Bedlam at the Bank ⚾ | Sports Daily Newsletter

Zack Wheeler will go into his windup at 4:08 p.m. Saturday to begin the NL Division Series against those pesky Mets and the madness that is Red October at Citizens Bank Park will begin anew.

The music will be cranking at high volume and Phillies fans will be in full throat, whipping their red rally towels as the playoff atmosphere reaches a fever pitch. An opposing manager once told manager Rob Thomson that playing at the Bank in those conditions is “four hours of hell.”

John Middleton, the Phillies’ managing partner, is proud of that wacky atmosphere. “People are dressed in red, they’re waving the towels. It’s a frenzy. It really is,” Middleton says. “I’ve been to bullfights in Spain. Nothing like our fans. I’ve been to soccer games in Europe. But I think Red October may just be the single best sporting event to watch in person of any sport of any team anywhere. It’s spectacular.”

We know that the fans at the Bank will bring it. The Phillies lost their last two playoff games there in 2023, so it’s up top them now to match the madness.

⚾ Where the Phillies stand: The No. 2 seeds in the National League playoffs, the Phillies will open the best-of-five NL Division Series against the Mets on Saturday at 4:08 p.m. (Fox29).

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

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

Bryce Harper loves to sport themed apparel on the field, but one of his choices earned a reprimand from Major League Baseball. The Phillies slugger told Front Office Sports that MLB fined him for wearing a Wawa-themed headband and cleats in a game. Harper was fined for improper advertising. “Obviously I understand why,” he told the outlet, “but also I think kids love it.”

The Mets are a familiar foe. Despite the Phillies having more talent, New York has cobbled their lineup together out of the ashes of the largest and most inefficiently distributed payroll in the majors. And yet, because the Mets have nothing to lose, there’s reason for the Phillies to be a little scared of their NL East rival ahead of Saturday’s Game 1, columnist David Murphy writes.

Spencer Turnbull has not pitched in a game since June 26 because of a sore shoulder but is rounding into form for the postseason. Now it’s a question of whether he makes the playoff roster.

The bye week gives us a chance to evaluate the Eagles as a team and reset expectations. Marcus Hayes hands out grades, and for the coach and quarterback, they need improvement.

EJ Smith revisits the Eagles’ biggest questions headed into the season, and how they’ve answered them has been a mixed bag.

Jeff Neiburg ranks the difficulty of the games throughout the rest of the season. It’s an easier schedule, but there are some tough tests to come.

Next: After their bye week, the Eagles will host the Browns on Oct. 13 at 1 p.m. (Fox29).

The 76ers have often faced a predictable fate during the Joel Embiid era. Each season starts with high expectations and ends in disappointment when the Sixers star goes down with an injury. There have been some times when Embiid suffers a freak accident (fractured orbital bone), but he often goes down with a knee injury of some sort.

With that in mind, Embiid is taking it easy this year. He’s aware of this cyclical nature and has even decided not to scrimmage at Sixers training camp. “I think I’m slowly building back up,” Embiid said of his knee. “I think that’s the main thing, slowing building back up. And go from here.”

What a difference a year can make. At this time last year, Sam Ersson was considered an underdog to Felix Sandström in the training camp battle to make the Flyers roster. This year, Ersson enters the season as the unquestioned starter. But Ersson says he’s not planning on changing anything despite the added pressure that comes with being the No. 1 guy.

“For me, my mindset stays the same. I know, like, whatever is said, nothing is given. You have to earn it still,” Ersson told The Inquirer. “I’m going into it with that kind of mentality. It doesn’t change for me from last year.”

Can Ersson, who turns 25 later this month, handle a load that John Tortorella predicts will be around 55 to 60 games? That’s one of the biggest questions surrounding the Flyers as they embark on their season.

Next: The Flyers open their season next Friday against the Canucks in Vancouver (10 p.m., NBCSP).

Here are our Philly fan photos for this week as part of our Friday lineup. To keep this feature going, we’ll need you to keep submitting photos with a Philly sports theme. Send your photos here for the opportunity to be featured.

Here’s a place to access your favorite Philadelphia teams’ statistics, schedules, and standings in real time.

Also check out a fun new game we call Bird Box to test your knowledge of Eagles players past and present.

In this week’s episode of unCovering the Birds, Jeff McLane breaks down the Eagles’ tough 33-16 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, sparking renewed speculation about the relationship between head coach Nick Sirianni and quarterback Jalen Hurts. With the team sitting at an uneven 2-2, Jeff examines where the blame lies and what it means for the Eagles moving forward. Tune in for an insightful discussion on the challenges ahead! Listen now.

We asked you: What’s your favorite in-stadium food? Among your responses:

Bull’s turkey legs. — Gene T.

I watch from 2,300 miles away the fans eating all that very inviting looking food, but know that none of it can be considered healthy. And of course in my younger days I ate plenty of it. — Everett S.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Alex Coffey, David Murphy, Jeff McLane, Marcus Hayes, EJ Smith, Jeff Neiburg, Olivia Reiner, Jackie Spiegel, Keith Pompey, Avery Hill, Aaron Carter, and Stephanie Farr.

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.

Have a great weekend and thanks for reading. Devin will be at the newsletter controls on Monday. — Jim