Joel Embiid hopes the 76ers take a different approach at the NBA trade deadline.
In recent seasons, they made moves that enabled them to avoid the luxury tax. And there’s a belief around the NBA that they’ll do the same this season. There are also reports that Giannis Antetokounmpo, one of the NBA’s foremost stars, is on the outs with the Milwaukee Bucks and might have interest in playing in Philly.
The Sixers (26-21) are $7 million above the allowable threshold to avoid being taxed. They’re also around $1 million away from being a first-apron team and facing penalties.
Quentin Grimes ($8.7 million), Kelly Oubre Jr. ($8.3 million), and Andre Drummond ($5 million) have expiring contracts that could help avoid paying the threshold tax. The problem is, all three players are major contributors to the Eastern Conference’s sixth-place team.
Oubre is the starting small forward and the team’s X-Factor.
Grimes is the sixth man and one of the squad’s best three-point shooters. The shooting guard has a no-trade clause, giving him full veto power over any deal.
In addition to the Big Three of Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey, this might be the deepest Sixers squad since the 2018-19 season, when they had Embiid, Jimmy Butler, Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, and JJ Redick in the starting lineup.
“We’ve been ducking the tax the last couple of years,” Embiid said. “So hopefully we keep the same team. I love all of the guys that are here. I think we got a shot.
“I don’t know what [the front office is] going to do. But I hope that we get a chance to go out there and compete because we got a good group of guys in this locker room, and the vibes are great.”
The Sixers are three games out of second place with 35 games remaining. They have winning records against the second-place New York Knicks and the third-place Boston Celtics. And they tied the season series with the fourth-place Toronto Raptors.
Now that Embiid and Paul George are healthy, the Sixers could be one of the NBA’s most dangerous teams.
Embiid, the 2023 league MVP, finished with 37 points, five rebounds, and eight assists in Thursday’s 113-111 victory over the Sacramento Kings at Xfinity Mobile Arena. It marked the fifth time that he’s scored at least 30 points in his last six games. George finished with 15 points, five assists, and two steals vs. the Kings (12-37). The nine-time All-Star is finding his groove in his role as a facilitator and defender.
Sixers forward Paul George (left) and Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe double team Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis during the third quarter on Thursday.
Tyrese Maxey, an All-Star starter, had a game-high 40 points on Thursday. It was his fifth 40-point performance of the season. And the point guard is third in the league in scoring at 29.4 points per game.
In addition to the Big Three of Embiid, George, and Maxey, this might be the deepest Sixers squad since the 2018-19 season, when they had Embiid, Jimmy Butler, Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, and JJ Redick in the starting lineup.
“Like I said in the past, we’ve been ducking the tax,” Embiid said. “So hopefully, we think about improving, because I believe we have a chance.”
Eli Lilly & Co. plans to build a $3.5 billion pharmaceutical plant in the Lehigh Valley to expand manufacturing capacity for next-generation weight-loss medicines, the Indiana company announced Friday in Allentown.
The decision by Lilly to build one of its four new U.S. factories in Lehigh County marks a significant win for Pennsylvania as states compete for the billions Big Pharma, under pressure from Washington, is spending to boost domestic manufacturing.
“The Mid-Atlantic, Northeast in recent years hasn’t seen this type of mega-plant investment. Most of that has gone to the South and the Southwest,” Don Cunningham, CEO of Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp., said in an interview.
The Lehigh Valley sits in the middle of a pharmaceutical manufacturing belt that stretches from Montgomery County into central New Jersey, but historically has been known for steel, cement, and Mack Trucks. The Lilly plant will put it on the map for life sciences, said Cunningham, whose agency helped recruit Lilly.
Montgomery County, a major drug and vaccine manufacturing hub, secured another significant project during the ongoing pharmaceutical investment push. The British company GSK said in September that it will build a biologics factory in Upper Merion Township, but did not specify how much it would spend there.
Merck, the New Jersey-based drug giant, announced plans for a $1 billion factory and lab near Wilmington, beyond its existing major operations in Montgomery County.
Until now, Lilly has been busy in the South. Last year, Lilly announced plans to spend a total of $17.5 billion on three factories in Alabama, Texas, and Virginia. The Lehigh Valley was in the competition for the Virginia project, which will be built west of Richmond, Cunningham said.
The 150-acre Lehigh Valley site, in Upper Macungie Township, was selected from more than 300 applications for one of the four new Lilly plants. Ohio was among the other finalists, Cunningham said. The property Lilly is acquiring is adjacent to Interstate 78 on the north side just west of the Route 100 interchange.
Pennsylvania boosted its chances of landing the Lilly project by offering up to $50 million in tax credits and $50 million in grants. An additional $5 million will go to a local community college for a job-training program.
Gov. Josh Shapiro played an important part in securing the Lilly commitment, Cunningham said, with “his team bringing to bear every resource the state could.”
When fully operational in 2031, the Lilly complex is expected to employ 850. The average annual pay in a Lilly facility is $100,000, Lilly’s chair and CEO David A. Ricks told a crowd gathered at the Da Vinci Science Center in downtown Allentown.
“Those are high-value jobs that I can say with a lot of confidence change the trajectory of families,” Ricks said.
Among the products Lilly anticipates manufacturing at the plant are Zepbound, which Ricks called the world’s best-selling medicine, and retatrutide, a type of weight-loss medication dubbed “triple G” that acts on three aspects of appetite regulation.
