No, FOX Sports reporter Erin Andrews’ jacket was not made of any Philadelphia Zoo animals.
Andrews’ sideline look — an extravagantly fluffy, cream and black, fur-like jacket — was quickly meme-ified during Sunday’s matchup between the Eagles and San Francisco 49ers.
“I also want to hear about that coat,” play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt said early in the second half. “It’s terrific.”
Sam Ersson has not had the best start to the season.
In 16 games, he is 6-6-4 with a 3.33 goals-against average and an .858 save percentage. They are the highest and the lowest numbers, respectively, in an NHL career that spans 126 games across four seasons.
Everything came to a head on Saturday in a 7-2 Flyers loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning at Xfinity Mobile Arena, matching his career high in goals allowed for the third time. He faced 23 shots.
“Yeah, obviously, it’s been tough for me, personally,” he told The Inquirer Sunday about his season as a whole. “It’s weird. I would say, like the team is doing well, we’re winning, it’s a lot of fun in that sense, but at the same time, you want more out of yourself, and I’m disappointed in how I perform.
“I think there’s been stretches of where it’s been good and got some big wins. And then there’s been stretches where, especially now, lately, I feel like it’s been lacking.
“Obviously, especially last night, it’s very tough, embarrassing to let in seven goals on your home ice. You feel like you kind of let down the team and the fans. Obviously, that’s not acceptable. Just got to be better.”
Ersson has one win in his last seven starts, a 3-1 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks before the NHL’s holiday break. He started nine of the first 26 games, going 5-2-2 with a 2.97 GAA and an .869 save percentage. Since Dec. 4, he has started seven of the Flyers’ last 17 games, going 1-4-2 in that stretch with a 3.80 GAA and an .844 save percentage.
Tampa Bay center Gage Goncalves scores a third-period goal on Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson on Saturday.
The 26-year-old goaltender is not one to make excuses. And he has the chance to do just that with a new coaching staff, new systems in front of him, and fewer starts for a goalie who played in 47 games last year and 51 the year before.
“I’m not blaming anything like that,” he said. “It comes down to me, how I perform, how I approach things, and I know if I do that in the correct way, my game, I will have success no matter what.”
According to Money Puck, among goalies who have played at least 10 games, he is ranked fifth-worst in goals saved above average (-9.5), sixth in percentage of expected goals (-21.01), and tied for last in save percentage (.858). And he doesn’t have nearly as many minutes as the guys below him, like Jordan Binnington and fellow Swedes Jacob Markström and Linus Ullmark.
Goals saved above average is a comparison tool to show how a goalie did compared to an average goalie seeing the same shots. Among goalies with at least 700 minutes played, Ersson ranks dead last at five-on-five in goals saved above average, too (-16.02). His high-danger goals saved above average is the 10th highest (-4.28), but he has also faced the fewest high-danger shots (70).
It’s a bit surprising because, before the team made mistakes — not every goal on Saturday can be blamed on the goalie — and the Flyers allowed a touchdown and the extra point, they were ranked ninth in the NHL in goals allowed (2.79). It’s a wild drop from last season, when they finished at 3.45.
“I think it’s better,” Ersson said when asked about structural changes in the defensive zone by Rick Tocchet and his staff. “I think we’re doing a really good job defensively with how we’re playing.
“So, for me, it all comes down to kind of how I play and how I perform. And I know if I play to the level I can and want to be, I will have success. So, just got to find a way to flush these last few games and get back to where I want to be.”
The Flyers play the Lightning again on Monday (7 p.m., NBCSP), and the expectation is that Dan Vladař will get the start. But there’s a good chance Ersson will get an opportunity to right the ship with the Flyers having a back-to-back in two of the next three weeks.
“Just got to roll up the sleeves and grind away,” Tocchet said. And Ersson, who was the first one on the ice Sunday at practice, is up for the task.
“It’s a combination of a lot of things,” the goalie said about what comes next. “I would say usually, like when you’re in a tough stretch, less is more. You’re obviously working, but if you start to try to change everything, then you’re just tearing down the foundation that you’ve built up for years, right? So it’s the combination of trusting your game, but just like pushing everything a little bit and getting back to where it needs to be.”
Konecny’s brief practice
Travis Konecny’s return practice Sunday lasted only a few minutes. During the first drill, he took a shot off his knee.
“Kind of a nerve,” Tocchet said. “So hopefully it wakes up a little bit. So it just was like a dead leg kind of thing, so we’ll see about tomorrow.”
