ATLANTIC CITY — The Flyers traded down from No. 21 to No. 27 with the hope that the guy they wanted would still be on the board. They sweated a little, but in the end, they got their guy and two extra picks to boot.
With the 27th pick in the first round of the 2026 NHL draft, the Flyers selected Maksim Sokolovskii, left-shot giant from London of the Ontario Hockey League, to bolster the blue line.
Although he is not expected to play in the NHL any time soon — he will head back to the Knights in September and is committed to the University of Maine for the following season — it’s never too early to hand out a grade to Flyers general manager Danny Brière and his staff.
Grade: B
It was no secret that the Flyers were long interested in Sokolovskii. Since the NHL scouting combine in early June, the word on the street was that the Flyers were higher than the consensus on the 6-foot-7¼, 240-pound, mean, physical defenseman who skates well for his size.
Did they pass on flashier guys like two-way center Jack Hextall, dynamic defensemen Ryan Lin, whom San Jose took at 21, Tommy Bleyl, and Xavier Villeneuve? Yes, and that could come back to haunt them like drafting Jett Luchanko over Zeev Buium and Konsta Helenius two years ago.
But Sokolovskii was always their guy, especially once Ilia Morozov was taken at No. 20, which is why they moved back. And even before that, several media outlets had the Flyers taking the defenseman at No. 21, including The Inquirer in our final mock draft.
There is a lot to like about Sokolowskii. According to Mike Taylor, his former coach at the Atlantic Hockey Academy, “he skates like he’s 5-foot-8.″ Taylor also mentioned how a college hockey skating coach they brought in could not believe how good Sokolowskii’s edgework was for his size.
As The Athletic’s NHL draft and prospects reporter Scott Wheeler told The Inquirer, “When you’re huge, and you can skate, that’s often all that you need for NHL scouts to sort of perk up and start to pay attention.”
And the Flyers paid attention — a lot of that is because he was in London, which Brière called after drafting Sokolovskii: “One of the better organizations in the CHL. They seem to be able to build winners.”
Sokolovskii, who was born in Kazakhstan and grew up in Russia, brings meanness and physicality, and considers himself a shut-down defenseman who likes to hit. Daily Faceoff’s Jeff Marek called him the hardest hitter in the draft class. Some have even compared his physicality and nastiness to that of fellow 6-7 blueliner Nikita Zadorov of the Boston Bruins.
Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov is a common comp for Flyers draft pick Maksim Sokolovskii.
“The compete level is something that, in a lot of cases, you have, or you don’t,” Brière said. “It’s really tough to bring that out of someone who doesn’t have it. You watch him, it’s a natural thing. He loves to go after a guy. He likes to disturb, and on top of his size, it makes for a very impressive player on the ice. Someone that you don’t like facing or playing against.”
And part of that competitiveness is just his desire to get better. There is a lot of upside to Sokolovskii, and many have noted how much his game improved as the season went on in London. His switch to the OHL was not an easy one — he was even a healthy scratch at times — but by the end of the season, he was on the third pair and even played second-pair minutes at times. And while he wants to work more on his footwork, next season, Sokolovskii told The Inquirer at the combine that he wants to be more of a leader, too.
“The one thing that really stood out was the progression that he showed throughout the season,” Brière said. “When we saw him early in the season, we thought this could be a late pick for us, and then it seemed every month he just kept getting better and better, and figuring out the game more and more.”
Organizationally, the pick helped fill some depth on the left side, so add a check mark for that. Travis Sanheim, Cam York, Nick Seeler, and the newly acquired Simon Benoît, who can play on the right side too, are at the NHL level. Ty Murchison, 23, Jackson Edward, 22, and Hunter McDonald, 24, are in the system on the left side. But that’s it. Oliver Bonk, another London guy, Spencer Gill, Carter Amico, and Luke Vlooswyk are all righties.
Now, there are, of course, some question marks.
“I think that would be Sam Morin part two,” FloHockey draft and prospect analyst Chris Peters said on Flyers Gameday Central about taking him at No. 21. They didn’t do that, but then he said this.
Maksim Sokolovskii, right, stands with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, left, after being drafted by the Flyers with the 27th pick in the draft.
“I watched him in the playoffs a lot, and that’s where I think a lot of this late buzz is coming from, is that he was a really good shutdown guy for London in the postseason. And he was playing a physical, mean brand of hockey, the kind of hockey that helps you win in the playoffs. … [But] he’s too one-dimensional defensively. The skating, it isn’t good enough for me to say, like it’s good for his size, but like it’s not good enough, I don’t think.
“He has boom-bust potential, too, because he’s got this massive frame. He has incredible reach. I think he thinks the game decently well, I think he thinks the game defensively pretty solidly. I think he’s got good enough mobility defensively. And so I think he’s going to play [in the NHL]. The question is, where does he go?”
So, does he need to refine his defensive game more? Absolutely. Does he need to develop his offensive game? Of course — he had only eight points in 44 games for the Knights. But one intriguing factor is that he scored 34 goals and 84 points in 65 games for Atlantic Coast two years ago, albeit against lesser competition.
And Taylor brought up something interesting.
“He always was trying to be offensive with us. His deficiencies with us were the defensive side of the puck, where it was his strength in London,” he recalled.
“I knew he could play that way. I knew he would adjust, because I knew how good he was of a player. I just knew that he was taking chances and doing things with us that he wouldn’t do at the next level, because the hockey allowed it, [that] level of play.”
With Taylor, he went out for shootouts and even got time on the power play, notably at the net-front — imagine a 6-7 player screening the goalie? So maybe Sokolovskii was just focusing on the defensive end as an OHL rookie, and the offense has room to reawaken a bit?
After all, when you ask him who his comparables are, he’ll tell you Zadorov, Logan Stanley of the Buffalo Sabres, and Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman, who boasts a Norris Trophy and 811 points in 1,164 career NHL games.
There’s definitely some boom-or-bust volatility with Sokolovskii, but the Flyers hope they have added a massive defenseman who plays playoff-style hockey, can kill plays defensively, and strike fear into opponents with his physicality.
America’s 250th is a big deal for Philadelphia. Our nation was born right here on July 4, 1776, which gives us plenty of reason to celebrate with our Semiquincentennial in Philadelphia, centered around Independence Day and beyond.
Philly and the region have been busy planning for the nation’s milestone birthday bash for what feels like forever, and now the time is finally here. Whether you’re a local who has been gearing up for this moment or a visitor ready to explore Philly this summer, you’ll find plenty of ways to join in on the festivities.