Early results suggest such next-generation medications may lead to more weight loss than seen with the current drugs on the market, such as Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Lilly’s Mounjaro, which target one or two metabolic drivers.
In a few months, U.S. men’s soccer team manager Mauricio Pochettino will have to make some of the toughest choices he has ever made in his decorated coaching career.
It will be hard enough to pick the 26-player squad for a World Cup on home soil. But it be will just as vital to decide how many players he’ll take at each position: centerback, outside back, the many kinds of midfielders, and forwards.
His life will be made a little easier by the number of goalkeepers being set by rule at three. But all those other choices will cause plenty of headaches, and debates among U.S. fans.
“It’s difficult to now tell you if we are going to bring a number of centerbacks or fullbacks or strikers or midfielders,” he said in a news conference Thursday in Miami. “The way that we build the roster, it’s always about having the possibility to be very flexible, to have the possibility also to change during the game.”
Mauricio Pochettino giving advice to outside back Max Arfsten (left) during a game last September.
Pochettino alluded to the big tactical change he installed in the fall, switching from the program’s longtime 4-3-3 setup to a 3-4-2-1. The switch sparked the team’s five-game unbeaten run to end 2025, but it also posed new questions.
The biggest arguably is at centerback. That position can have a big effect on the overall balance because it changes the outside backs’ playing style and takes a midfielder off the field.
Pochettino didn’t address centerback directly, for the reason he noted above. But he did acknowledge that “if we want to play with fullbacks that go forward, we bring more forwards and less wingers.”
The injury list will also matter a lot, of course.
“Until we really know the possibilities of the players that we are going to have available, it’s impossible to say if we are going to bring more or less” at any given position, Pochettino said. “It’s a domino effect that if something changes, [it] sometimes affects another.”
Union alum Mark McKenzie (center) is a leading candidate to be one of the centerbacks on the U.S. World Cup team.
He summed it up like this: “I think the combination is always going to be to first have the players available, and then [address] how we are going to approach, in the tactical way, the games.”
Winter transfers could have an impact
It would be natural for fans to expect the March squad, which will play star-studded Belgium and Portugal in Atlanta, to be a preview of the World Cup roster — not that it has to be all 26, but at least be on the way there.
Pochettino indicated he would like to think that way, too, but players’ health comes first.
“It’s true that now we are close to the World Cup, and it’s true that it’s going to be difficult to bring some new players because I think we don’t have time,” he said.
“But, already, we had time to assess all the players, more than 70 players that we saw during one year and a half — I think we have a very good idea. Now it’s about to wish that our players will be fit and will be in very good form for us to select the right players to try to compete in our best way.”
Medford’s Brenden Aaronson has raised his World Cup stock recently with strong performances for Leeds United in the English Premier League.
Right back Alex Freeman could have a lot at stake in March. The 21-year-old son of former Eagles wide receiver Antonio Freeman made a $4 million move to Spain’s Villarreal on Thursday. Villarreal currently is fourth in La Liga and was just eliminated from the Champions League.
It’s a big bet for Freeman to make on himself so close to the tournament. Pochettino said the player asked for advice on the move, and the manager gladly gave some.
“I said, ‘You need to be very natural and take what you believe is the best option for you, for your family, and, of course, for your people that advise you,’” Pochettino said.
“For sure, always for me, it’s important that the player feels happy, feels comfortable, [but does] not to want to be in a comfort zone. This type of thing that happens is because they want to improve, they want to grow, and I think it’s an amazing challenge that we need to support and help,” Pochettino said.
Ricardo Pepi might be the next major American to change clubs. English Premier League club Fulham wants to buy the 23-year-old striker from the Netherlands’ PSV Eindhoven and has upped the ante to $38 million to try to seal a deal this winter.
Ricardo Pepi could soon join English Premier League club Fulham for a big transfer fee.
That’s an even bigger gamble. Any striker needs to be playing and scoring regularly to secure a place on the U.S. depth chart, but Pepi was one of the closest cuts to miss the 2022 World Cup.
“When you change, it’s because you are convinced that you’re going to be in a better place than the place that you are, no?” he said. “And I think that is why always I am very optimistic, I’m very positive on all the moves.”
Criticizing one of his own
Pochettino was asked about Tim Weah’s recent remarks to French newspaper Le Dauphiné Liberé that ticket prices for this summer’s World Cup are “too expensive.”
Tim Weah on the ball during a U.S. game last October.
“Football should still be enjoyed by everyone,” said Weah, who plays for Marseille. “This World Cup will be good, but it will be more of a show. … I am just a bit disappointed by the ticket prices. Lots of real fans will miss matches.”
“First of all, I think players need to talk on the pitch playing football,” he said. “It’s not his duty to evaluate the price of the ticket. And then also, my job, my duty, is to prepare the U.S. men’s national team in the best way to perform. We are no politician, we are sports people, that only we can talk about our job.”
The prices were set by FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, and not by U.S. Soccer, which proposed considerably lower prices in its bid book.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has drawn criticism from fans worldwide over the World Cup’s high ticket prices.
“I think if FIFA does something or takes some decision, they know why, and it’s their responsibility to explain why, but it’s not to us to provide our opinion, our responsibility is to perform,” Pochettino said, coincidentally sitting in FIFA’s Miami offices.