The Flyers forward, who was injured during Thursday’s game and did not play the third period, also missed Saturday’s loss to Tampa Bay with an upper-body injury. After watching the game from the press box, he was a participant in a regular jersey in Voorhees.
It became evident quickly that Konecny was in a lot of pain on the bench. He tried to walk it off under the watchful eye of assistant athletic trainers Alex Ambrose and Joe Mele, and even tested it on the ice, but did not return to practice.
“It seems like injuries, even with other teams, they come in bunches, they don’t come every once in a while,” Tocchet said. “You get one, two, three, four in a row, so maybe it’s our turn now, we’re starting to get it. So, yeah, you’ve just got to push through that stuff.”
At the start of last season, defenseman Nick Seeler missed the Flyers’ first five games after suffering a nerve injury to his leg in a preseason game, hitting an area without padding.
“The numbness was the whole outside of my right leg and into my foot,” he said at the time, pointing toward the back of his leg, where it caused everything to “shut off for a while.”
The Flyers hope to have Konecny, the team’s second-leading scorer, back in the lineup Monday against the Lightning. It starts a stretch of 11 games in the last 20 days of January, and they do not have two days between games until the start of February.
Breakaways
Forward Bobby Brink should be good to go on Monday. Brink has missed the last two games after being injured on a blindside hit during Tuesday’s win against the Anaheim Ducks. He participated in Saturday’s morning skate in a noncontact jersey but was in a regular black jersey on Sunday. … Defenseman Jamie Drysdale was still in a noncontact jersey. … Forward Carl Grundström missed practice due to illness. His status for Monday’s game is to be determined.
When it comes to tailgating, Philly is among the best to do it. Whether it’s grilling camel or belly dancing in the snow, Eagles fans know how to step it up for the playoffs — and this year’s pregame tailgate for the Birds’ wild-card matchup with the San Francisco 49ers didn’t disappoint.
Here’s what you missed from the tailgating lots …
Darius Slay back in Philly
Darius Slay may no longer be part of the Eagles — but that’s not stopping him and his wife Jennifer Slay from supporting his former team, appearing on the sideline before the game and even in the parking lots.
The former Birds cornerback posed for photos with fans at the 4th and Jawn tailgate ahead of Sunday’s game. Standing beside his wife, Slay looked at the crowd of Birds fans and smiled as they yelled out “Big Play Slay” and erupted in Eagles chants.
Darius Slay may no longer be part of the Eagles — but that’s not stopping him and his wife Jennifer Slay from supporting his former team. pic.twitter.com/XsSPgLKuRp
Although Slay was released last offseason before signing with the Steelers, he still means a lot to Eagles fans after spending five seasons in Philly, capped off by a Super Bowl victory in February.
“Darius Slay means everything,” said 30-year-old Chris Mallee. “He’s kind of a blue-collar guy like all the people coming to the games. He’s someone that keeps his head down and works really hard, family oriented, he’s a really solid guy.
“We definitely miss him here but we’re glad he’s doing well.”
How do fans feel about Darius Slay making an appearance at the Eagles tailgates pic.twitter.com/G2Akdi8KOQ
Slay was released by the Steelers last month, and subsequently claimed by the Buffalo Bills. However, he informed the Bills he was considering retirement and did not report to the team.
At the same time Slay was hanging with Birds fans Sunday, the Bills were in Jacksonville for their own playoff game. They came back in the final minutes to beat the Jaguars, 27-24, and advance to the divisional round.
John Hirschbuhl and Doug Steinbrecher’s Philly Football Finger caught the eye of George Kittle during his rookie year.
Kittle’s favorite middle finger
Most players who have played in Philly have had at least one memorable interaction with Eagles fans. And George Kittle is no different. The veteran tight end was one of several 49ers players to discuss his relationship with the fan base, and even shared his favorite story, which had to do with a giant middle finger he saw his rookie year.
“There were like four 10-year-old kids holding a seven-foot-tall papier-mâché middle finger that had a rotating thing on it that made the middle finger come up,” Kittle told reporters. “That was the coolest thing, I’ll never forget it. That was my rookie year and I was like, this is excellent.”
That middle finger was back on Sunday.
John Hirschbuhl and Doug Steinbrecher have been building the Philly Football Finger for 25 years. The finger gets displayed for every home game and they bring it with them on the road twice a year.
“George Kittle happened to see it, enjoyed it, sent a police officer over to tell us how he appreciated coming to Philadelphia and how the fans are a little bit nuts here,” said. “We all love football. That’s what it comes down to.”