Brandywine Colonials Fife and Drum Corps.
Independence Weekend at Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center
The Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center in Montgomery County kicks off the holiday weekend with its annual event in New Goshenhoppen Park, including a parade. Brandywine Colonials Fife and Drum Corps performs July 4 with a reading of the Declaration of Independence, followed by music from the Corps and the Red Hill Band before a fireworks display. Heritage Day closes out the weekend at the Heritage Center with crafts for kids and exhibits the whole family can enjoy.
One highlight of the Wawa Welcome America festival, Philadelphia’s multiday Independence Day celebration, is outdoor movies shown on big screens in iconic city spots. Crowds gather on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art for a free screening of the 1976 classic “Rocky,” starring Sylvester Stallone.
Wawa Welcome America and One Philly: Unity Concert for America
A local tradition closes its final weekend on July 3 with the Salute to Independence Semiquincentennial Day Parade, the largest of its kind in the nation, featuring 50 marching bands and 13 floats, beginning at noon at 5th and Chestnut Streets. Later in the evening, a live concert featuring patriotic orchestral music takes place from 7-9 p.m. at Independence Mall, with multi-platinum-selling singer/songwriter and Tony Award-winning performer Idina Menzel headlining with the Philly Pops. On July 4, One Philly: Unity Concert for America takes over the Benjamin Franklin Parkway for a free all-day concert featuring Christina Aguilera, Jill Scott, The Roots, Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jeff, Seal, and others, hosted by Wanda Sykes.
Valley Forge National Historical Park turns 50 this year.
Valley Forge National Historical Park’s 50th Birthday
Valley Forge National Historical Park turns 50 over the July 4 weekend, celebrating with musket-firing demonstrations at Muhlenberg’s Brigade throughout the day on July 3. Philly’s own Hot Taters will perform live at the National Memorial Arch, and a reenactor portraying Anna Morris Holstein, the woman who helped makeWashington’s Headquarters a true local landmark in 1879, will take place on the 4th, followed by a closing ceremony on July 5.
America Celebrates 250 holds a three-day festival in New Hope, Bucks County, featuring fireworks and a drone show over the Delaware River on July 3, accompanied by a pub crawl toward a Revolutionary-themed tavern tent with a cash bar and actors performing as patriots on July 4. The Freedom Parade starting in New Hope and the Dragon Boat race on the river will conclude the weekend events on July 5.
Montgomery County presents a series of public readings of the Declaration of Independence throughout the July Fourth weekend at various locations, including the Elmwood Park Zoo. The Tapestry Historic Dance Ensemble will perform period dances at 859 County Line Road in Horsham, and guests can channel Thomas Jefferson by practicing writing with a quill pen, as he once used to sign the Declaration.
America’s Time Capsule to be buried at Independence Hall
On July 4, America’s Time Capsule, a stainless steel cylinder containing a collection of letters and artifacts from each state, will be buried at Independence National Historical Park. Spectators will have the opportunity to be part of this historical moment, as this capsule will remain sealed for the next 250 years, until 2276, when the generations of that time will be able to recover it.
Completed in 1926, the Ben Franklin Bridge connects Camden and Center City (pictured) over the Delaware River. The 1,750-foot-long span, designed by architect Paul Philippe Cret, was once the longest suspension bridge in the world.
Ben Franklin Bridge 100th anniversary
On July 11, the Delaware River Port Authority celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Ben Franklin Bridge with live music, performances, food trucks, and carnival rides. Hosted on the Camden side of the bridge near the toll plaza, a pop-up museum offers attendees a better understanding of this iconic structure’s legacy and features artifacts from the world’s longest suspension bridge.
Philly Phlotilla on the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers
More than 100 patriotic kayakers dressed in red, white, and blue will paddle the rivers July 11 for the Philly Phlotilla event. Starting at the Walnut Street Dock, the 8-mile paddle, led by experienced guides, will reach the historical site of Fort Mifflin, known as the “Fort that Saved America.” Paddlers and non-paddlers alike can take in the post-Phlotilla festivities for dinner, cannon firing, and tours of the historic fort.
Newtown in Bucks County packs a full day of spirited events throughout the borough on Aug. 8 to celebrate the nation’s historic milestone. The Old Presbyterian Church of Newtown will hold graveyard tours, while the Newtown Fire House Museum presents its display of antique fire trucks, and the Newtown Theatre sets the stage with period music from a Civil War band.
The Haverford High School Football Stadium in Havertown hosts a patriotic-themed drone show on Aug. 29 to mark the country’s anniversary. The day begins with live music, crafts, and other family-friendly activities, with food trucks on the premises, all leading up to an evening of a choreographed illuminated drone display paired with themed music.
The fire pits are ablaze by dusk at Hollow Pines, a sprawling compound with an outdoor bar, bocce courts, and a massive A-frame lodge where craft cocktails, duckpin bowling, and updated comfort food with a Jersey twist have been drawing guests by the hundreds to West Creek.
The vibe at this ambitious newcomer off Route 9 from the Tide Table Group, which opened in February, conjures a funhouse in the woods more than a beachside resort, even if it’s only half a mile from the bay just south of Manahawkin. It’s also part of a larger trend: the biggest new restaurant openings at the Jersey Shore this year are on the mainland rather than the barrier islands, where real estate prices have skyrocketed.
Veronica Smith of Barnegat (left) and Makayla Williams of Absecon enjoy drinks at Hollow Pines in West Creek, N.J., on Thursday, June 18, 2026.
“There’s only so much land on the islands, and the property value there is higher if you subdivide and put residential on it,” says Hollow Pines co-owner Billy Mehl. “Plus, the short season [on the islands] makes it harder to recoup the cost.”
The logic is similar farther south in Somers Point, where two mega-openings — the 400-seat Pablo and 250-seat Webster’s Tavern — aim to draw the growing year-round population as well as thirsty summer tourists pouring across the bridge from the dry island of Ocean City.
“You should see our after-church crowd! We sell a lot of Bloody Marys and it’s terrific,” says Webster’s owner Chris Webb, noting the construction of hundreds of new homes nearby as a reason for optimism beyond the summer season. “Somers Point is on fire right now.”
