Sent down, but not out | Sports Daily Newsletter

Garrett Stubbs said he was not surprised Thursday when the Phillies told him they were sending him to triple A. The 31-year-old catcher had a minor league option remaining and Rafael Marchán did not.

So Marchán will start the season as J.T. Realmuto’s backup and Stubbs will head to Lehigh Valley after three seasons and three playoff runs. Stubbs’ .222 batting average in that time was far from anything special, but his impact off the field might have been.

He was known as the guy who handled the locker room playlist and led the postseason partying, but Stubbs also took part in daily pregame scouting meetings with the pitchers, Realmuto, and pitching coach Caleb Cotham. Stubbs also mentored Marchán, the guy who will replace him.

Preparing for life as an IronPig, Stubbs says he plans to work with young pitchers and bring the Phillies’ approach with their major league staff down to triple A. Sounds like a coaching career is in the formative stages.

— Jim Swan, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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When news of Jalyx Hunt being fined by the NFL for celebrating a sack of Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl became public, the Eagles rookie looked to quell the small uproar and encouraged fans who wanted to pay his fine to donate to a cause instead. He suggested the nonprofit Barbers Who Care, which was raising money for Boys’ Latin students to take out-of-state visits to colleges. They not only ended up with the money they needed, but now they’ll be doubling the attendance on the college trip to 80 students.

It was unfortunate timing for Travis Long when in 2014 he was on the verge of making the Eagles roster and suffered a torn ACL in a preseason game. The odd man out of Chip Kelly’s team might have been Brandon Graham. We know how Graham’s story ended. For Long, he never played in an NFL regular-season game, but he found happiness living in Spokane, Wash., with his family and he has good memories of Graham.

While Graham is no longer a part of the Eagles defense, one newcomer looking to lend his experience is cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, who’ll compete for a starting job and isn’t looking at it as a prove-it deal.

Not much is going right for the Flyers these days.

The team has lost eight of nine games and top scorer Travis Konecny has one goal in his last 22 games. Add an injury to Rasmus Ristolainen to the list, as the Flyers announced that the defenseman, who hasn’t played since March 11, is now “week-to-week” with an upper-body injury.

Flyers fans looking for a positive can point to the development of young winger Bobby Brink. The 23-year-old, who often found himself in John Tortorella’s doghouse last season, has made significant strides this season to earn his head coach’s trust.

On the ice, the Flyers’ struggles continued as they lost 3-2 to Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. Ovechkin scored his 888th career goal on Thursday night.

Six seasons down, six (at least) to go after this year, the Bryce Harper Era has been an unequivocal success. The Phillies increased their full-season win total from 81 in 2019 to 82 in 2021, 87 in 2022, 90 in 2023, and 95 last year. They made the playoffs three years in a row for only the third time in franchise history, went to a World Series, and won an NL East crown.

Harper won an MVP award, bashed a pennant-clinching homer that will be remembered forever, made the fastest return on record from Tommy John elbow surgery, and changed positions, moving from right field to first base. And yet …

“We haven’t got the main goal done,” Harper said. “We haven’t checked that one off.” Harper discussed his chances for longevity, and more, in a wide-ranging interview with The Inquirer.

Held out of playing the outfield this spring after injuring his shoulder during winter ball, Johan Rojas returned to center field on Thursday and looked like his old self.

Next: The Phillies play two split-squad games today, one at home against Minnesota and in Dunedin, Fla., against the Blue Jays. Zack Wheeler will start against the Twins and Joe Ross will start against Toronto.

Daryl Morey had to know scrutiny would come after his talk at a sports analytics conference at MIT when he discussed using artificial intelligence to help in evaluations. Former Sixers forward Marcus Morris, who rarely speaks to the media, tore into Morey, questioning his approach to running a team and pointing out several of the Sixers president’s past misdeeds. He blatantly said, “I don’t trust Daryl Morey,” almost quoting James Harden’s famed rebuke of the team executive. So, can Morey be trusted? Keith Pompey looks deeper into the list of players who have had run-ins with Morey, including Harden, Chris Paul, Patrick Beverley, and PJ Tucker.

Here are our Philly fan photos for this week. Want to be included? Submit photos with a Philly sports theme here for the opportunity to be featured.

We asked: Which team do you have winning it all in your NCAA bracket? Among your responses:

Men’s side, I’m hoping St John’s, but will probably be Florida or Auburn. Women’s side hoping for Connecticut or South Carolina, but won’t be upset if it’s USC. JuJu Watkins is so much fun to watch. — Bill M.

I think the Auburn Tigers will go all the way, but I will be rooting for our Univ of Arizona Wildcats. Sure miss those days when Jay Wright and the Villanova Wildcats went all the way. — Everett S.

In our latest episode of unCovering the Birds, Jeff McLane and broadcaster Mike Quick reflect on the Eagles’ Super Bowl triumph and explore strategies for the offseason to begin another championship run. Listen here.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Scott Lauber, Lochlahn March, Keith Pompey, Jackie Spiegel, Olivia Reiner, Matt Breen, Jeff Neiburg, Jeff McLane, Isabella DiAmore, Devin Jackson, Jonathan Tannenwald, and Marcus Hayes.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

Thanks for reading. That closes the book on another week of Sports Daily. I’ll see you in Monday’s newsletter. — Jim