Kittle was carted off Sunday after suffering what was later reported to be an Achilles injury.
Walking through C Lot, you’ll likely find fans playing cornhole, grilling, and throwing a football around as they prepare for the day’s game. You may also see a grown man wearing a beak on his head as he drags a 49ers helmet through the parking lot with a leash.
That’s 64-year-old David Schofield, also known as “Beak.” He has been “walking the dog” for 21 years.
“The rescues, we just like to bring them out here in the sun and get them some exercise,” Schofield said of his “helmet dog.”
Schofield has made this into a pregame ritual, and owns a helmet for each NFL team.
“It started with a road trip in Buffalo when we took a helmet home to smash,” he said. “But, it was a good helmet so it didn’t smash too easily. So, I ended up putting it on a dog leash. Hence the birth of the helmet dog.”
Legions of suburbanites decried federal ICE actions on Sunday in a series of vigils and protests across the Philadelphia area, signaling the breadth of opposition to a central part of President Donald Trump’s agenda.
Expressions of anger, sadness, and resistance poured out into the streets of major cities nationwide this weekend in response to the killing of 37-year-old Renee Good by an ICE officer in Minnesota. But that dysphoria also spilled into small towns — including in places like Gloucester County, New Jersey, where voters favored Trump in 2024.
“I’ve been quiet and timid my whole life, and now I’m just trying to speak up,” said Cristen Beukers, one of more than 100 people who attended a demonstration in Gloucester’s county seat, Woodbury, a city of about 10,000. Gathered along North Broad Street, near the Gloucester County Courthouse, participants’ signs, whistles, and bullhorn-led protest chants were met with beeping car horns and the supportive shouts of drivers.
Beukers, 40, of nearby Paulsboro, called for a proper investigation into the shooting death of Good, a mother and poet, on Wednesday.
Mi Casa Woodbury and Cooper River Indivisible hold a “roadside rally” in downtown Woodbury, N.J., in support of immigrants and to protest ICE on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, as protests against Trump administration actions spread in the suburbs.
Thousands of ICE agents and federal troops have swarmed blue American cities as part of Trump’s unprecedented campaign to arrest and deport millions of immigrants. Good was shot three times in the driver’s seat of her SUV after a brief confrontation with ICE agents on a residential Minneapolis street. Trump administration officials insist ICE agent Jonathan Ross fired out of self-defense; video footage appears to show he was not in the vehicle’s path when he fired.
“It’s an S.O.S.,” said Alex Baji, 31, of Woodbury, who said he’s a former IRS auditor laid off last year by the Department of Government Efficiency, overseen by billionaire Elon Musk. “Masked goons murdering U.S. citizens — and the vice president says it’s perfectly justified.”
The turnout in Woodbury suggested a new level of urgency for the tight-knit suburban community, said Kaitlin Rattigan. Rattigan is a community organizer with Mi Casa Woodbury, a group that formed in response to ICE activity in their neighborhoods. Mi Casa has held a demonstration every Sunday since mid-November, even if just a few people attended.
“I think it’s a turning point for many people — and frankly for white people,” Rattigan, who is white, said.
According to a recent poll conducted by Pew Research Center, 50% of American adults surveyed in October disapproved of the Trump administration’s approach to immigration, while 39% approve. (Some participants responded “neither.”) While 53% of respondents said the country is doing “too much” when it comes to immigration enforcement, a large majority continue to say at least some people living in the United States should be deported.
Trump has derided and propagandized protesters as “paid insurrectionists,” “domestic terrorists,” or radical leftists — people who are not representative of mainstream Americans, Steve McGovern, a political science professor at Haverford College, said in an interview. Anti-ICE rhetoric in the suburbs threatens Trump’s narrative, according to McGovern. Trump’s 2024 win was fueled by key gains in Philadelphia’s suburbs, an Inquirer analysis found.
“The popular image of suburbia continues to be a place where lots of middle-class, mainstream people live and work,” he said. “If suburbanites take to the streets and in large numbers, that would send — I think — a powerful message that a strong majority of the country is increasingly fed up with the outrageous, lawless, and even murderous behavior of ICE agents.”
At least one Republican observer was skeptical. Guy Ciarrocchi, a GOP analyst, said in a statement these protests no longer influence independent voters, nor intimidate Republicans.