Of course, bigger is not necessarily better. New menus up and down the Shore have trended more conservative this summer, toward the safe bets of American tavern classics (wings, chicken Caesar wraps, and burgers), hedging for mainstream tastes at even a taco-themed fusion concept like Pablo. So, while I was sure to check out these large new players — results were mixed — I also explored some flavorful highlights from the international communities that have also settled on the mainland across from Atlantic City, from a stellar new chilaquiles specialist to the kebab combo platter of my dreams.
If you prefer to eat closer to the beach, do not fret. This is just the first part of my annual shore guide. I still have exciting dining dispatches from the barrier island towns coming the following weeks, with reports from more than 20 places from Cape May to LBI. But first, here’s a look at some of the rapidly growing options for food and fun before you even cross a bridge.
Nicholas Bisbee of Tuckerton, lead bartender and head trainer, chats with customers at the upstairs bar at Hollow Pines in West Creek, N.J., on Thursday, June 18, 2026.
PINELANDS
Hollow Pines
It took eight years and nearly $8 million for the Tide Table Group to finally complete Hollow Pines, a multipurpose destination built on five acres of marshland just beyond the edge of the Pinelands National Reserve. The owners envisioned a place for big groups to linger and play, not just eat and run. And its indoor-outdoor spaces offer a variety of activities to that effect, from cornhole beside a separate outdoor bar serving Spaghett beer cocktails, composed shots, and other drinks, to a lively four-lane duckpin bowling alley on the ground floor of a roomy split-level tavern hall lined with TVs and a more intimate mezzanine dining room tucked upstairs.
The outside bar and outdoor entertainment give patrons a reason to linger and play at Hollow Pines in West Creek, N.J., on Thursday, June 18, 2026.The inside main seating and bar area at Hollow Pines in West Creek, N.J., on Thursday, June 18, 2026.
With Tide Table’s track record for good dining experiences at restaurants such as Mud City Crab House in Manahawkin and Parker’s Garage in Beach Haven, it’s no surprise the food and drink programs here are thoughtfully crafted. There’s a wide selection of upscale comfort foods from chef Al Cuff, from a pull-apart hot dog wrapped in a horseshoe of puff pastry to rich crab chowder and tomato bisque and a homey, double-crusted pot pie filled with an herbal chicken velouté.
Some ideas were a bit too cute, like the salad heavily dressed with sour cream-and-onion dressing topped with potato chips. But the pasta is homemade in the pappardelle tossed with a hearty ragù of braised short rib. There’s plenty of lobster bits in the risotto to add some glamour to the salmon, and the oysters broiled in zesty Calabrian chili butter are decidedly local Briny Pinys. Jersey duck for the cassoulet and venison for the lasagna are appealing nods to the state’s sportsman traditions.
The S’more’s doughnut dessert at Hollow Pines in West Creek, N.J., on Thursday, June 18, 2026.
All this is fueled by a drink program that bubbles with local beers and whimsical cocktails, from an ice-cold tomato water martini (Nona’s Freezer Door) to the smoke bubble-topped rosemary gin drink (the Controlled Burn) appropriately named for a sipper at the edge of a national preserve. For dessert, I’m all about channeling the summer campfire vibe with the S’mores doughnut, a freshly fried fritter topped with molten marshmallow fluff that flows into a chocolate sauce studded with chips. It was both delicious and still on theme. Hollow Pines offers a nice reminder that New Jersey summers can be just as tasty in the forest as at the beach. Hollow Pines, 475 Main St, West Creek, N.J. 08092; 609-891-2558; hollowpinesnj.com
The chilaquiles divorciados dish, paired with a passionfruit drink, rests on a table at Chilaqueria Los Girasoles in Pleasantville, N.J. on Friday, June 19, 2026.
PLEASANTVILLE
Chilaqueria Los Girasoles
While the Shore has no shortage of Americanized Mexican food, you can find more traditional flavors just six miles north of Somers Point in Pleasantville, which has become a vibrant hub for multiple Latin American communities. At least a dozen Mexican restaurants operate within its city limits, and one of the newest, Chilaqueria Los Girasoles, is already one of my favorites. As the name suggests, chilaquiles is the focal point, with nine varieties of salsa combos used to sauté tortilla chips until they achieve the perfect balance of crunch and softness (they’ll even ask your preference). The traditional choices of salsa roja and salsa verde are so good, I’d recommend Los Girasoles’ unique pairing of the two for side-by-side fields of tangy green and earthy red on one plate, to be topped with protein of your choice. Try a hearty helping of eggs and steak, or salted cecina beef, then plan for a good nap when you’re done. The sweet and spicy mole poblano variation, made from a mole base shipped from Puebla, is also fantastic.
Raquel Soto, Miguel Cerón, and Sandra Aguilar at Chilaqueria Los Girasoles in.Pleasantville, N.J., on Friday, June 19, 2026.
As unique as this concept is (even in Mexico such a focus on chilaquiles is rare), this year-old project in a brightly rehabbed former Subway, owned by Sandra Aguilar, her husband, chef Miguel Cerón, and his cousin, co-chef Raquel Soto, is also an evocative tribute to their home state of Hidalgo. Their occasional weekend special of lamb barbacoa is outstanding, and I cannot stop thinking about their Hidalgo-style torta. A soft roll is stuffed with a thin slice of breaded top round beef, tender from its zesty marinade, then layered with stretchy quesillo cheese, creamy avocado slices, and a warm salsa of lightly cooked tomatoes and onions that gives this sandwich the perfect moistness. For dessert, don’t miss the fresh and delicate crêpes Cerón perfected while working in a previous job at a breakfast diner. Chilaqueria Los Girasoles, 310 S New Rd, Pleasantville, N.J. 08232, 609-241-0269; chilaquerialosgirasoles.com
Pollos Asados PLV
Since fire-roasted chicken is in the name, it’s no surprise that the juicy birds turning on a rotisserie spit, seasoned with a Chiapas-style marinade, are the big draw to Pedro Rincon’s restaurant in downtown Pleasantville. It’s been so popular that he’s moving July 1 from his current location (114 N. Main St.) to a larger space next door at 104 N. Main St. Few meals I’ve eaten at the Shore were more satisfying than a whole bird here served simply cut up into pieces in a Styrofoam box with a bundle of fresh-pressed tortillas, two squeeze bottles of vibrant salsas, and belly-filling sides of refried black beans and rice.
Chiapas-style chickens roast on the spit at Pollos Asados PLV in Pleasantville.
