers reflect him as a much younger player. In his most recent stretch of hitting No. 2 — 14 games last season — Harper’s OPS was .900.

    Schwarber, meanwhile, has a career OPS of .882 when batting second and .816 when batting third, though he only has 209 plate appearances batting third. For what it’s worth, Schwarber’s OPS in the cleanup spot is .937 in 475 plate appearances.

    Fair point

    Dombrowski might have put his foot in his mouth in October, but he’s right. Harper’s production lagged in 2025. He’s 33 this season.

    A lineup change might be just what the Topper ordered.

    This isn’t the first time Harper’s spot in the lineup has come into question with spring training looming. In fact, this time last year nobody knew who would hit where, exactly. The three previous seasons, Schwarber had been an unusual leadoff hitter — low-average, high-power, few RBIs.

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    The Phillies were eager to harness Schwarber’s power (they did: he led baseball with 132 RBIs last year) and replace him up top with Turner or Bryson Stott. If that didn’t work, they hoped their best hitter since ,might be willing to do the job.

    Harper was not interested in that.

    “Obviously, I’m a three-hole hitter, and I have been, but whenever they’ve told me to hit two or four, I’ve done that in the past,” Harper said last spring. “I like to see pitches before I hit, seeing what the guy’s going to do.”

    It’s unlikely Harper will be asked to hit leadoff this season, considering last year Turner won both the job and the NL batting title, hitting .304.

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    But it seems extremely likely that Harper and Schwarber will switch, at least occasionally. Both bat left-handed, but Schwarber hit 23 homers off lefties last season with a .962 OPS, both records for left-handed hitters. Of course, he did this with Harper usually standing in the on-deck circle.

    And when Harper came to bat, pitchers knew the No. 4 hitter wasn’t much of a threat. Usually, it was a right-hander like Nick Castellanos, J.T. Realmuto, or Alec Bohm, all of whom struggled in 2025. Early in the season, it was Schwarber.

    Who now?

    This season, $10 million free agent Adolis García will probably get the first chance. He’s hit mostly cleanup the past four years. He’s a right-handed hitter. He has power potential, averaging just over 30 home runs for the Rangers from 2021-24.

    No other player makes sense, especially since Thomson will want to maximize the number of appearances for his would-be elite players, Schwarber and Harper.

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    So, ultimately, who will protect whom? It will be one of the more interesting story lines at spring training.

    It also might not be determined by the end of the Phillies’ preseason. The WBC could occupy Harper for two full weeks right in the middle of spring training.

    That might be irrelevant. In a make-or-break season for a Phillies core that has underachieved the past three years, it sounds like Thomson might juggle the lineup every day of the season if he feels like it, preference and feelings be damned.

    His current philosophy:

    “Whoever’s hitting good — protect them.”

  • The Philadelphia Inquirer will make an appearance in the next ‘Abbott Elementary’ episode. Here’s what we know.

    The Philadelphia Inquirer will make an appearance in the next ‘Abbott Elementary’ episode. Here’s what we know.

    Abbott Elementary is making news this week — literally.

    Since premiering in 2021, the Emmy-winning sitcom from West Philly-raised comedy star Quinta Brunson has regularly featured local organizations like the Franklin Institute, Please Touch Museum, and the Phillies.

    In the upcoming episode, airing Wednesday, Brunson will spotlight another hometown institution: The Philadelphia Inquirer.

    For now, the details of the plot are still under wraps but we can confirm that the episode, titled “Mall Part 3: Heroes,” will include a character who is an Inquirer reporter. We can also confirm that the actor in that role is not an actual Inquirer reporter.

    This season, the titular Philly public school has been thrown into chaos. The building’s furnace broke before winter break so the school district moved Abbott into an abandoned mall, where teachers need to create classrooms out of vacant stores.

    The titular school temporarily relocates to an abandoned mall in Season 5 of “Abbott Elementary.”

    The mall building has had its own problems — including a ludicrously large Benjamin Franklin head that routinely announced shop discounts before plummeting to its destruction — but the Abbott crew tries valiantly to keep teaching.

    “After the faculty finds surprising success operating the school in the mall, they quickly realize they are being taken advantage of,” reads the description of the upcoming episode. “Meanwhile, a new custodian arrives to join Mr. Johnson.”

    There are few details about the new custodian character. But, on Thursday, Deadline reported that Abbott Elementary has cast actor Khandi Alexander (the unforgettable scene-stealer who played Olivia Pope’s fearless mom on Scandal) in an undisclosed recurring role.