“The person that is in charge of the federation, maybe he can give his opinion, but I am the head coach of the [U.S.] federation. And I think we have the organization that is over us, FIFA, that is doing an amazing job around the world, uniting people, because I think FIFA unites people.”
He added that “the media need to ask directly [to] FIFA, and for sure you are going to receive a very good answer.”
A new docuseries will provide an in-depth look at the history of Black quarterbacks in the NFL. With a history that spans John Walton, Randall Cunningham and Jalen Hurts, the Eagles will likely play a starring role.
The first episode of Peacock’s four-part docuseries, Field Generals: History of the Black Quarterback, will premiere on Feb. 5. The remaining episodes of the series, which was executive produced by NBC Sports’ Maria Taylor, will be released on the following Thursdays and close on Feb. 26.
Field Generals: History of the Black Quarterback will document the stories of the league’s pioneering signal callers. It will focus on how race, politics, and culture shaped their playing careers from the AFL-NFL merger to the turn of the 21st century.
The show will feature interviews with Cunningham, Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick, and Rodney Peete, who all played quarterback for the Eagles. Cunningham, the first Black quarterback to be a starter for the Eagles, enjoyed a 10-year career after joining the team as a rookie in 1985. Peete, McNabb, Vick, and Hurts followed Cunningham for the Eagles.
The series also will feature interviews with non-Eagles, including James Harris, the first Black quarterback to start a playoff game; Warren Moon, the first Black quarterback to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame; and Doug Williams, the first Black quarterback to both start and win a Super Bowl.
“This is truly a brotherhood,” Vick said in the trailer for Field Generals.
Prime Video released a three-part series in 2024 titled Evolution of the Black Quarterback, the first episode of which featured a conversation between Vick and Hurts.
“I do know that the city of Philadelphia is receptive to any quarterback, Black or white, as long as you’re winning,” Vick told The Inquirer in 2024. “Fortunately, we had some great ones, myself, Donovan, Rodney, Randall … I feel like the evolution of the Black quarterback started in Philadelphia.”
Hurts is not listed as an interview subject in Peacock’s announcement of Field Generals. The only active player included is Lamar Jackson, one of two Black quarterbacks to win the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award twice.
The other is Patrick Mahomes, who started Super Bowl LIX opposite Hurts. The Eagles’ 40-22 win over the Chiefs was the first time in NFL history two Black quarterbacks started in the Super Bowl.
A record-setting 16 Black quarterbacks started their team’s opening game in 2025. For the first time in the history of the NFL, exactly half its teams had Black starting quarterbacks.
The previous record was set in 2024, when Hurts and Mahomes were among 15 Black quarterbacks to start under center in Week 1.
“As we celebrate the rich history and all the great ones that come before me, you realize how monumental it is for the furtherance of the game and the position,” Hurts said after a screening of Evolution of the Black Quarterback in 2024. “I know this [year] is the record for Black quarterbacks starting in the NFL, and that’s something to be noted because it’s come a long way.”
The only Phillies rookies who even came close to those thresholds were Orion Kerkering in 2024 and Otto Kemp last season. Kerkering was a 1.6 WAR player as a middle reliever; Kemp was slightly below replacement level as a utility man, based on Baseball-Reference’s WAR calculation, while playing through injuries.
And that, plus a two-month flash of promise from Johan Rojas in 2023, represented the farm system’s last three graduating classes.
This year should be different — two rookies are in line to win jobs out of camp. Justin Crawford is the presumptive opening-day center fielder, and Andrew Painter could be in the season-opening rotation.
And indications are that 21-year-old infielder Aidan Miller might not be far behind.
“You never know,” farm director Luke Murton said recently. “He’ll be a big-league spring training invite. You bring him in and see what we’ve got. We’ll see where the roster ends up throughout the year. But from a talent standpoint, from a readiness standpoint, the ones that are really good, they always are ready a little sooner than you think they are.”
It’ll be important for the Phillies to infuse the major-league roster with youth but also to develop more talent in the lower levels of the system, where trades of teen prospects Eduardo Tait (for Jhoan Duran), Starlyn Caba (for Jesús Luzardo), and William Bergolla (for Tanner Banks) thinned the A-ball ranks over the last 18 months.
With pitchers and catchers due to report for spring training two days after the Super Bowl, ‘tis the season for prospect rankings. Baseball America recently put Miller (No. 14), Painter (No. 32), and Crawford (No. 75) among its top-100 prospects. ESPN ranked the Phillies as the 17th-best farm system in baseball.
So, let’s present The Inquirer’s preseason ranking of the Phillies’ top 10 prospects, an annual exercise carried out with input from opposing scouts.
Aidan Miller has emerged as the Phillies’ top prospect since getting drafted in the first round in 2023.
1. Aidan Miller, SS
Age: 22 (on June 9) | Height/weight: 6-2 / 210 | Bats/throws: Right
2025 stats: .259/.382/.427, 13 homers, 52 steals, 14.9% walk rate, 23.7% strikeout rate at double-A Reading (489 plate appearances); .333/.514/.519, 1 HR, 7 SB, 24.3% BB rate, 18.9% K rate at triple-A Lehigh Valley (37 PA).