But Rincon’s kitchen has other worthy gems you absolutely should not miss, from the platters of extra-large seven-inch-wide tacos (I loved the juicy al pastor) to the paddle-sized bundles of Chiapanecas quesadillas, whose pliant tortillas are made with a blend of corn and flour. The long envelopes are big enough to share and come stuffed with quesillo cheese and a variety of fillings, from nopales to chicken. But the real quesadilla star here is the deshebrada de res, a stew of tender shredded beef so full of flavor, I just about ate the whole darn thing. Pollos Asados PLV, 104 N. Main St. (after July 1), Pleasantville, N.J. 08232, 609-640-6347; pollosasadosplv.com
Staff serve guests at Ruhani Kitchen in Egg Harbor Township on Friday, June 19, 2026.
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP
Ruhani Kitchen
Chef Syed Abbas is best known for The Nizam’s, the well-regarded Indian restaurant in Egg Harbor Township that he owned for 15 years before selling it in 2022. The New Delhi-born chef says he needed a break for health reasons, and over the next three years traveled extensively through the Middle East. He worked for free in several kitchens in Dubai, shadowing chefs in Turkey, and gathering inspiration for a new concept back in New Jersey that would draw on dishes from across the region while also reflecting his family’s Persian roots. Ruhani Kitchen, which opened in December in the same narrow white roadhouse where he’d launched the first version of Nizam’s, is the result — and it is a delight.
The space has been completely rehabbed with vibrant blue walls, imported rugs, and comfortable furniture. The menu offers a greatest-hits list of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes from Lebanon to Afghanistan, and though the range is so broad that some nuances may not always be in perfect register, Abbas’ skill as a chef always shines through in the quality halal ingredients and satisfying flavors. The mixed app platter is a perfect place to start, from smoky baba ghanoush to tangy-sweet muhammara and vibrant green falafel made with fava beans.
Chef Syed Abbas at his restaurant, Ruhani Kitchen, in Egg Harbor Township on Friday, June 19, 2026.The fasooli baida spicy white bean soup with a side of rice rests on a table Ruhani Kitchen in Egg Harbor Township on Friday, June 19, 2026.
But the main courses are where Ruhani most impresses, especially with the Sultan’s platter, a generous medley of grilled meats — lamb and chicken kebabs tenderized with yogurt and fragrant seven spice; succulent shell-on shrimp; adana kebabs of both ground chicken and lamb scented with cumin and sumac — that can easily feed a crowd. Abbas’ talent with lamb shanks is also worth noting, served either Afghan-style plain over a pilaf enriched with lamb juices and sweet carrot laces, or Persian-style in creamy saffron sauce. I also couldn’t stop eating Ruhani’s take on the spicy white bean and tomato stew known as fasooli baida. The only thing off-key at Ruhani were the desserts, including a non-traditional knafeh that was strangely soupy. But even the ever-confident Abbas knows his limitations with sweets: “I cannot be good at everything.” Ruhani Kitchen, 6666 Black Horse Pike, Egg Harbor Township, N.J. 08234, 609-855-9719;ruhanikitchen.com
General Tso’s chicken is made gluten-free at China Sea of Absecon.
ABSECON
China Sea of Absecon
China Sea is a survivor on the Shore’s dining scene, an unassuming standby that has thrived for 31 years in an Absecon strip mall. Founders Lily Lin and her husband, chef Chei Lin, delivered consistently good Cantonese food with a special distinction: an expansive selection of gluten-free options. Chinese food can be tricky for diners with gluten intolerance because of the heavy use of soy sauce and fryers that are commonly contaminated by wheat flour. But once chef Lin discovered his own restrictions with gluten, he developed an entire repertoire of modified dishes that are rarely seen elsewhere, including what my daughter Alice, who has celiac disease, declared as the best gluten-free General Tso’s chicken she’s ever tasted. Tender nuggets of meat are encased in delicate crusts crisped in a dedicated wok and tossed in a vivid orange sauce with a hint of heat that was flavorful without being cloyingly sweet. I consider it one of the best General Tso’s of any sort that I’ve tasted. But that wasn’t all. There were excellent gluten-free versions of plump shrimp in peppery Hunan sauce, perfectly deep-fried chicken “wing dings” in a crackly salt-baked crust, and impressively tender beef with peppers that hummed with a mellow savory balance.
An entirely gluten-free Cantonese feast is served at China Sea of Absecon, including, clockwise from top left, fried rice, beef chow fun, General Tso’s chicken, pepper steak and Hunan shrimp.
Such consistently good flavors bode well for continuity at China Sea, which has been in a gentle transition since the Lins retired in September and sold to Lily’s niece, Melissa Xie, and her husband, chef Billy Zheng. The couple, who both previously worked as poker dealers in Atlantic City’s nearby casinos, have plans to introduce more traditional seafood dishes from Zheng’s home province of Fujian, where the former pro chef mastered lobster in ginger-scallion sauce, a spicier rendition of Singapore noodles than what the standard menu currently serves, and whole fish. Xie promises that China Sea’s classics will remain, but I’d definitely return to explore some of this kitchen’s new moves: “My husband [Billy] is very famous for his cooking within our [local Chinese] community,” she says, “but we have to be careful to keep everything else the same because we have customers who come from all over.” China Sea of Absecon, 662 White Horse Pike, Absecon, N.J. 08201; 609-569-1995; chinaseaofabsecon.com
Jersey Cow Ice Cream
Bordeaux cherry chip ice cream is one of the highlight flavors at the Jersey Cow Ice Cream chain.
The Jersey Shore has plenty of options for your daily scoop. But here comes Jersey Cow, a fast-growing mini-chain of retro-style takeout windows with modern touch-screen menus that’s expanded over four years from the original location in Northfield, to Absecon, Brigantine, and now Margate, where the frozen treat competition is already fierce. If my visit to the Absecon storefront is any indication, Jersey Cow has come to play, especially in the hand-dipped category, where the ice cream is made from high-fat milk that allows them to achieve more vivid flavors with less sugar. The Chocolate Therapy is fudgy and intense, while the Bordeaux Cherry Chip (so named for the premium variety of dark cherries) has a more fruit-forward punch than the typical maraschino version. I wasn’t a fan of the icy vegan salted caramel, and Jersey Cow is still outsourcing its soft-serve base. But I’ll go back for any of their originals, especially some of the unique Asian flavors featured on the rotating specials — ube, black sesame, mango sticky rice, or red bean served atop a pandan green waffle — inspired by co-owner Maureen Gaw’s upbringing in Myanmar. Jersey Cow Ice Cream, 610 Mill Rd., Absecon, N.J. 08201, 609-796-2525; details on Northfield, Brigantine, and Margate locations noted on website, jerseycow-icecream.com
The exterior of Webster’s on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, in Somers Point.