    Actor William Stanford Davis plays the eccentric and beloved Mr. Johnson, who famously runs a tight ship when it comes to his janitorial responsibilities.

    “Mr. Johnson gets overwhelmed because this mall is huge, and he has to clean it up, so they bring some help in. That’s all I’m gonna tell you about that part,” Davis told The Inquirer in a recent interview. “The help, they don’t get along — he doesn’t like anyone in his territory.”

    William Stanford Davis (Mr. Johnson), Tyler James Williams (Gregory Eddie), and Quinta Brunson (Janine Teagues) in ‘Abbott Elementary.’

    His character faced a similar personality challenge in the crossover episode with It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, when the Paddy’s Pub misfit crew came to the school to fulfill their court-ordered community service. Danny DeVito’s character, Frank, was tasked with helping Mr. Johnson with a raccoon infestation and the two feuded the entire time.

    Off-screen, though, Davis remembered that collaboration with DeVito fondly.

    “There’s a scene where he’s in the cage. [DeVito] was already out there in the cage, in the mud, eating the chum before Tyler [James Williams, who plays Gregory Eddie] and I even got on the set,” Davis recalled. “I was like, ‘Tyler, I gotta up my game, man.’ This guy, he’s 10 years older than me — and I’m not a spring chicken — and he’s out here laying in the mud ready to go. It was so much fun.”

    (Always Sunny also once featured an Inquirer reporter character, who called the pub “the worst bar in Philadelphia,” a claim not backed by the real Inquirer.)

    Another fun highlight for Davis’ character this season was in the “Ballgame” episode. The cast and crew of Abbott Elementary took over Citizens Bank Park in August and filmed live at the game where Kyle Schwarber made history.

    The “Abbott Elementary” cast meet Kyle Schwarber and the Phanatic on the field at Citizens Bank Park.

    “The fact that Schwarber hit four home runs out of the park that night, that was historic, and he was going to be a guest on our show — you can’t ask for a better story,” said Davis.

    On screen, one character suspects Mr. Johnson is secretly the Phanatic. It’s not totally far-fetched, given the custodian’s many hilarious backstories, from senator to mobster.

    Will The Inquirer reporter uncover something new about Mr. Johnson’s mysterious past? We’ll have to tune in to find out.

    “Abbott Elementary” airs weekly on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC.

  • Indiana’s football run has made Kyle Schwarber ‘super fan out’ and helps him appreciate passion of Phillies fans

    Indiana’s football run has made Kyle Schwarber ‘super fan out’ and helps him appreciate passion of Phillies fans

    Kyle Schwarber will be in the stands Friday night, allowing his feelings to be controlled by the college football players in front of him the same way he often dictates people’s nights with one swing during the summer. He’ll be a fan, riding the emotional roller coaster with Indiana’s football team in Atlanta as the Hoosiers try to reach the national championship game with a victory over Oregon.

    “You’re living and dying with it and you’re like, ‘Man, this is what Phillies fans do for 162 games? That’s impressive,’” said Schwarber, the Phillies slugger who hit 56 home runs last season. “It brings back the super fan in you. It brings back that aspect. You’re in it and now you get to go super fan out on someone else.”

    Schwarber, 32, grew up near Cincinnati as an Ohio State fanatic but traded the Buckeyes for the Hoosiers after playing baseball for three seasons at Indiana. The school’s baseball team transformed during that time from an afterthought to a national power. The football team — which until November had the worst winning percentage in college football history — is now doing the same. And it’s allowing Schwarber to know what it feels like to be a fan in South Philly.

    Kyle Schwarber found his way back to the Phillies, and he hopes J.T. Realmuto does the same

    “We have people who show up and care,” Schwarber said. “How many times have we gone to a weekend series and it wasn’t sold out for any of those games? A Monday night or Tuesday night or a Wednesday afternoon, we have 40,000-plus. That’s awesome. Now you get to see that for these kids in college. This is so awesome and it’s such an awesome experience for me to be able to fan out.”

    Schwarber will be IU’s honorary captain for Friday’s Peach Bowl against Oregon. He narrated the team’s hype video before its Big Ten championship win over Ohio State and sat next to Lee Corso in 2024 when College GameDay came to Indiana. It might be harder to find a bigger IU football fan than the Phillies slugger, who was elected to the school’s Hall of Fame last year.