Outlook: Two years after a broken bone near his left wrist caused him to fall into the Phillies’ lap with the 27th overall pick in the draft, Miller keeps getting better. Not only did he thrive at shortstop when many evaluators believed he would have to move to third base, but he sharpened his contact rate to go with extra-base power from the right side. Then, last season, he surprised even Murton by swiping 59 bases to lead the organization. One NL scout said Miller has “All-Star upside.” All that remains is …
Key question: How quickly can he learn third base?
As a shortstop, Miller’s path to the Phillies is clogged by Trea Turner, who had a defensive renaissance last season. Murton said the Phillies will expose Miller to third base in spring training. But it’ll be interesting to see how much third base he actually plays, and how fast the Phillies push him if he starts hot in triple A and/or Alec Bohm falters again in April. Dave Dombrowski called up Andrew Benintendi and Rafael Devers to help contending Red Sox teams in 2016 and 2017. It’s easy to see him doing the same with Miller.
Andrew Painter struggled at times in triple-A last season after missing the previous two years with an elbow injury that required surgery.
2. Andrew Painter, SP
Age: 23 (on April 10) | Height/weight: 6-7 / 215 | Throws: Right
2025 stats: 3.97 ERA, 0.971 WHIP, 2.2% walk rate, 26.7% strikeout rate at low-A Clearwater (11⅓ innings); 5.65 ERA, 1.547 WHIP, 9.7% BB rate, 23.4% K rate at Lehigh Valley (106⅔ IP).
Outlook: OK, so Painter’s grand return after missing two years with a torn elbow ligament that required Tommy John surgery was rougher than even the Phillies expected. Rather than being ready for his major-league debut by “July-ish,” as Dombrowski famously predicted, Painter struggled in triple A. But he did stay healthy, making 26 starts and working 118 innings. And, well, “You hear a lot of statistics of what guys do their first year out of Tommy John,” Murton said, “and how much better the second year goes.”
Key question: How much better will Painter actually be?
More specifically, will Painter’s fastball command return to preinjury levels? Many rival evaluators “cut him some slack,” as one NL scout said, in reaching triple A for the first time after the two-year absence. “I think it was just injury- and rust-related,” said the scout, who still projects Painter as a No. 2 starter in the majors while “maintaining an appropriate level of concern for the command.” Maybe it’ll help if the Phillies throw Painter into the big-league fire right away. And if Zack Wheeler isn’t ready for opening day, they probably will.
Justin Crawford won a batting title in the triple-A International League last season.
2025 stats: .334/.411/.452, 7 HR, 46 SB, 11.5% BB rate, 18% K rate at Lehigh Valley (506 PA).
Outlook: As the son of former All-Star Carl Crawford and a first-round draft pick out of high school in 2022, Crawford has long been destined for the majors. And after hitting .300 at every level of the minor leagues and winning a batting title last season in the International League, he’s about to get his chance. As Dombrowski said, “I don’t know what else he really does at the minor league level at this point.”
Key question: Does he hit too many balls on the ground?
Crawford’s detractors cite a 59.4% ground-ball rate in triple A that would’ve easily led the majors ahead of Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich (56.7%). But given Crawford’s elite speed, one NL scout questioned whether all the ground balls are such a bad thing. “Hopefully it doesn’t matter,” Lehigh Valley hitting coach Adam Lind said. “His approach works right now. His swing works to where he can hit the ball all over the yard.” And Crawford is adept at putting the bat on the ball, which would bring a different dimension to a Phillies’ offense that features a lot of swing and miss.
Gage Wood was the Phillies’ first-round draft pick last season.
4. Gage Wood, SP
Age: 22 | Height/weight: 6-0 / 210 | Throws: Right
2025 stats: 4.50 ERA, 1.500 WHIP, 22.2% BB rate, 55.6% K rate at Clearwater (2 IP).
Outlook: It’s hard to top getting drafted in the first round and signing for $3 million, but the highlight of Wood’s 2025 season was throwing a 19-strikeout no-hitter for Arkansas in the College World Series. He made two pro starts before the end of last season, including a rough first inning in the playoffs, and figures to open this year in the rotation at Clearwater.
Key question: Long-term, is he a starter or a reliever?
Wood was in the bullpen through most of his college career before starting as a senior. The Phillies intend to use him as a starter to develop his multiple breaking pitches. But Wood’s path to the big leagues might be quicker as a reliever, especially given his power fastball. Eventually, his role will depend on how his slider and changeup develop relative to his nasty curveball.
Phillies infield prospect Aroon Escobar had a strong first half of the season last year at low-A Clearwater.
5. Aroon Escobar, 2B/3B
Age: 21 | Height/weight: 5-11 / 180 | Bats/throws: Right
2025 stats: .285/.377/.452, 11 HR, 10 SB, 10.1% BB rate, 16.1% K rate at Clearwater (316 PA); .256/.348/.369, 4 HR, 14 SB, 11.1% BB rate, 20.7% K rate at high-A Jersey Shore (198 PA); .182/.250/.273, 0 HR, 0 SB, 8.3% BB rate, 25% K rate at Reading (24 PA).
Outlook: After a blazing start last season (.322 average, eight homers through May), he “hit a touch of a wall” in his first full pro season, Murton said, and slumped to .237 the rest of the way. The Phillies challenged him with two promotions, including a late-season cameo with Reading, where he was among the youngest players in the Eastern League. Despite his listed weight, he’s probably closer to 210 pounds, so he’ll need to stay on top of his conditioning.