SOMER’S POINT
Webster’s Tavern
Some people come to the Shore to relax on the beach, dig holes in the sand, body surf, and read. For those suffering from screen-time withdrawal, Webster’s Tavern is there for you. “An elite TV program,” as I’ve heard it described, has helped pack the big parking lot of the former Windjammer turned giant sports bar in Somer’s Point. So many customers are willing to wait up to an hour for a chicken wing feast bathed in the pulsing glow of 38 TVs that owner Chris Webb has concluded “we’re going to add more [TVs], including one on the kitchen wall.”
The early days of Webster’s operations have exhibited some predictable hiccups as the tavern’s traffic rocketed to 750 customers a day within a couple weeks of opening in early June. The rushed pacing resulted in a multi-course meal that lasted barely as long as our 45-minute wait. The margarita was oversalted and sloppily mixed. (The pineapple-tinis, crushes, espresso martinis, and mud slides are apparently the safer move here). I appreciated the inclusion of local beers from Slack Tide and Somers Point Brewing on a list otherwise heavy with national brands and hard seltzers.
The something-for-everyone menu typical of the corporate restaurant world Webb comes from (he was a vice president at P.J. Whelihan’s) was uneven to say the least. The French onion soup and sheet pan nachos were solid, as was the classic tavern burger, which landed with a perfect medium rare on a branded brioche bun (a fair quality value for $17). But the house-breaded chicken wings were dry and chewy. The seafood mac ’n’ cheese was skimpy on the seafood. The chicken lettuce wraps were tepid and drowned in too much sweet soy marinade. The fried shrimp were oddly mealy. I take heart in hearing that Webb has already made some smart early corrections, switching to house-breaded shrimp since my visit. It’s a good sign to know that this personable and veteran restaurant executive is ever-present on the ground of his first solo project and that he is paying as much attention to the food as he is the number of TVs. Webster’s Tavern, 18 MacArthur Blvd., Somers Point, N.J. 08244, 609-657-3470;websterstavernsp.com
Pablo
Who is Pablo? That name was atop the list of every local I surveyed before my visit to the beach. It’s easy to see the curiosity factor at play: cars are often spilling out of the lot and parked on both sides of East Maryland Avenue beside the massive black hacienda of a restaurant and night spot called Pablo in Somers Point. The Zest Restaurant Group opened Pablo this summer after pouring $2 million into a renovation of the short-lived former Mexiquila. The Zest group, known for its stylish Cape May restaurants Port, Fish House, and Tacos Caballito Tequileria, has similarly transformed this rambling property (originally Clancy’s By the Bay) into a multi-room, four-bar, 400-seat extravaganza. There’s a moody lounge at the rear anchored by a DJ spinning house music, boosted by live musicians and pyrotechnics, an airy greenhouse dining room on the other side with skylights and garage doors that roll-up to a patio bar where they’ve re-created a beach. Fresh-juice cocktails fuel this fiesta, accounting for about 75% of the sales from the 1,200 or so guests that come through on a busy evening, says co-owner Ross Hammer, who concedes Pablo is a made-up name for the restaurant’s cheetah logo. (“Sorry, I’m Miguel,” said a passing server when I asked him for Pablo’s whereabouts.)
The exterior of Pablo on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, in Somers Point.
Pablo’s menu is a more affordable than its upscale-yet-underwhelming predecessor and conscientious to accommodate dietary restrictions. I only wish the kitchen put as much energy into making better-tasting food. Our meal was full of tepid overcooked meats, dry rice, stadium-grade nachos welded together with cheap cheese, and a parade of fusion tacos so disappointing that it was an all-out Taco-pocolypse, whose brightest bite was a tortilla topped with a cheeseburger. By that point, I realized that the wait — Hammer says it averages two to three hours for a seat in this no reservations dining room — is not worth it. Go to Pleasantville (see above) or pretty much anywhere else for your tacos, then return to Pablo for a tequila-spiked espresso martini, if you’re so determined, and boogie the night away on its ersatz beach. Pablo, 101 E. Maryland Ave., Somers Point, N.J. 08244, 609-469-6991; pablosomerspoint.com
There’s a rare reunion at the Philadelphia Museum of Art this year: Two of Vincent van Gogh’s famous sunflower paintings are on view side by side. Only five large-scale paintings comprise his Sunflowers series, scattered over three continents. But now, Philadelphia gets a chance to see two together.
For the first time in its history, Sunflowers (1888), from the collection of London’s National Gallery, has traveled across the Atlantic for its United States premiere alongside the PMA’s own Sunflowers (1889). The London artwork shows the sunflowers on a pale yellow background while Philadelphia’s features a soft blue; both exemplify the artist’s desire to create what he described as “a symphony of blue and yellow.”
It’s a historic display of signature works by a world-famous artist who sadly never achieved critical acclaim during his lifetime. But, all of that aside, these are simply two marvelous paintings to see.
“Sunflowers” (1888), Vincent van Gogh. Courtauld Fund, The National Gallery.
Their charm isn’t solely in the pretty subject matter; it’s all about the texture. Thick globs of paint in various shades of yellow give the appearance of a not-quite-settled image, enchanting the viewer with dynamic motion that can only be experienced up close. Each bloom has its own stylistic personality as the paint takes on an almost sculptural presence. Both paintings create a mesmerizing display — pictures truly don’t do it justice.
“Van Gogh’s Sunflowers: A Symphony in Blue and Yellow” is on view through Oct. 11 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, 215-763-8100 or philamuseum.org.
— Rosa Cartagena
Kevin Devine performs at Spruce Street Harbor Park on June 25, 2026.
Kevin Devine at Spruce Street Harbor Park
Some of the best shows of the summer can be enjoyed for free, from a picnic table, with a Tecate in hand.
On Thursday night, I attended Kevin Devine’s free show at Spruce Street Harbor Park, where he was joined by openers Shannen Moser and Abi Reimold. It was the first of Devine’s short two-weekend tour through non-traditional spaces across the Northeast, including mostly house shows and an arcade.
For about an hour, Devine played — just him and his acoustic guitar — a stretch of old and new songs from his repertoire that dates back over two decades. Currently, Devine’s 11th LP is in the works. It will have distinct Philly ties, being recorded at Will Yip’s Memory Music Studios and produced by Steph Marziano, one of Hayley Williams’ longtime collaborators who cut her teeth in Philly’s music scene.