    A linebacker in high school, Schwarber had football tickets as a freshman, but the Hoosiers won just one game. The football program did little while Schwarber was there — “There wasn’t much winning going on,” he said — and it was hard to imagine the sport ever catching on at a basketball school.

    “It was like the tailgate fields were filled and then everyone vanished when it was game time,” Schwarber said.

    Now he’s wearing Indiana gear on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday — “You have to wear it the day before game day, on game day, the day after they win,” Schwarber said — and texting his old buddies about the football team. Schwarber said people call him a bandwagon fan. Nope, he said. This is his school. Schwarber drove to Notre Dame last winter to tailgate at IU’s playoff game with his old baseball teammates and is flying to Friday’s Peach Bowl.

    Here are the Philly-area connections to know in the College Football Playoff semifinals

    “It’s so much fun now,” Schwarber said. “Now that they’re good, it takes away that Ohio State in you. You were there. You went to school there. It just revamps you — that’s my team, that’s my school. It brings back the super fan in you.”

    The turnaround started in November 2023 with the arrival of head coach Curt Cignetti, who was the quarterbacks coach at Temple under Jerry Berndt from 1989-92 and coached Indiana University of Pennsylvania from 2011-16. The Hoosiers reached the College Football Playoff last season, and became the nation’s No. 1 team in December a week before their quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, won the Heisman Trophy. The doormats rapidly became a powerhouse.

    “I need a documentary,” Schwarber said. “I need to meet Cig and see how in the heck does this guy come in from having one of the worst winning percentages in college football history to taking it in two years to a College Football Playoff team and then being No. 1 in the country the next year and being a win away from the national championship. It’s surreal.

    Kyle Schwarber played three seasons at Indiana on his way to being a first-round pick by the Cubs in 2014.

    “It’s so awesome to watch. It gives you goose bumps when you can sit back and realize that, ‘Man, Indiana is getting some really cool recognition.’ I wish I could go back all the time. It’s such a beautiful campus. It feels like the perfect college town with nothing around it. Just cornfields around it and it’s beautiful. To have a place like that get recognition because our football team is doing amazing things.”

    Schwarber started hitting earlier this month as he prepares for the first year of his newly signed five-year, $150 million contract. He could have gone elsewhere in free agency but said he often thought about the atmosphere at Citizens Bank Park on a Tuesday in May or a Friday in October. He knows now how it feels to sit in the stands.

    Kyle Schwarber hit 56 home runs in an epic 2025 season. Here’s what to know about each one.

    “I’m not the outrageous, screaming, yelling guy,” Schwarber said. “That was the younger me watching the Bengals, screaming at the TV. Now being professional and understanding, you just understand a little more and not screaming, ‘How the hell did that dude not catch the ball?’ No, the guy is trying to catch the ball. He just didn’t. But I’ll be the first one to let you know that Indiana scored or Indiana stopped them on a fourth down or didn’t jump on a fake punt on fourth down. I’ll be the first one to let you know.

    “I’m going to be screaming and yelling and losing my mind Friday and then come home the next day and my wife will be like, ‘What the hell happened?’ That’s what this is about. It’s the escape and it brings you back to being the fan.”

  • With Kyle Schwarber back, the Phillies can focus on other roster needs after winter meetings

    With Kyle Schwarber back, the Phillies can focus on other roster needs after winter meetings

    ORLANDO — The Phillies’ cohort will leave Disney World on Thursday with more clarity than when they arrived.

    By signing Kyle Schwarber to a five-year, $150 million deal on Tuesday at the winter meetings, the Phillies now have a better sense of direction for the rest of their offseason.

    “I feel a lot better leaving the meetings than I did coming into the meetings because we filled a big spot,” Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said. “And with that, we’ve been able to proceed forward.”

    Kyle Schwarber found his way back to the Phillies, and he hopes J.T. Realmuto does the same

    Schwarber was the first major domino to fall this free agency cycle. Pete Alonso followed on Wednesday, agreeing to terms with the Orioles, according to multiple outlets.

    From his point of view, Schwarber felt like his free agency process was a “standard” length of time.

    “I felt like I got all the information I needed to make a decision, and I wanted to be respectful of everyone,” he said. “That’s how I operate. I wanted to be respectful of the Phillies. I wanted to be respectful to the other teams I talked to. And I know that there’s a long road in the offseason, but also, too, I wanted to make sure that I had the time to decide.”