“Unfortunately, these ‘rallies’ are political theatre — plug [and] play crowds with professional signs for any ‘cause.’ Tools to rally extremist Democrat voters,” he said. “Ms. Good’s death was a tragedy. And, ICE’s work is important and necessary. No ‘rent a rally’ will change either of those truths.”
Outside the Delaware County Courthouse in Media, hundreds shouted into the bitter wind: “United we stand, divided we fall.” The voices came from attendees of all ages — older people in wheelchairs, young parents pushing babies in strollers, and children holding crayon-drawn signs etched with messages like “ICE Cream, not ICE” and “NO ICE because it’s cruel.”
“The entire nation is watching Pennsylvania,” said U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, a Delaware County Democrat. “We can reject Trumpism at the state and federal levels this year. … We will not be bullied out of the future that we and all our children deserve.”
Area residents hold what organizers called a “vigil for peace on our communities” on Jan. 11, 2026, in Media, Pa.
In the increasingly blue suburban county — that not long ago was solidly red — the vocal opposition to Trump has grown louder in recent years, said Cathy Spahr, coleader of Delco Indivisible, which organized Sunday’s vigil for Good.
“We didn’t have this during the first [Trump] administration,” she said of the event’s turnout. Spahr said she was especially heartened by the attendance given that the vigil was announced only days before — and ended an hour before the Eagles’ first playoff game of the year.
But Spahr and several attendees said there’s something special about coming together closer to home. And logistically, it’s easier.
Corinne Fiore, 75, of Media, and her 4-year-old Doberman, Laser, cherish the opportunity to be involved in the anti-Trump movement in Delaware County.
Corinne Fiore, 75, of Media, poses with her 4-year-old Doberman, Laser, who wears a “Defend Democracy” vest to local rallies and events, on Jan. 11, 2026, outside of the Delaware County Courthouse in Media, Pa.
“I just can’t get in a car and go for 10 hours somewhere,” she said. She’s thankful she doesn’t have to. “Delaware County has a lot of responsible people in it. They’re good and kind people. Patriotic people.”
For families with young children, the Media vigil also presented a convenient opportunity to teach their children the importance of standing up for their neighbors.
“I want to show them it’s important to stand up to a bully,” said Candice Carbone Bainbridge, 42, of Wallingford. Nearby, her 8-year-old daughter, Cora, held a sign with pink and purple lettering that read: “Be a good human. It’s not that hard!”
Sixteen miles southeast, in Bellmawr, N.J., dozens gathered along Black Horse Pike, hoisting signs, cheering on supportive honks from passing commercial trucks, and dancing to the Rascals’ 1968 anthem, “People Got to Be Free.”One poster read, “American foundations are being destroyed, no one is safe, stand up now.”
Karen Kelly, 72, who drove 40 minutes and DJed the demonstration, said she’s frustrated by apathy and disengagement.
“All the people staying home — doing nothing — have to get the heck up,” Kelly said.
Residents in the outskirts of Philadelphia expressed similar sentiments to their suburban counterparts.
“This is not law enforcement, this is brutality,” said Susan MacBride, 84, at a protest in Roxborough, which was largely attended by residents of Cathedral Village, a retirement community in Northwest Philadelphia. Tired of what she described as the Trump administration’s cruelty and disrespect, MacBride felt compelled to put a pause on her retirement and join the 160-person rally at Ridge Avenue and Cathedral Road.
“Kids need to know this isn’t normal; it’s a period of disruption, but we can’t let them get used to this,” she said.
Nearby neighbor Lorraine Webb, 73, agreed with MacBride.
“This isn’t what we are about, we need to do better,” Webb said. “We need to show up because this isn’t just a Center City issue; it’s a Philadelphia issue.”
Richard Codey, a former New Jersey acting governor and longtime state senator, has died at 79, his family announced Sunday.
The Democrat represented an Essex County-based district in the Assembly from 1974 to 1982 and the Senate from 1982 to 2024, the longest combined service in state history. His family said he died peacefully at home Sunday after a brief illness.
He was the New Jersey Senate president from 2002 to 2010.
After Gov. Jim McGreevey resigned in 2004, Mr. Codey served as acting governor for the remaining 14 months of McGreevey’s term, until Jon Corzine was elected and succeeded him. Under a state constitutional provision in effect at the time, Mr. Codey concurrently served as governor and Senate president.
In a statement on Facebook, Mr. Codey’s family said he served with humility and compassion. “He made friends as easily with Presidents as he did with strangers in all-night diners,” the family’s statement said.
