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There's a lot of anticipation surrounding the Philadelphia Phillies entering the upcoming season.
The quiet winter was a rare one for Dave Dombrowski since he took over as president of baseball operations, but this is a roster that is ready-made to compete for a World Series title regardless of how the last two years have ended in October.
A major reason for that is because Bryce Harper is on this team.
Entering the sixth season of his massive 13-year, $330 million contract he signed ahead of the 2019 campaign, he has lived up to the billing and then some since joining the Phillies with an MVP Award to his name, three Silver Sluggers and two All-Star selections to go along with a World Series appearance and multiple iconic playoff moments.
Harper has repeatedly talked about his love for Philadelphia, and that was evident once again by the new tattoo he got ahead of his arrival to spring camp.
Bryce Harper loves Philly so much that he got a Phanatic tattoo
— MLB (@MLB) February 21, 2025
(via andyoutattoo/IG) pic.twitter.com/Ihxh4dqhIk
Sporting a tattoo of the Phillie Phanatic certainly takes that love to the next level.
"I've been wanting it for a while. Obviously, the Phanatic and Philly mean a lot. But when I think about the Phanatic, it's him on an ATV. I thought it was pretty cool," he said per Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. "I just love Philly. I love the Phanatic. It's just fun."
Harper got his ink from Utah-based artist Hannah Matthews who does fine-line tattoos.
He said he contacted her about recommendations before Matthews said she would do it herself, coming to his house and stamping Harper with the latest love he is showing for the city.
Located on his right wrist, the Phanatic will appear to be driving his ATV to the outfield wall, hopefully following plenty of balls in that direction as Harper puts up another monster season in a Phillies uniform.
"People can kind of see that as I swing. Him driving off my arm, I thought it looked pretty cool," he said.
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Alex Cora appeared to tamper with Kyle Schwarber
Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora appeared to tamper with Kyle Schwarber on Tuesday. Cora’s Red Sox were in the middle of a three-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies, which is why the subject of Schwarber came up. Phillies Nation reporter Destiny Lugardo asked Cora about Schwarber’s upcoming free agency. The Red Sox manager said he would be “very, very intrigued” to see how Schwarber’s free agency plays out. Lugardo took that to mean that Cora will be advocating for the Red Sox to try to sign Schwarber. However, Cora acknowledged that Philadelphia has been great for the slugger. "I hate to say it, but (Philly) is a perfect place for him,” Cora said, via Lugardo. Schwarber, 32, was a trade-deadline acquisition by the Red Sox in 2021. He batted .291 with a .957 OPS in 41 regular-season games with the team. The Red Sox lost in the ALCS that year with Cora as the manager. During that offseason, Schwarber signed a four-year, $79 million contract with the Phillies, which has worked out well. Schwarber has slugged 164 home runs over his four seasons with the Phillies with an .849 OPS. He has been such a good fit with the Phillies that the team might not want to let him go. The problem is, Cora even just describing himself “intrigued” over Schwarber’s free agency may be enough to be considered tampering with a player who is under contract with another team.
Tua Tagovailoa addresses relationship with Tyreek Hill after controversial comments
Shortly after Miami Dolphins players reported for training camp on Tuesday, Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill suggested he wants to be "better as a leader" after he controversially subbed himself out of Miami's regular-season finale this past January and then told reporters he was "out." While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa addressed the Hill-sized elephant in the room. "I think there’s a lot more vulnerability with Tyreek," Tagovailoa explained, as shared by Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. "He’s conversating a lot more with the guys, not just about football, but about things off the field, being vulnerable about some of the things people know about his personal life and things of that nature. I think that’s the first step toward him building true relationships and a real connection with a lot of the guys in there." Following Hill's "out" comment, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier revealed that the 31-year-old speedster never requested a trade. While publicly apologizing to his teammates during a Super Bowl week interview, Hill directly said that Tagovailoa is his "guy." Hill also insisted at the time that he loves Tagovailoa. "Everybody makes mistakes," Tagovailoa added about Hill. "It’s just, some people, they’re in the spotlight, and their deals get pushed out more than some others. So you’ve just got to cut him some grace. That’s our teammate. We love him, but as a person, I think if you get to know him, you’ll love him too." Hill and Tagovailoa likely will need to be on the same page if they want to prevent the Dolphins from going through a franchise reset next offseason. At least head coach Mike McDaniel is reportedly on the hot seat this summer, while Tagovailoa's status beyond the upcoming campaign is up in the air after he suffered a third reported concussion since the fall of 2022 last season. "You guys aren’t the only people that heard that," Tagovailoa said about Hill's "out" statement. "...So when you say something like that, you don’t just come back from that with, 'Hey, my bad.' You’ve got to work that relationship up. You’ve got to build everything up again. It’s still a work in progress, not just for me but for everybody. But like I said, he’s working on himself, he’s working on the things he says he wants to get better with and do better on. So that’s the first step to me, so I commend him for doing that." As of Wednesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the 2024 Dolphins at -275 betting odds to miss the playoffs. Those who believe the relationship between Tagovailoa and Hill is on shaky ground following Wednesday's developments may want to take a flier on such a wager before the odds change later this year.