    The Phillies are optimistic about bringing back J.T. Realmuto (left) after re-signing Kyle Schwarber to a five-year, $150 million contract.

    While the process itself wasn’t rushed, Schwarber was in a rush to get his physical completed in Philadelphia after coming to an agreement. He and his wife Paige are expecting the birth of their daughter very soon.

    And now, instead of worrying about contingency plans to fill a Schwarber-sized hole in the lineup, the Phillies can focus their attention on other areas of need.

    One area they have already started to address is the bullpen. Dombrowski said this week that the Phillies have five spots in the bullpen that are solidified — lefties José Alvarado, Matt Strahm, and Tanner Banks, and righties Jhoan Duran and Orion Kerkering — but there could be competition for the final three spots.

    The Phillies added some potential relief depth on Wednesday with a trade for right-hander Yoniel Curet from the Rays in exchange for minor league pitcher Tommy McCollum. In 2024, Curet was Tampa Bay’s No. 18 prospect by MLB Pipeline, but he dealt with a shoulder injury in 2025 that limited him to 55⅓ innings.

    He was designated for assignment by the Rays earlier this week, but the Phillies were intrigued by his fastball.

    They also were intrigued by Marlins right-hander Zach McCambley and selected him in Wednesday’s Rule 5 draft.

    Phillies select pitcher Zach McCambley in Rule 5 draft: ‘He could make the team’

    “It’s a pretty much a heavy cutter/slider attack with a good fastball that sits 94 up to 96 [mph],” said Phillies director of professional scouting Mike Ondo. “The guy throws strikes, and he’s really, really tough on right-handed hitters. And I think that was one of the big appeals for us.”

    McCambley has experience as a starter and a reliever, and the Phillies liked his versatility.

    There are other, bigger priorities still being worked on behind the scenes, and at the top of the list is catcher. Fresh off his own re-signing, Schwarber has joined the recruiting effort for J.T. Realmuto.

    “I’d be lying that I didn’t send a text to J.T. trying to see where he’s at and try to coax him,” he said.

    Reshaping the outfield also is a priority. Dombrowski reiterated this week the Phillies’ desire to find a “change of scenery” for Nick Castellanos.

    Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos will likely have a change of scenery in 2026.

    “We’ve got work to do,” Dombrowski said of the outfield. “We’ve got a couple of options, with [Brandon] Marsh, and in this situation where we’ve talked about [Justin] Crawford, we’re going to give him that opportunity to make the club and we feel good about it. [Johan] Rojas is out there. We claimed [former Astro Pedro] León on waivers. We’ve got [Otto] Kemp that can go out there and play. …

    “We’ve got work to do, is what it comes down to, and we continue to try to make things happen.”

    Phillies opt to stretch their competitive window with Kyle Schwarber and Co., and baseball seems to agree

    Even with the areas that seem mostly set, there could be changes. Starting pitching wasn’t a big focus for the Phillies last winter, but they still traded for Jesús Luzardo, viewing it as an opportunity to improve. Dombrowski said they are staying “open-minded” this year, too.

    But it sure helps that the first item on the to-do list is checked off.

    “It’s given us then parameters on where we can go forward with different things and what we need to address,” Dombrowski said. “ … I feel very good in adding Schwarbs, because we know what he can be, and it’s one big need we do not have anymore.”

  • Kyle Schwarber found his way back to the Phillies, and he hopes J.T. Realmuto does the same

    Kyle Schwarber found his way back to the Phillies, and he hopes J.T. Realmuto does the same

    ORLANDO — Any day now, Kyle Schwarber’s wife, Paige, will go into labor with their third child.

    First, though, there was a contract to sign.

    So, after reaching a five-year, $150 million agreement with the Phillies late Monday night, Schwarber hopped a flight early Tuesday to Philadelphia to take a physical and finalize the deal. By lunchtime Wednesday, he was back home in Ohio.

    “I’m happy they were able to accommodate that, get me up there and get me back,” Schwarber said on a Zoom call. “So now, whenever our little girl comes into the world, I will be here.”

    Phillies opt to stretch their competitive window with Kyle Schwarber and Co., and baseball seems to agree

    Indeed, the week has been a whirlwind for Schwarber, and it’s only getting started. But between signing the largest contract ever for a designated hitter and racing home ahead of the baby, Schwarber found time to deliver a recruiting pitch to a good friend.