But back to Thursday night’s show. It was one of an impressive series of free shows at Spruce Street Harbor Park programmed by 4333 Collective.
An exhibit on Memorial Hall at “Revist: 1876,” a recreation of the Centennial Exhibition at the Fairmount Park Grounds in 1876. Before Memorial Hall was turned into the Please Touch Museum, it was the first site of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
The first telephone, at the Lits Building
Before the Please Touch Museum was the go-to hangout spot for our city’s adventurous toddlers, it housed the first Philadelphia Museum of Art.
The 70,000-square-foot Beaux Arts building was originally built to showcase the work of late-19th-century American artists — including Philadelphia’s own Thomas Eakins — for the Centennial Exposition of 1876.
The history of Memorial Hall is told in one of four pavilions featured in “Revisit 1876,” the 8,000-square-foot exhibition located in the ground floor of the Lits Building, produced by the nonprofit arm of the Center City District Foundation.
The exhibit aims to connect present-day Philly with the innovations that were introduced at the fair 150 years ago, said Paul Levy, the foundation’s executive director.
And they do a pretty good job.
A replica of Alexander Bell’s first telephone that was shown for the first time for the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Fairmount Park. The replica is on exhibit at “Revisit: 1876” in the Lits Building, 701 Market St. Entrance is on Eighth Street.
Silhouettes of women in corseted dresses and twirling umbrellas and dandy men in top hats greet visitors. Behind the sales counter is the replica of the first telephone that Alexander Graham Bell brought to the Centennial. Also behind the glass counter is a 3-foot terra-cotta model of the Statue of Liberty made by the original sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi.
There is even Centennial merch, including puzzles and wallets, all in pristine condition.
My favorite part is the flyover video from Independence Hall to Memorial Hall. It’s layered with historic photos connecting 2026 to 1876. In other words, the 2026 flyover includes our majestic City Hall. In 1876, it was an active construction site. (Construction started in 1871 and wasn’t finished until 1901.)
In addition to Memorial Hall, there are exhibits on Machinery Hall, Horticultural Hall, and the Main Building. A special section spotlights how the former enslaved abolitionist Frederick Douglass was prevented from speaking at the event and how Ben Franklin’s great-granddaughter Elizabeth Duane Gillespie fought to have women included.
“Revisit 1876” is open through December. The Lits Building is at 701 Market St. (Entrance is on the Eighth Street side). Admission is free.
DEAR ABBY: I am estranged from my father and have been since I was 12. (I’m currently 26.) He was emotionally, psychologically and physically abusive to me, and cutting ties with him has been good for my well-being.
My mom recently revealed to me that she has reconnected with him and they are dating again. This is infuriating, and I have been vocal about my disapproval of their relationship. She is convinced I am making the problem much bigger than it has to be, says it shouldn’t affect me and assures me I won’t have to see him.
I can’t tell her what to do, but she can’t tell me how to feel. Today, over the phone, I told her that I’m feeling resentful. After I said it, she started crying, hung up on me and turned her phone off. I didn’t mean to hurt her feelings, but I had to speak my truth.
I don’t want to lose my relationship with my mom, but I feel so hurt and unseen that I’m not sure how to get past it. It’s hard to have a conversation with her even about the weather without thinking in the back of my mind that she is attracted to someone who hurt me intentionally.
I want a magic solution to my problems, which I know doesn’t exist. I’m at my lowest point and I really need some guidance. Please help me navigate this crisis.
— EMOTIONAL IN NEBRASKA
DEAR EMOTIONAL: Did your father abuse your mother as he did you? I’m sorry you didn’t reveal that in your letter. It’s a mother’s duty to protect her child, and she and your father did eventually separate.
At this point, you are no longer a child. You are now an adult with the ability to protect yourself from anyone who tries to abuse you. You cannot prevent your mother from trying to find happiness, regardless of whether you (or I) think she’s making a mistake. By the way, there is no guarantee that her reunion will be a lasting one.
There’s a price we pay for any decision we make. The price your mother may pay is that she’ll see much less of her offspring. As for you, it may take some sessions with a licensed psychotherapist to emotionally separate from both of your parents and heal. (You should have had therapy after the abuse you suffered when you were younger.)
** ** **
DEAR ABBY: My husband met a couple with whom he wanted to socialize. He’s an extrovert. I’m an introvert. We started spending time with them, but I have never liked them. They are loud, argue constantly and talk over everyone else. I get seriously triggered by their behavior. They drink too much, and the man either passes out on our couch or makes a fool of himself in public.
The problem is my husband still likes socializing with them. I’m fine with him seeing them by himself, but he’s unhappy I won’t go. This couple know how I feel and they keep inviting me. What do I do to meet both my husband’s and my own needs?
— DOWNER IN THE EAST
DEAR DOWNER: You do not have to be available whenever they snap their fingers. What you do to meet your needs (as well as your husband’s) is see this obnoxious couple less often than he does.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). In the same way a house can retain the emotional atmosphere of the people who lived there, environments absorb energy over time. You become more aware of which spaces nourish your spirit and which leave you feeling tired.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Yes, the good answers feel right and actionable. But you’re also open to the wild-card solution that defies logic, yet inexplicably works. So switch off your reasonableness and let the intuition have a go at this.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). It would be pretty silly to define yourself only by a temporary setback, especially considering the positive contributions you’ve already made. You are generally moving toward deeper kindness and wisdom. Stay trained on that benevolent North Star.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). You’ll receive the best kind of compliment — one that identifies your essence. This isn’t about stating the obvious on the surface of you; rather, someone speaks to the quality of your character and your way of being in the world.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). The return to known territory restores you. It’s as though you’re pulling up in a familiar driveway. The minute the tires touch this sacred pavement, your body relaxes. Yes, you are in a safe place — a place like home.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Pondering “who am I?” too much doesn’t help a person to know themselves better. Because who you are isn’t contained inside a thought process. It’s proven in action. Do the verb and let the noun take care of itself.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). The chemistry between people can be a weather system. The mere presence of someone changes the mood. Today, someone seems exciting to get to know, and there’s no reason to do that too quickly. Draw it out.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Remember when you felt pressured to make a choice, then later looked back to see many potential options you didn’t initially notice? Don’t accept the options others lay out for you as though they are the only ones.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Today points you toward a counterintuitive idea: Sometimes a goal fails not because it’s too ambitious, but because it’s actually too small for the reality surrounding it. Don’t respond to obstacles by shrinking the dream.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Travel expands you in a way that can’t be duplicated through any other experience. The place that calls to you will give you just what you need. Once you dedicate yourself to the idea, the financial part will work out.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). For you, connecting with people is not a “set it and forget it” situation. You continue to build rapport with every interaction. And when the interactions are scant, you initiate the next one. It’s why you’re popular.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). One of the best ways to know another person is to walk beside them, listening openly and sharing whatever insights naturally arise. And if no words come, let your heart do the talking in its silent love language.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (June 27). It’s your Fairytale Year in which you’re the hero who must answer riddles, persist through tests and prove your true heart before entering a wondrous realm. More highlights: You’ll be shown deep affection, and more than one person goes out of their way to make you happy. You’ll make money among friends. You’ll move steadily toward a lofty goal you’ll reach years from now. Scorpio and Aquarius adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 6, 17, 20, 4 and 50.