Key question: What’s his ceiling as a hitter?
After playing mostly second base last season, Escobar will likely get time at third to increase his versatility, according to Murton. But his bat will carry him as far as he goes. The Phillies believe his right-handed swing will continue to produce high-contact skills and power to the gaps. One AL evaluator compared him to the Astros’ Isaac Paredes as a hit-first infielder capable of playing multiple positions.
Phillies outfield prospect Dante Nori led the farm system last season with 577 plate appearances.
6. Dante Nori, CF
Age: 21 | Height/weight: 5-10 / 190 | Bats/throws: Left
2025 stats: .262/.363/.381, 4 HR, 37 SB, 13.1% BB rate, 14.9% K rate at Clearwater (502 PA); .279/.396/.326, 0 HR, 13 SB, 15.1% BB rate, 15.1% K rate at Jersey Shore (53 PA); .190/.227/.286, 0 HR, 2 SB, 4.5% BB rate, 9.1% K rate at Reading (22 PA).
Outlook: Another hitter with a high contact rate and speed, Nori rose quickly through the system in his first full pro season after getting drafted in the first round in 2024. The son of longtime NBA assistant coach Micah Nori, he trains in the offseason with Kyle Schwarber and has drawn praise for his advanced approach at the plate.
Key question: Can he be an everyday center fielder?
Nori might be more of a true center fielder than Crawford, depending on which scouts you ask. One NL evaluator said Nori has a “[Johnny] Damon-esque ceiling,” but noted that he’s undersized, in the mold of Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick. Maybe that’s why another NL scout wondered if Nori is more realistically a fourth outfielder in the majors unless he develops more power at the plate.
Phillies pitching prospect Moisés Chace is recovering from Tommy John elbow surgery last year.
7. Moisés Chace, SP
Age: 23 (on June 9) | Height/weight: 6-1 / 213 | Throws: Right
2025 stats: 3.24 ERA, 1.620 WHIP, 16% BB rate, 25.3% K rate at Reading (16⅔ IP).
Outlook: Chace came from the Orioles in a deadline trade in 2024 and immediately rose up the Phillies’ prospect ranks. But he didn’t throw much going into camp last spring, tore an elbow ligament early in the season, and had Tommy John surgery. He isn’t expected to be ready for the start of the season.
Key question: What’s his best role in the majors?
If he stayed healthy, Chace might have reached the majors last season, likely as a reliever. It’s still possible the bullpen will be his best path, with an effective fastball-slider combination. But before the Phillies can plan on him in any role, they must see if his stuff plays as well as it did before surgery.
Phillies outfield prospect Gabriel Rincones Jr. hit 18 homers last season in triple A.
8. Gabriel Rincones Jr., OF
Age: 25 (on March 3) | Height/weight: 6-3 / 225 | Bats/throws: Left/right
2025 stats: .240/.370/.430, 18 HR, 21 SB, 15.8% BB rate, 22.5% K rate at Lehigh Valley (506 PA)
Outlook: Rincones followed a promising spring training with a poor first half. But he hit 10 home runs after the All-Star break and stayed healthy all season, then was added to the 40-man roster. His struggles against left-handed pitching are pronounced (.107 average/.323 OPS last season). But it’s easy to see him getting a chance to contribute in the majors this year.
Key question: Will he ever figure out lefties?
Probably not. And that’s OK with the Phillies, who like what they’ve seen from Rincones vs. righties and believe he can be the strong side of an outfield platoon. One problem: They already have a player like that in Brandon Marsh.
Age: 20 (on March 14) | Height/weight: 6-3 / 200 | Throws: Right
2025 stats: None.
Outlook: Fisher was committed to pitching in college at Indiana until the Phillies drafted him in the seventh round and gave him second-round money. They signed Fisher for $1.25 million, the largest bonus ever paid to a seventh-round pick. Rather than making his pro debut late last season, Fisher went to the Phillies’ fall instructional camp.
Key question: Will the Phillies’ big bet pay off?
According to Baseball America, Fisher has a four-pitch mix that includes a curveball and slider. He also has superior athleticism, as a former All-State quarterback in Indiana. And he likely will begin his pro career in Clearwater, pitching in the same rotation as Wood and sharing the spotlight.
Outlook: It’s a reflection of the state of the Phillies’ farm system that Nos. 9 and 10 on this list haven’t made their pro debuts. Renteria headlined the Phillies’ international amateur class, signing two weeks ago for $4 million, tied with former outfield prospect Jhailyn Ortiz’s club record.
Key question: Will the Phillies finally have an international superstar?
Check back in about five years. Renteria will begin his pro career in the Dominican Summer League and isn’t likely to play stateside until at least next season. The Phillies haven’t had much luck chasing their Ronald Acuña Jr. or Juan Soto. Renteria showed promise in Venezuela and on the youth circuit, including showcases in the U.S. with Perfect Game. But there’s a long way to go before the projection turns into reality.
The Eagles are hiring former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard to the role of pass game coordinator, a source said. Grizzard, 35, was in the mix for Mannion’s job and had multiple interviews with the Eagles for the offensive coordinator role.
Grizzard was the offensive coordinator and called plays for one season after joining the Bucs in 2024 as a pass game coordinator. Before Tampa Bay, he worked with Mike McDaniel in Miami and was with the Dolphins under Adam Gase, too.