    “I’d be lying that I didn’t send a text to J.T. [Realmuto],” Schwarber said, “trying to see where he’s at and try to coax him.”

    If Schwarber was Priority No. 1 for the Phillies, Realmuto is 1-B. While the rival Mets lost core pieces Edwin Díaz and Pete Alonso in free agency on back-to-back days, the Phillies are proudly trying to bring back the band from 95- and 96-win teams that were a Tush Push — or maybe a youth infusion from Justin Crawford, Andrew Painter, and, eventually, Aidan Miller — away from getting over the top.

    Schwarber said he’s “trying to be respectful” of Realmuto’s free-agent process. And surely he can relate.

    In finding his way back to the Phillies, Schwarber cited the “respect” he received during his 37-day free agency from the organization that helped him evolve into one of the most prodigious sluggers in the sport.

    Because as much as Schwarber wanted to stay with the Phillies, he also welcomed the chance to explore his market before the biggest payday of his career.

    Schwarber had been a free agent before. Twice, actually. But the first time came in 2020, with his value at its nadir after the Cubs didn’t tender him a contract. A year later, the owners locked out the players and shut down the sport for 99 days. When the stoppage ended, the Phillies signed Schwarber for four years and $79 million, among the best free-agent deals in franchise history.

    This time, Schwarber hit the market with the force of a 56-homer season — and 187 home runs over four years, tied with Shohei Ohtani for second among all hitters and trailing only Aaron Judge.

    Few names were more prominent on the free-agent menu.

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    “When you reach free agency, you want that opportunity to go out and listen and make sure all your bases are covered,” Schwarber said. “You want to hear all different types of information and make sure that you’re making a really great, informed decision. I appreciate the whole process and don’t take it lightly.”

    The Phillies gave Schwarber space to hear pitches from the Orioles, Pirates, and his hometown Reds, among other teams, with the understanding that he would circle back to them when he began receiving offers.

    But they didn’t send him into the free-agent wilds without making clear what he meant to them.

    The owner even made a house call.

    First, Schwarber had what he described as a “really, really good conversation” with president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski a few days after the divisional series loss to the Dodgers. Then, before he and Paige packed up their two sons and returned to Ohio, John Middleton knocked on the door of their South Jersey home.

    Phillies owner John Middleton made it clear to Kyle Schwarber that he wanted to re-sign him.

    “We were able to spend a really good amount of time just sitting down and talking about the Phillies and his family and talking about what’s the future looking like for us here,” Schwarber said. “Those were conversations that I just never forgot, right?

    “Like, you start having different conversations with different teams, and just because those conversations were fresh, it doesn’t mean that anything was forgotten. That was an important time and important conversations that Dave and Mr. Middleton, that we had.

    “Trust me, I took notes. Once I had everything all said and done, you can look at everything and know that John is committed to winning and wants our organization to continue to keep pushing for a world championship. What else is there for a player to ask for, you know?”

    How can Bryce Harper have an ‘elite’ season in 2026? It starts with examining his atypical 2025.

    The Phillies sent Realmuto into free agency with a similar message. The veteran catcher, who will be 35 next season, is weighing multiple offers, a source said Wednesday, the final day of the winter meetings at the Signia by Hilton. It’s unknown whether any of the offers are for more than two years. MLB.com reported that the Phillies have made a bid.

    After re-signing Schwarber, the Phillies can focus on remaking the outfield, filling out the bullpen, and adding overall pitching depth. With 2026 payroll commitments totaling approximately $286 million, as calculated for the luxury tax, some of those pursuits may involve clearing payroll space by trading, say, Alec Bohm or Matt Strahm.

    But Realmuto could be their next domino to drop. And Schwarber hopes the catcher will follow the path that led back to the corner of Pattison and Darien.

    “Selfishly, I think that we would all love to have J.T. back,” Schwarber said. “Because we know what he brings to the table and how important he is to, not just our clubhouse but what he means to Philadelphia. … He should be highly sought-after, and I’m hoping that, at the end of the day, he’s back in Philadelphia.”

  • Phillies opt to stretch their competitive window with Kyle Schwarber and Co., and baseball seems to agree

    Phillies opt to stretch their competitive window with Kyle Schwarber and Co., and baseball seems to agree

    ORLANDO — Did anyone really think the Phillies would let Kyle Schwarber leave?

    Really?