The Flyers traded down in the first round of the 2026 NHL draft to select Maksim Sokolovskii, a massive left-handed defenseman from the London Knights, at No. 27 overall.
Here are five things to know about the newest Flyers prospect:
1. Tallest prospect in the NHL draft
At 6-foot-7, Sokolovskii was the second-tallest player in the Ontario Hockey League last season, and tied for the tallest prospect in the 2026 draft class. He’s even taller than the Sixers’ 2026 first-round pick, Labaron Philon Jr., who is 6-foot-3.
2. He is Kazakh-born
Sokolovskii was born in Petropavl, Kazakhstan. He is just the third player born in Kazakhstan to be drafted in the last 20 years, and if he makes his NHL debut, would be just the 14th Kazakh-born player to play in the league. However, Sokolovskii was raised in Yekaterinburg, Russia.
3. He’s committed to the University of Maine
But you won’t see Sokolovskii suit up for the Black Bears next year. The defenseman spent last season as a rookie in the OHL with the London Knights, who also developed Denver Barkey and Oliver Bonk. He’s committed to start playing college hockey in 2027-28, and will return to London for another season in the OHL.
4. He’s played in Philly before
Development camp won’t be Sokolovskii’s first time playing at a Philly-area rink. In May 2024, he played in the World Selects Invitational, an annual tournament hosted in the area for top youth teams from around the world. At the tournament, he was teammates with fellow 2026 draft prospect Egor Shilov, who could go in the second round.
5. He started playing hockey at age 6
Sokolovskii told The Inquirer that he first got on skates at age 6, after his mom saw an advertisement encouraging parents to sign their kids up for a learn-to-play program. She dropped him off at the rink, and his hockey career took off from there.
ATLANTIC CITY — The Flyers were on the clock at 21, and then they weren’t, because they were confident they knew they could get their guy at 27.
Did they sweat a little bit when a trade was announced, and the Montreal Canadiens, who were at No. 28, moved up to No. 26? Yes. But they breathed a sigh of relief when Montreal took Russian winger Gleb Pugachyov, and they were able to get their in 6-foot-7¼ left-shot defenseman Maksim Sokolovskii.
“It’s my dream. It’s the dream [of] every hockey player,” Sokolovskii told The Inquirer at the scouting combine about being drafted. He added he would be happy if it happened in the first round, but he knew it was only the first step. “Just keep working, help my team.”
The Flyers moved down to 27 by trading the 21st pick to the San Jose Sharks. They also got the 62nd (second round) and 120th (fourth round) selections in the swap. For Day 2, they now have two picks in the second round, including No. 53, one in the fourth, fifth (136), and seventh (213).
As detailed in our final mock draft, Sokolovskii fits the archetype of player the Flyers like to select in the draft. He is well over 6-foot, tough, and competitive, and he plays for London of the Ontario Hockey League. Forward Denver Barkey and defenseman Oliver Bonk were also drafted out of the program run by the Hunters, Mark and Dale, who president Keith Jones knows very well.
But here’s one difference: He’s not someone who needs to work on his skating too much.
“When you’re huge, and you can skate, that’s often all that you need for NHL scouts to sort of perk up and start to pay attention,” The Athletic’s NHL draft and prospects reporter Scott Wheeler told The Inquirer at the NHL scouting combine.
“He was much better in the second half; you could see him figuring it out. … You want that [big] guy to be mean and punishing, and he’s got a little bit of that.
“But it’s the skating. If he couldn’t skate, it would be a major red flag at that size, but because he can skate, teams get excited about that.”
He worked on his skating with Alex Antropov, who was also his coach for D13, a team from Russia that played in the World Selects Invitational in Voorhees in May 2024. He brought that strong base with him when he was 16 years old and moved to Massachusetts to play for Atlantic Coast Academy.
“He’s 6-foot-8, and he skates like he’s 5-foot-8,” Mike Taylor, the program’s owner and one of Sokolovskii’s coaches, told The Inquirer recently. “… He came here, and I had a skating coach once a month come up and do power skating with our guys, and he does it like with UMass Amherst, and all these other schools.
“And he saw him skate, and he’s like, ‘Oh my God.’ He couldn’t believe how good his edge work was, and stuff, for being the size that he is.”
Sokolovskii has some bite on the ice, likes to be physical, throw the body around, and plays tough. He is considered a shutdown defender right now, as evidenced by his only eight points (two goals, six assists) in 44 regular-season games with London. But Taylor says there is an untapped offensive dimension to his game — as seen from his numbers at Atlantic Coast (84 points in 65 games) — and he even used him at the net-front on the power play.
The consensus is that his game improved as he got more comfortable in the OHL. By the end, he was on the second pair and played big minutes in the playoffs, notably shutting down 2025 fifth overall pick Brady Martin.
“The one thing that really stood out, I think, was the progression that he showed throughout the season,” Flyers general manager Danny Brière said. “When we saw him early in the season, we thought this could be a late pick for us, and then it seemed every month he just kept getting better and better, and figuring out the game more and more. So that was interesting to the point where he’s going to be a first-rounder, and to be able to move back, get some draft capital, and still get him, it feels like it was the right thing to do.”
Maksim Sokolovskii (No. 17) tied forward Brooks Rogowski for the tallest players measured at this year’s combine.
But like most in the draft class, Sokolovskii has his warts, and there are question marks surrounding his game, specifically his decision-making and puck play. He told The Inquirer at the NHL scouting combine that he wants to keep working on his foot speed. He’ll need some time to grow into his game, and the Flyers have the time for that.