Grizzard has been a fast riser, though not quite as fast as Mannion. He played at Yale and was a student coach there, too. He was hired to David Cutcliffe’s staff at Duke as a 23-year-old and was there for four seasons as a graduate assistant and then a quality control coach before leaving for the NFL.
This past season was Grizzard’s first calling plays full-time, and he oversaw a steep drop-off in Tampa after former coordinator Liam Coen departed for the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Bucs, however, dealt with multiple key injuries. Grizzard was in charge of third-down play calling in 2024 as the pass game coordinator. That season, the Bucs led the NFL in third-down conversion rate (51.1%).
Nick Sirianni said the Eagles’ goal during this search was to make sure the offense continued to “evolve.” They have now hired two outside voices to key positions.
It’s unclear what Grizzard’s hire means for Parks Frazier, who was the pass game coordinator under Kevin Patullo. More changes could be coming to the staff as the Eagles try to revamp their offense.
Staff writer Jeff McLane contributed reporting to this story.
It remains a long shot that a fresh layer of frosting will coat the hardening and tenacious snowpack, but evidently that street-congesting frozen mass isn’t exiting in the near future.
As of Friday morning, it appeared that a potent coastal storm that is expected to qualify as a meteorological “bomb” was going to spare the Philadelphiaregion from another snowfall.
But it is expected to have serious impacts on the New Jersey and Delaware beaches, with a combination of onshore gales and a tide-inciting full moon, forecasters are warning.
On the mainland, it is poised to generate winds that would add sting to what has been one of the region’s most significant outbreaks of Arctic air in the period of record.
Lows at Philadelphia International Airport both Thursday and Friday mornings — 13 and 11, respectively — were several degrees above what was forecast.
But they are to drop into single digits Saturday morning, and flirt with a record. Wind chills during the weekend are expected be in the 10-below range, said Mike Silva, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mount Holly.
“Even though there might not be much or any snow in Philly,” he said, “it’s going to be cold, and we’re still going to have the wind impacts.”
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But “it wouldn’t take much of a jog west to really mess up the forecast,” said Tom Kines, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather Inc. It’s been known to happen.
On Friday morning, the National Weather Service was posting a 30% chance that Philly would get something measurable — technically 0.1 inches — Saturday night into Sunday, with about a 10%shot at an inch.
The weather service was expecting an inch at the Shore, but with a slight chance of several inches.
Forecasters are certain that a storm is going to blow up off the Southeast coast as frigid air that is penetrating all the way to Disney World interacts with the warm waters of the Gulf Stream.
Gusts at the Shore during the day Sunday might be as high as 40 mph as the storm could reach “bomb” status.
What exactly is a ‘bomb?’
Two brave souls endure the snow and winds from a meteorological bomb cyclone in Atlantic City in January 2022.
The technical definition of a meteorological bomb is a drop in central barometric pressure of 0.7 inches in a 24-hour period, about a 2% to 3% change in the weight of the air. That might not seem like much, but it’s a big deal if you’re a column of air.
Such a drop in pressure indicates a rapidly developing storm. Air is lighter in the centers of storms, as precipitation is set off by lighter warm air rising over denser cold air.
As a weather term, bombfirst appeared in an academic paper in 1980 by atmospheric scientists Frederick Sanders at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and John Gyakum at McGill University.
They found that the western Atlantic, in the proximity of the Gulf Stream, was one of two regions on the planet most prone to bombs. The other was the area near the Kuroshio Current in the far northwestern Pacific.
Both are massive reservoirs of warmer waters that interact with cold air coming off land masses. Some of the European settlers in the colonial era learned about the effects the hard way, experiencing mega-storms that were alien to areas in England.
Gyakum, who was Sanders’ graduate student at MIT, recalled Thursday that the duo took some blowback for using the word bomb.
But with a cyclone of such ferocity, the term was worth using to draw the public’s attention to potential impacts, which sometimes exceed those of hurricanes, Gyakum said.
He said he had no doubt this weekend’s storm would reach bomb status.
While any heavy snows from this storm are likely to bypass the Philly region, some accumulating snow is possible the middle of next week, Kines said, although nothing in a league with what happened Sunday.
When can Philly expect a thaw?
Temperatures during the coming workweek are due to moderate, at least slightly, with highs around freezing Monday through Thursday, 10 to 12 degrees warmer than what is expected this weekend.
The cold “certainly eases up,” Kines said.
But that 9.3 inches of snow and sleet that accumulated Sunday evidently has taken a particular liking to the region. As for when it will disappear, he said: “It’s going to take a while.”
The overall cold upper-air pattern looks to persist, said Paul Pastelok, AccuWeather’s long-range forecaster. And the extensive snow cover is going to have a refrigerant effect on temperatures.
So when will it warm up and go away?
“We’ll find out Monday,” Kines said. He was referring to Groundhog Day, of course, when Punxsutawney Phil will issue his extended forecast.
Nevertheless, he said, meteorologists will be on call if needed.
“It never hurts to get a second opinion,” he said.
Gumienny, who grew up in Port Richmond cheering on the Polish American String Band and has been the chief operating officer for the Eagles since 2023, called Sam Regalbuto, president of the String Band Association, on New Year’s Day to see if a makeup event would be possible. It would, but the string bands needed an outdoor venue to host their competition.