Legislators who served alongside Mr. Codey reacted to his death on social media.
“New Jersey has lost a remarkable public servant who touched the lives in meaningful ways of everyone who knew him,” Scutari said in a statement on Facebook.
State Sen. John McKeon served the same district as Mr. Codey in the Assembly for 22 years before succeeding him in the Senate.
“Observing firsthand his empathy, humility, and advocacy for those who could not speak for themselves have had a profound and enduring influence on my professional life,” McKeon said on Facebook.
Known for his feisty, regular-guy persona, Mr. Codey was a staunch advocate of mental health awareness and care issues. The Democrat also championed legislation to ban smoking from indoor areas and sought more money for stem cell research.
As acting governor, Mr. Codey passed and signed a state law that limited public contracts for vendors who make campaign contributions.
Mr. Codey operated his family’s funeral home before entering politics.
Mr. Codey routinely drew strong praise from residents in polls, and he gave serious consideration to seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in 2005. But he ultimately chose not to run when party leaders opted to back wealthy Wall Street executive Jon Corzine, who went on to win the office.
Mr. Codey would again become acting governor after Corzine was incapacitated in April 2007 due to serious injuries he suffered in a car accident. He held the post for nearly a month before Corzine resumed his duties.
After leaving the governor’s office, Mr. Codey returned to the Senate and also published a memoir that detailed his decades of public service, along with stories about his personal and family life.
His wife told the Associated Press that Mr. Codey was willing to support her speaking out about postpartum depression, even if it cost him elected office.
“He was a really, really good guy,” Mary Jo Codey said. “He said, ‘If you want to do it, I don’t care if I get elected again.’”
The Codey family said it would share information about his funeral in the coming days.
This article contains information from the Associated Press.
On Sunday, South Jersey figure skater Isabeau Levito was named to the United States’ 2026 Winter Olympic Team headed to Italy.
The U.S. contingent was announced during Making the Team: Presented by Xfinity live on NBC and Peacock. This was the first time the figure skating team was named live on television, in the same manner as gymnastics historically is.
Levito was announced by 1960 Olympic champion Carol Heiss Jenkins before she skated last year’s beautiful Moon River short program.
Joining Levito on the team are Amber Glenn, 26, of Plano, Texas, and Alysa Liu, 20, of Oakland, Calif.
All three skated clean programs in the short and the free skate, or long program. Glenn won both segments, capturing her third straight national title.
“It was an absolutely epic evening of skating,” two-time Olympian and commentator Johnny Weir said Saturday on NBC. “Last night all three women made me believe there could be a chance for each of them to stand on that [Olympic] podium.”
Isabeau Levito performs during the women’s free skating competition at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Louis. She won the bronze medal.
Liu, the silver medalist, is a 2022 Olympian who retired from skating shortly after those Games. She made a big splash by returning to the ice last year, winning the world championships in her first season back.
The three are good friends, which is a change from the win-at-any-cost rivalries of the past. That era was punctuated by the 1994 Nancy Kerrigan-Tonya Harding matchup at the U.S. Championships in Detroit, when Harding’s ex-husband plotted to have Kerrigan hit in the knee.
On Friday night, Levito and Liu watched and cheered on Glenn, the last to skate, and the three celebrated together in the kiss and cry, where skaters and their coaches wait to receive scores, after Glenn’s win was confirmed.
But this time is extra special, because Milan is the hometown of her mother, Chiara Garberi, and where her grandmother and other relatives still live. They will be able to watch her compete next month, Levito said in the news conference Friday night.
South Jersey figure skater Isabeau Levito was announced as an Olympian on Sunday. She skated during the “Making Team USA” performance following the announcement.
Even before nationals began, the Olympic spots were Levito, Glenn, and Liu’s to lose. The three had been dominating the women’s event for the last two years, the time period U.S. Figure Skating takes into account when selecting a team.
But none gave in to the pressure.
All said they are more excited than nervous about the Olympics.
“I am just so excited and stoked about the [Olympic] village,” Levito said at Friday night’s news conference, when their spots were inevitable but not official. “I just know it’ll be the time of my life. I don’t even think I’m going to be worried about the reason I’m there for. That’s when I thrive best, when I’m distracted.”
The rest of the Olympic figure skating team includes: Ilia Malinin, Maxim Naumov, and Andrew Torgashev in the men’s event; Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea and Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe in the pairs event; and Madison Chock and Evan Bates, Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik, and Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko in the ice dance event.