“We see him as a big physical force as a defenseman [who] is going to be tough to face,” Brière said. “There’s a lot that needs to come obviously. The way our development has worked the last few years, we feel confident that it’s going to come. We know there’s a lot of work to be done, but there’s things that you can’t teach, and there’s things that you can’t change; he’s still going to be 6-foot-7 in two years from now, and the internal physicalness that he has as well is something you can’t really teach.
“That comes naturally to him, so that’s a big plus, and the rest of his game has to round out, no doubt about it. But the progression that we saw this season leads us to believe that he’ll be able to make it to the NHL.
Sokolovskii will be returning to London in September and is committed to the University of Maine for 2027. Most compare the Kazakhstan-born and Russian-raised blueliner to fellow 6-7 defenders Nikita Zadorov of the Boston Bruins and Logan Stanley of the Buffalo Sabres. He’ll add Victor Hedman, who is also 6-7. “But I want to be better,” he told The Inquirer.
Sokolovskii’s name was mentioned to this reporter at the combine as someone the Flyers were interested in, and some pundits think this is their guy. Ultimately, where there was smoke, there was fire, as the Flyers selected him at the end of Round 1.
A man was fatally shot in a car Friday night in West Philadelphia during a possible transaction arranged online, police said.
The shooting happened around 8:40 p.m. on the 800 block of North Palm Street, police said. The man was taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
A woman and two young children who also were in the car may have been injured by broken glass caused by the gunfire, Inspector D.F. Pace said.
The man, who was not identified, was possibly in the area as part of a transaction arranged through Facebook Marketplace, Pace said.
No other details about the shooting were immediately available.
NEW YORK — Zack Wheeler stood on the mound, looked out to center field, and, well, LOL.
For real. He laughed out loud.
How else was the Phillies ace supposed to react? Given the level of ridiculousness of the catch that Derek Hill just made — sprint to the warning track, perfectly timed leap, hang in the air, and reach over the wall to take a two-run homer away from Mets star Juan Soto — even super-intense Wheeler couldn’t stifle a chuckle.
“I mean,” Wheeler said later, “that won us the game right there.”
Well, technically, it would take Trea Turner‘s go-ahead single — which drove in Hill, by the way — in the seventh inning to decide the Phillies’ 2-1 victory Friday night. Maybe that was because it took a while for them to pick up their jaws from the turf after Hill’s first-inning catch, which was every bit as good as home-run robberies get.
So, you bet Wheeler laughed. And right fielder Brandon Marsh chest-bumped with Hill. In the dugout, players tipped their caps. Some even went to watch it again between innings.
“I had a pretty good view, and that was unbelievable,” interim manager Don Mattingly said. “The replay was almost even better.”
Said Marsh: “Probably one of the best catches I’ve ever seen … in person, for sure.”
The Phillies won their fourth game in a row and, at 46-36, climbed to a season-high 10 games over .500 after a 9-19 start. They also deepened their rival’s misery. The Mets fired manager Carlos Mendoza, then dropped their seventh straight game while fans chanted to fire president of baseball operations David Stearns.
But there’s no telling how much differently the series-opener would have gone if not for Hill’s catch.
Staked to a 1-0 lead on Bryce Harper’s single, the third consecutive hit to begin the game against Mets rookie lefty Zach Thornton, Wheeler gave up a leadoff single to Carson Benge before throwing an 0-2 fastball to Soto.
“Honestly, I ain’t got much on that,” he said. “I just kind of blacked out on it. Just kind of pure instinct and whatnot. But I knew I had a chance because the wind was kind of knocking things down a little bit. Marshy was giving me some good comms on the side, letting me know where the wall was.”
Ever made a catch like that before?
“Not quite like that one,” Hill said. “Minor leagues and stuff like that a couple times, but no, this atmosphere was a little different. And obviously the guy [Soto] I did it against makes it a little bit cooler.”
Everything, it seems, is going Hill’s way. When he lost a fly ball in the twilight in the sixth inning, Marsh raced over from right field to catch it.
“I just see him coming across like a freaking bull,” Hill said. “I didn’t see it at all until it hit his glove. I was like, ‘Oh, cool. Thanks, dog.’”
Bryce Harper drove in the Phillies’ first run with a single in the first inning Friday.
Consider it the cherry on top of a charmed week for Hill, acquired by the Phillies two weeks ago from the White Sox after right fielder Adolis García tore the lat muscle near his right shoulder and needed season-ending surgery.
Hill came up as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning Wednesday night in Washington, and down to his last strike, smashed a go-ahead two-run homer to fuel a 5-4 victory.
One night later, he came off the bench and picked up two hits, including a two-run homer in a five-run ninth inning in a come-from-behind 10-5 victory.
And now this. After taking two runs off the board in the first inning, Hill led off the seventh with an infield single and scored the go-ahead run on a two-out, two-strike single by Turner.
Could the Phillies possibly ask for any more from a part-time player who has bounced from the Tigers to the Mariners, Nationals, Rangers, Giants, Marlins, White Sox, and now Phillies since 2022?
“No, it’s been good,” Mattingly said. “It’s good to see, and he has integrated great with our club. I think just personality-wise, work-wise, he’s professional, the way he goes about his defense, everything. Really good.”
Speaking of which, Turner is percolating after a rough first half. The reigning National League batting champ finished with two hits for the fourth game in a row and is 8-for-20 to hike his average to .235 and his OPS to .625.
If Turner is turning the corner at the plate, he would represent a more impactful addition than anyone the Phillies could get at the trade deadline.
“I think Trea’s fine,” Mattingly said. “I mean, when do we decide that he’s [back]? When he’s getting two hits a night for 10 straight days? He’s getting his hits.”
Wheeler, meanwhile, is rolling in a remarkable comeback after having a rib removed last September to treat thoracic outlet syndrome. In his 12th start, he allowed one run on four hits in seven innings to leave his ERA at 2.03.
But what if Hill doesn’t make that catch?
“It’s the best one I’ve seen in person,” Wheeler said. “I knew [Soto] got it, so I looked back and he’s on a dead sprint towards the wall. I’m like, ‘Man, he’s about to go get this thing.’ Sure enough he did.”
Back in the dugout, Wheeler gave Hill a hug.
“I’m not gonna say it won us the game, but it won us the game,” Marsh said. “It was a special, special play.”