“I was like, ‘Wow, we have probably the biggest and most well-known outside venue in Philadelphia,” Gumienny said.
Gumienny and the Eagles were able to offer Lincoln Financial Field to host the 2026 String Band Spectacular. The event, which is open to the public, will begin at 2 p.m. at the Linc on Saturday.
Julianna Bonilla (middle) and Stanley Wells (right) kiss after being officially married by Hegeman String Band captain Kelliann Gallagher (left) during this year’s Mummers Parade.
The show will give the string bands an opportunity to perform their four-and-a-half minute shows in front of judges and compete.
“They’ve been preparing all year,” Gumienny said. “They prepare 12 months to perform this on New Year’s Day. It’s a Philadelphia tradition. So we try to make sure that they can take everything that they’ve practiced all year and show off.”
When Gumienny let the Eagles’ neighbors in the South Philly sports complex know that the Linc would be hosting the string bands, the other teams were eager to help. The Phillies, Flyers, and Sixers all made financial contributions to help stage Saturday’s show, and the Union chipped in from Chester to help cover some costs.
“The other sports teams were like, ‘How can we contribute? How can we be a part of it?’” Gumienny said. “There are costs associated, obviously, with doing this. … A lot of people don’t understand all the costs that go on behind the scenes. And, obviously, the string bands [are] on, call it a tight budget. So we wanted to do whatever we can.”
The bands will perform on a stage on the Eagles sideline. The string bands will play toward the crowd, which will be seated in the lower level on the western side of the stadium. Gumienny said he’s estimating between 8,000 and 10,000 spectators will come to the Linc for the showcase, despite the cold weather in the forecast.
However, one of the 14 bands, Avalon String Band, said it is withdrawing from the event due to the weather. It is unclear if others will join them.
“With extreme cold predicted for this weekend, our top priority is the health and safety of our members, and the forecasted conditions may put them at risk,” the band posted on Facebook.
“I think it just highlights Philadelphia,” Gumienny said. “The spirit of Philadelphia, the pride of Philadelphia, the passion … The pride and passion of Philadelphia always shines, and I think things like the Eagles, our local sports teams, are always highlighted in this. And then, obviously, things like the Mummers parade that really coincide with what Philadelphia is.”
Former Eagles center Jason Kelce pauses during his colorful Super Bowl parade speech on the Art Museum steps while dressed in Mummers attire.
While all 14 string bands were able to march during the parade on New Year’s Day, the weather forced them to abandon their planned routines, and sent five people to the hospital. The postponement was the first in the parade’s 125-year history. Saturday’s event will give the bands an opportunity to show off their originally planned routines, which take months of planning and preparation.
“I’ve had a member of the Quaker City String Band reach out and just say, ‘Look, thank you so much, we put a lot of hard work in to do this, and to be able to showcase it at the stadium is awesome,’” Gumienny said. “It’s been super positive, and they’ve been super appreciative and such a good partner to work with. For us and our staff, we get to do something a little bit new and unique to us. But anything that shows off Philadelphia and shows off the stadium, we love it.”
For Gumienny, the chance to host the string bands is personal, too. In addition to his fond childhood memories of enjoying Port Richmond’s Polish American String Band, his late father-in-law was a captain of the Harrowgate String Band.
“Back as a little kid, I used to remember either going down to the parade or watching it on TV,” Gumienny said. “It doesn’t get much more Philly than the Mummers.”
Spectators looking to attend the String Band Spectacular can purchase general admission tickets through Ticketmaster. The event will be broadcast by WFMZ-TV, the same channel that broadcasts the parade on New Year’s Day.
Villain Arts Tattoo Festival, held at the Convention Center last weekend, celebrated the art of tattooing, brining together hundreds of the world’s best tattoo artists and their fans. Numerous vendors showcased everything from industrial supplies to clothing, artwork, and jewelry.
Marisa Miller, of Palymyra, Pa., has a tattoo done by Flash Padilla, also of Palmyra, Pa., at the Villain Arts Tattoo Festival on Jan. 24.Flash Padilla, works on Marisa Miller’s tattoo.Su’a Sulu-ape Si’i Liufau (center), of Garden Grove, Cali., does a traditional Polynesian tattoo with the help of Lousua Filoi (left) and Max Stimac, of A-Town Tattoos.Su’a Sulu-ape Si’i Liufau, does a traditional Polynesian Tattoo with the help from Lousua Filoi (left) and Max Stimac of A-Town Tattoos.Alexandra Fische, of Ben Salem, is tattooing Daneka Hoopaugh, of Atlanta, Ga., who has been waiting for years to get tattooed by Fische.Jesse Probus, of Whitehall, Pa., with Sick Ink Studios, tattoos a heart surrounded by tentacles on Abby Zeiseo, also of Allentown.Cezar Walerski, of Allentown, Pa., tattoos the head of Nick Onea, also of Allentown.
MOBILE, Ala. — Across seven practices and two cities, hundreds of draft prospects participated in the East-West Shrine and Senior Bowls to kickstart the NFL draft evaluation process.
NFL scouts, general managers, and executives from nearly all 32 teams got a close look at players that will soon fill their rosters. At least five Eagles scouts attended the Shrine Bowl in Frisco, Texas, and a handful of personnel, including chief security officer Dom DiSandro, made the trip to Mobile.