Pairs was the biggest question mark because two of the U.S. medalists are not U.S. citizens. They are Alisa Efimova, who won nationals with Misha Mitrofanov, and Daniil Parkman, who, with Katie McBeath, won the bronze medal. Both of those pairs were named to the teams going to the Four Continents Championships and the World Championships, which don’t require skaters to be citizens of the countries they represent.
Ajani Sheppard, a former quarterback at Rutgers and Washington State, announced his commitment to Temple on Sunday.
Sheppard is the second quarterback Temple has landed out of the transfer portal after former Penn State reserve Jaxon Smolik committed to the Owls on Saturday.
Sheppard attended Iona Preparatory School in New Rochelle, N.Y., where he threw for 2,393 yards and 21 touchdowns as a senior. He committed to Rutgers before the 2023 season and spent two seasons with the Scarlet Knights, but saw sparse playing time.
He completed two passes for 23 yards and added a 10-yard rush as a freshman in 2023 before taking a redshirt. Sheppard had three carries for 24 yards in 2024 and did not attempt a pass.
Sheppard transferred to Washington State to compete for the starting job, but did not play for the Cougars last season. He will have two seasons of eligibility left and could compete for the starting spot with Smolik.
Temple coach K.C. Keeler said on signing day that the Owls planned to bring in two quarterbacks. The two transfers join Camren Boykin, who saw no action last season as a freshman, and incoming recruits Lamar Best, Brody Norman and Brady Palmer.
TORONTO — Joel Embiid missed Sunday’s game against the Raptors with left groin soreness and left knee injury management. Paul George was a late scratch for the game with left knee soreness.
Embiid had played in six consecutive games — and hit 40 minutes Monday in an overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets — for the first time since the 2023-24 season. Embiid had been listed Saturday as questionable on the injury report for left knee injury management ahead of this back-to-back in Toronto on Sunday and Monday. The groin soreness, which coach Nick Nurse said emerged following Friday’s victory at the Orlando Magic, was added to the report on Sunday.
Embiid, the former MVP who is coming off multiple knee surgeries, is averaging 23.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 19 games. George has averaged 16 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.4 steals in 20 games.
Without Embiid, the Sixers will turn to Andre Drummond and Adem Bona at center against the 23-16 Raptors, who sat a half-game ahead of the Sixers (21-15) in fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings entering Sunday. Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker are also small-ball options at that position.
Nurse said after Sunday’s overtime loss that George, who was not listed on the injury report at any point leading into the game, felt stiffness in his knee while attempting to warm up “two different times, and he just couldn’t get to where he could push off it enough or accelerate.”
Kelly Oubre Jr., who returned earlier this week from a knee injury, slid into the starting lineup in place of George.
Sixers second-year wing Justin Edwards, meanwhile, has been recalled from the G League’s Delaware Blue Coats and will be available for Sunday’s game.
Not only did the Phillies cannonball last week into the pool of teams interested in signing Bichette, but his market is about to kick into overdrive after fellow free-agent infielder Alex Bregman reached a five-year, $175 million agreement with the Cubs late Saturday night.
Bichette has a Zoom call with the Phillies scheduled for this week, a league source confirmed. Now, after Bregman bolted Boston for the North Side of Chicago, the Red Sox figure to pivot to Bichette, multiple major league sources expect. The Yankees may be in the mix, too, as their talks with free agent Cody Bellinger are at an “impasse,” ESPN.com reported over the weekend.
The Cubs doled out a club-record $35 million per year for Bregman, albeit with deferrals that reduce the present-day value, according to The Athletic. Bichette, who turns 28 in March, is four years younger than Bregman, which could put him in line for a seven- or eight-year contract at a similar, if not higher, annual salary and boost the overall value of the deal to $250 million or more.
Meanwhile, another musical chair in the infield market disappeared over the weekend, as the Diamondbacks pulled back Ketel Marte in trade talks. That leaves Bichette and 34-year-old free agent Eugenio Suárez as the best and most straightforward infield options.
Bo Bichette (left) will meet this week with the Phillies, who are awaiting a decision from free-agent catcher J.T. Realmuto.
Until the last few weeks, the Phillies didn’t expect to join the bidding for Bichette. Not after re-signing Kyle Schwarber to a five-year, $150 million contract and making an offer to bring back cornerstone catcher J.T. Realmuto, whose influence among the pitching staff and leadership from behind the plate outweigh his declining offense.