    Sure, they could’ve gone in another direction, especially as Schwarber began getting offers this week. The Pirates — yes, you read that right — made a four-year, $120 million whopper, a league source said Tuesday. The Orioles and Reds offered five years, The Athletic reported, with Baltimore willing to go to $150 million.

    And as the market took off for a 33-year-old designated hitter, the Phillies could’ve tapped out.

    Where will Kyle Schwarber land? Sizing up the Phillies’ competition in the free-agent sweepstakes

    But if you’ve paid attention, you know the Phillies believe Schwarber is unrivaled, as a slugger and certainly a leader. Dave Dombrowski said all along that Schwarber, not younger free agents such as Cody Bellinger or Pete Alonso, was the priority. Hitting coach Kevin Long emerged from organizational meetings in October and told The Inquirer’s Phillies Extra podcast that losing Schwarber would be “devastating.”

    Even owner John Middleton said this about Schwarber in July: “We love him. We want to keep him.”

    Middleton doesn’t usually get outbid for players he wants, least of all by the Pirates. Or the Orioles. Or even by Schwarber’s hometown Reds. And so it was, before lunch Tuesday, that the Phillies made the most predictable news at the winter meetings.

    Schwarber back to Philly. Five years, $150 million, sources said.

    Kyle Schwarber hit a career-high 56 homers for the Phillies this year.

    “I had a pretty good idea that was going to be the route,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “Talking to Dave throughout the season, he knew that [Schwarber] was a huge part of what they were trying to accomplish and moving forward. So, not surprised that it’s with them.”

    The agreement was pending a physical and wasn’t announced by the Phillies until Tuesday night. But sources said the team’s confidence in Schwarber’s ability to stay productive through his mid-30s stems from his consistent bat speed. He’s also a more complete hitter now than when he signed a four-year, $79 million deal with the Phillies in 2022, one year removed from being non-tendered by the Cubs.

    Team officials have likened Schwarber to David Ortiz, who hit more than half his 541 homers after turning 32 and played through age 40. Schwarber’s contract will run through his age-37 season.

    “He’s so different than most of the guys I’ve ever been around because he’s a great player, one, and he knows how to bring the heartbeat of the clubhouse down when things are going rough,” manager Rob Thomson said. “And not only the clubhouse but individuals as well. He’s just a huge part of our ballclub.”

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    Lest anyone forget, it’s a club that won 96 games this year — and 95 the year before. The Phillies are tied with the Dodgers for the most wins in baseball over the last two seasons. But the Dodgers also won back-to-back World Series and made news Tuesday by signing star closer Edwin Díaz.

    So, while the Phillies did what was necessary to bring back Schwarber, and extended Thomson’s contract through 2027, and remained optimistic about re-signing J.T. Realmuto, the perception, at least in Philly, is that they’re merely bringing back the band.

    And given the players’ ages and contract terms, the band might start looking like the Rolling Stones in a few years.

    But if the goal is to stretch the competitive window and take as many whacks as possible at the World Series, rival club officials surveyed in the lobby of the Signia by Hilton and baseball observers/insiders believe the Phillies are right to not make sweeping changes.

    The Phillies re-signed Kyle Schwarber (right) on Tuesday. Is J.T. Realmuto next?

    “Getting there is really hard to do, and improving in the season each year is really hard to do,” former major league general manager Jim Duquette said. “What the Phillies have accomplished is really, really difficult. If I’m the Phillies, I would be very careful with how many adjustments you make with that team.”

    The Braves kept most of their core together through their run of 11 consecutive division championships in the late ‘90s and early 2000s. Former Atlanta general manager John Schuerholz famously believed in changing about 10% of the roster in the offseason during those years.

    Including Schwarber’s deal, the Phillies have roughly $285 million in payroll commitments for 2026. They ended this year at about $312 million and expect to be in a similar range next year.

    Even as they try to get Realmuto back behind the plate, the Phillies expect to make changes to other areas of the roster, notably the outfield. Touted rookie Justin Crawford is ticketed to be in the opening-day lineup, either in left field or center. Nick Castellanos will be traded or released. Top prospect Andrew Painter is almost sure to be in the season-opening rotation.

    How can Bryce Harper have an ‘elite’ season in 2026? It starts with examining his atypical 2025.

    Dombrowski pushed back, then, on the idea that the Phillies are merely running it back, as if that would be a bad thing after 87-, 90-, 95-, and 96-win seasons and four playoff appearances in a row.