With just Saturday’s Senior Bowl game (2:30 p.m., NFL Network) left from the All-Star circuit, here are six prospects we monitored that could be targets for the Eagles:
Marshall, who began his career at Villanova, only practiced for two days but rarely allowed completions across the one-on-one and team sessions. The 5-foot-10, 197-pound cornerback challenges wide receivers at the line of scrimmage, can easily flip his hips in coverage, and has excellent recovery speed if a receiver gets a step ahead of him.
Over the last two seasons at N.C. State, Marshall has forced 24 incompletions, including nine against Florida State alone. Marshall’s anticipatory skills breaking on underneath routes and his ability to turn and run vertically with wide receivers made him one of the best corners across both All-Star games.
#NCState DB Devon Marshall is one of the most disruptive corners in the class and one of the best overall players heading to the Shrine Bowl next week. Anticipatory skills breaking on underneath routes, can turn and run vertically, lots of ball production (4 INTs, 27 PBUs since… pic.twitter.com/84CSOS2mff
If the Eagles are looking to add a secondary player on Day 2 of the draft, Marshall would be a worthy candidate to compete for a role opposite Quinyon Mitchell at corner.
Cole Wisniewski, S, Texas Tech
Wisniewski, who started his career as a linebacker, had a standout season with Texas Tech after missing the 2024 season for North Dakota State. The 6-3, 214-pound safety is physical at the catch point, is at his best playing a middle-of-the-field safety role, and can provide tight man coverage when matched up with tight ends.
His versatility to line up at several spots in the secondary is a strength. During the first day of practice, he aligned in the box at linebacker, as a slot defender, and even as a deeper safety, with his instincts and coverage ability shining most when driving on routes from depth.
Safety is a sneaky need for the Eagles with Reed Blankenship set to become a free agent. Wisniewski would bring some much-needed size in the secondary and is a willing and sound tackler in space.
Dallen Bentley, TE, Utah
Bentley, who only played five snaps of high school football before an injury ended his career, was a pleasant surprise at the Shrine Bowl after putting up career-highs in catches (48), yards (620), and touchdowns (6) in 2025. Up close, Bentley, who was mostly a reserve tight end in 2023 and 2024, looked fluid as a route runner and did not drop a pass in the one-on-one and team sessions.
Nice rep here from #Utah TE Dallen Bentley during the one on one session at Shrine. Sticks the corner route and makes a strong catch. pic.twitter.com/rgtUDOvs8w
The standout Utah tight end already has a strong foundation in blocking, and in a draft class with few true three-down tight ends, Bentley could be of value. With Dallas Goedert and Grant Calcaterra both set to become free agents, the Eagles will likely need to dip into the tight end class, and Bentley would be a worthy prospect to take early on Day 3 of the NFL draft.
Illinois defensive lineman Gabe Jacas saw his stock rise at the Senior Bowl.
Senior Bowl
Gabe Jacas, Edge, Illinois
The defensive linemen on the American team at the Senior Bowl feasted on the offensive linemen, and Illinois standout Jacas was among them. The 6-3, 260-pound densely framed edge rusher has heavy hands to knock back offensive linemen and has enough wiggle to beat tackles on their outside shoulder.
Spoke with #Illinois EDGE Gabe Jacas earlier today and he told me a lot of teams view him as a 4-3 defensive end. His ability to get after the QB and hold his ground in the run game makes him a potential three-down contributor.
During Senior Bowl media day, Jacas told The Inquirer that teams view him more as a defensive end who sets the edge and rushes the passer as opposed to an outside linebacker, which typically requires coverage drops. His skill set matches that, with the power to push the pocket and the ability to reduce down inside at three-technique to beat interior offensive linemen.
With the uncertainty of the edge rusher room beyond Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt, Jacas would be a perfect complement with his power profile to pair with Hunt and Smith’s speed off the edge.
Gennings Dunker, OT/OG, Iowa
Coming into the week, Dunker was among the highly anticipated players participating in Senior Bowl practice, and played both tackle and both guard spots throughout the week. Dunker was a three-year starter at right tackle for Iowa, displaying the power to displace defensive linemen in the run game and anchoring down against power rushers.
He lacks the foot quickness and recovery ability to last at tackle, and that likely played a factor in his getting interior lineman snaps. Dunker looked much more natural as a guard, where his powerful hands and leg drive can shine against players who typically offer less twitch and space to maneuver around him.
Nice guard rep from Gennings Dunker – I feel much better about him in pass pro on the inside. pic.twitter.com/y7gP7aw8Lm
The potential guard and tackle versatility would intrigue the Eagles, who could be looking to upgrade the interior of their offensive line. Dunker has immediate run blocking upside and can be a long term answer at either guard or tackle for the Birds.
Rayshaun Benny, DL, Michigan
One of the week’s pleasant surprises, Benny, who had 35 tackles (three for loss) and 1½ sacks in 13 games, was one of the top players at his position in Mobile. He has strong hand usage and an explosive first step to get around opposing offensive linemen, though his production doesn’t always match the skill set he possesses.
Throughout the practice week, Benny, a squatty defensive tackle (6-3, 296 pounds), was unblockable, using hand swipes, swim moves, and showing stack and shed ability across multiple defensive line spots.
Interior defensive line isn’t a pressing need currently for the Eagles, but adding Benny can bring more depth and playmaking ability to a group led by Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis.