But as Realmuto holds out for a better offer, the Phillies have explored other avenues to potentially improve the roster, a league source said last week, and see a possible fit with Bichette, who is open to moving to second base or third base after playing shortstop for seven seasons with the Blue Jays.
At the plate, Bichette is a .294 career hitter with a 121 OPS-plus and the unusual combination of a low strikeout rate (14.5% last season) and high rate of swings at pitches out of the strike zone (35.2%). His knack for putting balls in play, regardless of where they’re pitched, would add a dimension to the Phillies offense.
It’s also likely the Phillies got a strong endorsement from newly hired bench coach Don Mattingly, with whom Bichette grew close over the last two seasons in Toronto.
But the competition for Bichette is fierce, even more with Bregman off the board. Let’s look at the teams that could threaten the Phillies’ pursuit of Bichette:
After only one season with the Red Sox, Alex Bregman agreed to a five-year, $175 million contract with the Cubs.
Red Sox
When the Red Sox signed Bregman last spring, they irritated incumbent third baseman Rafael Devers so much that they traded him in June even though Bregman could opt out of his contract after one season.
Sure enough, third base at Fenway Park will be occupied by neither Bregman nor Devers in 2026.
Although the Sox have mostly resisted long-term deals with free agents since they fired Dave Dombrowski in 2019, they reportedly put a five-year offer on the table for Bregman before getting outbid by the Cubs. It’s fair to assume they would go at least that long for Bichette. But would they stretch to seven years? Eight?
The Sox entered the offseason looking for two middle-of-the-order hitters. Rather than chasing Schwarber or Pete Alonso in free agency, they traded for first baseman Willson Contreras. Their other big offseason move was also a trade, also with the Cardinals, for pitcher Sonny Gray. They could aim for the hat trick by trading for St. Louis’ Brendan Donovan to fill a vacancy at second base or third.
Donovan, 29, will make only $5.8 million this year and is under club control through 2027. Trading for him feels like a move for a free agent-averse team. But few free agents are as young as Bichette, which might enable the Red Sox to view him as less risky.
Despite reportedly receiving multiple offers from the Yankees, Cody Bellinger is still a free agent.
Yankees
Like the Phillies with Realmuto, the Yankees prioritized re-signing Cody Bellinger and taking aim at another World Series.
A deal hasn’t materialized.
Bellinger, 30, is reportedly seeking a seven-year contract; the Yankees, according to reports, are hesitant to go longer than five. And the longer the staring contest between the sides persists, the more the Yankees figure to pursue other options.
Signing Bichette would require the Yankees to do almost as much lineup juggling as the Phillies. While the Phillies would have to trade third baseman Alec Bohm to make room in the payroll and the infield, the Yankees likely must do the same with second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (Coincidentally, Bohm and Chisholm will both make $10.2 million this year and can be free agents after the season.)
But if the Yankees lose Bellinger, they will need to replace his middle-of-the-order production. Bichette is one solution, albeit from the right side of the plate instead of the left.
Free-agent outfielder Kyle Tucker spent the 2025 season with the Cubs.
Blue Jays
After spending $337 million in free agency on starter Dylan Cease, relievers Tyler Rogers and Cody Ponce, and Japanese third baseman Kazumo Okamoto, the World Series runner-up is hoping to put a cherry on top of its offseason bonanza by signing outfielder Kyle Tucker.
Why not just bring back Bichette?
The Blue Jays haven’t ruled it out. Although the infield appears set with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at first base, Ernie Clement at second, Andrés Giménez at shortstop, and Okamoto at third, the Jays believe Okamoto is capable of adding left field to his portfolio. In his introductory news conference in Toronto, Okamoto said he likes playing different positions.
But Tucker represents a better positional fit for the Blue Jays. If he signs elsewhere, it’s worth wondering if they would pivot to fellow lefty-hitting outfielder Bellinger or turn back to Bichette.
The field
Never count out the Dodgers, especially if Bichette is willing to sign for a shorter term and higher annual salary with an opt-out after a year or two. The two-time defending World Series champs would presumably play him at second base and use Tommy Edman in center field and Hyeseong Kim and Miguel Rojas in utility roles.
Bichette would also fit with the Mariners, who won a division title and advanced to Game 7 of the ALCS last year despite ranking 17th in wins above replacement at second base (1.5) and 13th at third base (1.9). They could choose to re-sign Suárez but already lost infielder Jorge Polanco in free agency to the Mets.
Typically, our second-day stories on games include two positives sandwiched around a negative. It’s built that way to soften the blow of the negative.