    “I don’t think we ever just run it back. We’re not running our club back,” Dombrowski said, citing Crawford’s arrival and possibly an expanded role for Otto Kemp as examples of changes. “And when I say that, I’m not so sure where you win 96 games that you should really look to have to do a lot of things differently.”

    Said Thomson: “We won 96 games last year. It’s not like we’re not doing well. We’ve got a good club. No matter what happens, we’re still going to have a good club.

    “Even if we sign both [Schwarber and Realmuto] back, there’s still going to be some changes. And there might be some change within the lineup as far as the order, which could infuse a little bit of energy.”

    Bryce Harper batted behind Kyle Schwarber in 2025, but their order could switch next season.

    More specifically, Thomson hinted at flipping Schwarber and Bryce Harper in the batting order.

    Schwarber batted behind Harper for a month early in the season before the latter missed a month with an inflamed right wrist. When Harper returned, he batted third, with Schwarber cemented in the No. 2 spot. And while Harper faced a lower rate of pitches in the zone (43%) than any hitter in baseball, Schwarber hit a career-high 56 homers.

    “Harper was protecting Schwarber,” Thomson said, “and Schwarber is having at that point a career year. I just didn’t want to mess with it.”

    Upon further review, maybe it would be better the other way around?

    “Yeah,” Thomson said. “I’ve got some ideas. But I haven’t talked to the players yet, so I don’t want to talk much more about that. But yeah, I’ve thought long and hard about it.”

    Those are the changes Phillies officials believe could make the difference in a 96-win team getting knocked out in the divisional round and finally winning the World Series.

    Moving on from Schwarber was nothing they ever cared to contemplate.

  • Phillies fans and media react to Kyle Schwarber re-signing in Philly: ‘Always the right move’

    Phillies fans and media react to Kyle Schwarber re-signing in Philly: ‘Always the right move’

    It’s the Schwarbomb Phillies fans had been waiting for.

    Kyle Schwarber, the National League MVP runner-up and one of baseball’s top free agents, re-signed with the Phillies on Tuesday to the tune of $150 million over five years, The Inquirer’s Scott Lauber confirmed.

    Since joining the team in 2022, Schwarber has hit 187 home runs, made three All-Star teams, and helped the Phillies to their first World Series appearance in over a decade. Now, fans are preparing for five more years of Schwarbombs at Citizens Bank Park.

    Phillies give the incomparable Kyle Schwarber an incomparable contract, still need another big bat behind him | David Murphy

    Read below for media and fan reactions …

    Fans welcome Schwarber back

    Re-signing arguably the best performing Phillie over the last three years has sparked joy, especially after a brutal Eagles loss on Monday night. Following four interceptions from Jalen Hurts — and a third loss in a row — Philly fans have are thankful they no longer have to worry about losing Schwarber.

    As many teams vied for Schwarber’s hand in free agency, including some tempting exes like the Red Sox and other options like his hometown Cincinnati Reds, Philly fans were happy to learn that their town was the place Schwarber would give his rose.

    On top of Schwarber’s recommitment, Edwin Diaz, a star closer for the New York Mets, signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, causing a double celebration for Phillies fans.

    Of course, Diaz joining the back-to-back world champion Dodgers means he could still stand between the Phillies and a trip back to the World Series.

    Team USA adds ‘chemistry guy’ Kyle Schwarber to its roster for WBC

    ‘Doubling down on an older core’

    There have been more mixed reactions regarding Schwarber’s deal from the media. The designated hitter will be 33 on opening day, and will be under contract until his age 37 season, along with Bryce Harper and Trea Turner.

    “The Phillies paying Kyle Schwarber that much money for five years is a mistake,” 94 WIP’s Eliot Shorr-Parks posted on X. “Doubling down on an older core that has come up small in the playoffs is not the way to go.”

    Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber are both under contract into their late 30s.

    On the other hand, this “older core” has dominated the regular season in recent years — with Schwarber’s efforts leading the way in 2025.

    “Bringing Schwarber back was always the right move,” former Eagles linebacker and current WIP host Ike Reese wrote in a tweet after the signing. Now he wants the team to turn its attention to catcher J.T. Realmuto.

    Even media members who are fans of opposing teams — including one where Schwarber once played — are impressed by the Phillies’ decision to re-sign the slugger, with Dave Dombrowski again being aggressive in his free agency approach.

    Phillies extend Rob Thomson’s contract through the 2027 season