Yankees Face Big Decision After Luis Gil’s Final Rehab Outing
Was Luis Gil’s latest rehab start a red flag? The New York Yankees right-hander allowed four earned runs on four hits and three walks across 3.1 innings Wednesday night, striking out four on 67 pitches. And yet his might be the end of the 2024 Rookie of the Year’s rehab assignment. Gil told the YES Network’s Meredith Marakovitz that the Yankees were planning to discuss whether he needed another rehab start or if he would return to the big league rotation next. It’s a tough call for the Yankees, who have been very patient through some rotation crises this season. Gil has spent the entire 2025 season on the injured list after a spring training lat strain sidelined him just as he was poised to build off a breakout rookie campaign. In 2024, Gil was one of baseball’s best stories. After being cut early in spring training, Gil forced his way into the rotation and was a surprise contributor who posted a 2.81 ERA, 11-4 record, and 142 strikeouts in 136.2 innings. Gil’s return could help stabilize a Yankees pitching staff rocked by injuries to Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt, both out for the year following elbow surgeries. Now New York is left threading the needle between need and risk. Max Fried and Carlos Rodon have been solid, but both come with injury red flags and are tracking toward career-high workloads. Marcus Stroman has been streaky at best. Will Warren and Cam Schlittler are learning on the fly—and it shows. Gil's stuff still flashes. But Tuesday’s shaky outing raises a concern. Is it too soon to bring him back? If they do, it won’t be the first time desperation meets a short-term bet. But if Gil isn’t all the way back, the Yankees have to hold it together for another week. And if he is ready? The Yankees might be about to get a second-half shot of adrenaline that is better than most trade deadline deals to be had.
NHL Analyst Links Edmonton Oilers Defenseman to Winnipeg Jets for Salary Cap Relief
NHL analyst Jake Tye of The Hockey News believes the Oilers could be in a position to trade Jake Walman for salary-cap relief, and the Jets are a team of interest. The 2026 NHL free-agent class appears to be shaping up to be one of the best ever, with Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel and Artemi Panarin heading up the list. The Winnipeg Jets might have a more grounded and smarter target in Oilers defenseman Jake Walman. At 29, the native from Toronto has become a consistent-scoring offensive defenseman with 50-point upside over a full season. A year ago, he posted 0.61 points per game in the regular season and held a 0.45 average over Edmonton's Stanley Cup Final run, with his play being especially beneficial in crucial moments. Picked in the third round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues, Jake Walman was initially viewed as an upper-end, Adam Fox-caliber defenseman. He was traded to Detroit, where he was part of a deal that had him, Oskar Sundqvist, and a second-round pick go to Detroit for Nick Leddy and Luke Witkowski. There, he compiled 43 points in 145 games, showing glimpses of attacking flair. A cap-clearing deal then shipped him off to San Jose, where a larger role saw him tally 32 points in 50 games and make him an important asset in no time. Edmonton knocked on his door, acquiring him before his Cup journey, with him contributing 10 points in 22 games. Walman has just one year remaining on his contract Now with a year remaining on his $3.4 million contract and cap concerns for the Oilers, Walman could be on the open market sooner than later. 'With just one year left on his contract at $3.4 million and the Oilers facing cap constraints, Walman could be on the move again. He's drawn comparisons to Ryan McDonagh as another defenceman who thrived in a bottom-pairing role on a championship team. Like McDonagh with the Lightning, Walman combines solid two-way play with enough offensive upside to make a real impact. If he hits the open market or the Oilers are looking to move him, Walman could be a smart pickup for a team like Winnipeg as an option alongside Luke Schenn on the bottom pair and would work as cost-effective help on the backend with playoff aspirations in mind.' - Jake Tye His blend of solid two-way play and potential on offense makes him a cost-efficient depth signing for a contender like Winnipeg seeking blue-line help, per NHL analyst Jake Tye.
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