But while coach Rick Tocchet said he liked parts of the Flyers’ game, after a 7-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, it’s hard to focus on positives. So, this is a reverse. Here are two negatives with a big positive in the middle.
Negative: Sloppy play
As Garnet Hathaway said, the team is going to have to watch a lot of tape on Sunday because, in an odd twist of the schedule, the Flyers get another crack at the Lightning on Monday.
“We’re maybe making plays at the blue line that we shouldn’t make,” Hathaway said. “Their east-west game is a lot of their offense. They know when they have time and space, and they’ve got elite skill to make those passes through guys. So, some self-inflicted, some tip your cap. Either way, it doesn’t matter.”
Pretty much every single goal the Lightning scored came off a breakdown by the Flyers. Whether it was a turnover at the Tampa Bay blue line that sent the puck the other way — i.e., Matvei Michkov’s turnover that led to Gage Goncalves’ first goal of the night, or Trevor Zegras’ that led to Yanni Gourde’s tally — or backing up in the defensive zone, or leaving guys all alone to have their way with Sam Ersson, the Flyers struggled on Saturday.
While Tocchet had no problem with his team’s effort through the first 30 minutes, he thought some of his players lost focus and “half-hustled.” He noted that several players made mistakes backchecking and let the Lightning get inside.
You can only put so much blame on not having three of your best players, but the Flyers fell apart, notably in the third period. They were outshot 8-4 and, according to Natural Stat Trick, they had 30% of the shot attempts at five-on-five. The Lightning scored four times.
“Just an awful third period,” captain Sean Couturier said. “We’ll just move on. It’s one of those games you’ve got to forget quick.”
Flyers right wing Garnet Hathaway notched his first point of the season in Saturday’s loss to the Lightning.
Positive: Garnet Hathaway
Although the majority of players struggled, guys like Nikita Grebenkin, Owen Tippett, who scored his 14th goal on the season, and Hathaway stood out.
For Hathaway, it was a moment 36 games in the making, because in Game 37, he notched his first goal of the season. It was also his first point.
“A little overdue,” he said. “I keep thinking about, I can’t go back and change anything that’s happened so far. It doesn’t help me to think about. It doesn’t help me look back and wish I, you know, woulda, coulda, shoulda. It’s nice to get one. It’s nice to help the team on the score sheet.”
The goal was a deserved one with how he and Rodrigo Ābols played along the end boards — actually being the ones to create the turnover as they stole the puck from Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak. Hathaway then went right to the slot and deflected in the point shot. It is the gritty, blue-collar style of game that Hathaway needs to play to be successful.
Negative: Sam Ersson
Through 16 starts this season, Ersson is 6-6-4 with a 3.33 goals-against average and .858 save percentage. According to Money Puck, he is fifth-worst in goals saved above average (-9.5), and among goalies who have played at least 12 games, he ranks sixth in percentage of expected goals (-21.01).
On Saturday, Ersson allowed seven goals on 23 shots, giving him his worst save percentage of the season (.696).
Flyers goaltender Sam Ersson allowed four goals on eight third-period shots.
Was every goal his fault? No. The first goal saw the Flyers completely ignore Nikita Kucherov — something you should never do — allowing him to sit all alone in front for a slam-dunk goal.
“We’ve got to be better in front of him. Those are tough games to play. Obviously, I think he deserved better,” Tippett said. “And I don’t know if the sarcastic cheers [are] really appreciated, but we’ve got to do a better job in front of him and not put him in some of those situations.” Ersson was on the receiving end of sarcastic cheers after his saves throughout the night, including on his first save after allowing two goals on the first three shots of the third period.
“Keep his head up,” Hathaway said about the message to Ersson. “Yeah, I don’t think we played as defensively sound as we needed to against a very offensive-minded team, and that’s not on him. He’s played great all year, so forget it, it’s in the past” ”
According to Natural Stat Trick, Ersson faced seven high-danger shots and allowed four goals. But he did allow two from mid-range and one low-danger goal. Is he a goalie struggling with confidence?
“Yeah, he’s struggling a little bit,” Tocchet said when asked. “… You’re going to have tough nights. It’s a tough night. To have an NHL career, sometimes you’re going to be in the mud, and you’ve got to get yourself out of it, got to work harder.
“You’ve got to analyze things, not just him, anybody, when you’re having a tough, tough night or something, or tough couple of weeks or something, whatever you’re having, you’ve got to really just dig down and then get the support of the team too. That helps too.”
