PITTSBURGH — The Kenny Pickett era is officially here.
The Pittsburgh Steelers listed their 2022 first-round pick as the starter on the depth chart — ahead of Mitch Trubisky — for Sunday’s game at the Buffalo Bills.
“I don’t want to dump the responsibility of what transpired at Mitch’s feet,” coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday. “That’s not fair to him. He’s played better than that description, but we haven’t. And so in an effort to be better, in an effort to score more points, in an effort to move the ball more fluidly, we decided to go to Kenny in the hope that he would provide a spark for us … not only in terms of our ability to move the ball, but just in terms of energy.
“And so, hopefully, that’s a catalyst for us as we try to move forward and change the outcome of some of these games.”
Pickett will be the first rookie quarterback to start for the team since undrafted free agent Devlin Hodges started six games in the 2019 season.
Searching for a spark, Tomlin inserted Pickett to replace Trubisky at halftime of the Steelers’ 24-20 loss to the New York Jets. Pickett responded by completing 10 of 13 attempts for 120 yards, with three interceptions and two rushing touchdowns.
And even after considering returning to Trubisky because of his familiarity as a former Bills backup, Tomlin is sticking with Pickett as the Steelers enter the toughest stretch of the season beginning Sunday in Buffalo.
“We have no reservations about what Kenny is going to be capable of in terms of schematics,” Tomlin said. ” Obviously we have a level of concern about the environment we’re taking them into, but we have a level of concern about any quarterback that you taking to that environment versus that defense and that venue.
“Kenny has shown us maturity at every point throughout this process. He’s older than most rookies, and that was obviously discussed leading up to the draft process, the things that we valued in him, from a draft perspective: fluid and quick decision making, pro-like anticipation and things of that nature have proven to be true.”
In his regular-season debut, Pickett averaged 9.2 yards per attempt and 13.2 air yards per attempt, well above Trubisky’s season averages of 5.6 yards per attempt and 9.9 air yards per attempt.
“With Kenny in there, we were able to be the aggressor,” tight end Pat Freiermuth said Monday. “Obviously, some mistakes are going to happen, some tipped balls and all that kind of stuff, but we have to continue to work past that and be there for Kenny, especially since he’s a young guy.”
Tomlin said it was ultimately a gut feeling that prompted the switch.
“Mitch’s performance was a component of the decision, but not the only component of the decision, and I just want to be really clear there,” Tomlin said. “Often times the quarterback position gets too much credit, too much blame.”
Added Tomlin: “I don’t know if it’s any one particular thing. It’s just how I felt, how we felt in-game. I think we also talked last week about, how do you know when you’re there? And I said, ‘You just kind of know when you’re there.’ I think that’s probably the perspective that I have on the decision making component of it.”
Prior to entering Sunday’s game, Pickett hadn’t worked with the first-team offense since the preseason, but the Pitt product impressed his teammates with his calm, confident demeanor in the huddle and attitude on the field. Perhaps his most impressive throw came as he completed an 18-yard pass to Freiermuth over the middle on third-and-long as Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams flew unblocked toward him. Pickett got the throw off with pressure in his face and smiled at Williams as he got up from the field.
“He played with swagger,” wide receiver Diontae Johnson said Monday. “When he comes in the huddle, he demands like, ‘Huddle up, come in, listen.’ Everybody respects him. He’s a great player, and he’s young, he’s going to continue to learn and develop. It’s our job to make him look good and help him stay comfortable while he’s out there.”
Pickett, 24, was the first first-round quarterback selected by the Steelers since the organization picked Ben Roethlisberger in 2004.
The Steelers (1-3) drafted Pickett 20th overall with the intention of eventually making him the franchise quarterback, but he entered the preseason as the No. 3 quarterback on the depth chart behind Trubisky — who was signed in free agency — and longtime backup Mason Rudolph.
Pickett struggled in the early weeks of camp but hit his stride in the first preseason game, when he completed 13 of 15 attempts for 95 yards with two touchdowns — including a game-winning drive against the Seattle Seahawks. He finished the preseason with an 80.6 completion percentage and averaged 7.3 yards per attempt.
The Steelers, though, were resolute in starting Trubisky because of his veteran experience and leadership, and the team even voted him a captain. He will continue to be a captain and fulfill the responsibilities of the role, including going out for the coin toss, Tomlin said.
Trubisky and the offense struggled through the first 3½ weeks, and their offensive output hovered near the bottom of the league as they averaged 18 points per game.
Though Tomlin preached patience and pointed to encouraging signs of offensive improvement after the Week 3 loss to the Cleveland Browns, he ultimately opted to insert his rookie at halftime of Sunday’s game against the New York Jets.
Pickett, for his part, displayed leadership and confidence after Sunday’s loss and vowed to help pull the offense along.
“I think [I have] a little bit of an edge to me,” Pickett said. “I want that to rub off on everybody. I want us to have an attitude when it’s out there on the field. I’m excited to get back to work, get us back on track.”
Five years ago, Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady became the short-term focal point of concussions in football after his wife disclosed that he has had multiple concussions. Currently, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is the face of concussions in the NFL.
On Monday, Brady addressed the situation in his Let’s Go! podcast. Jim Gray set the table by giving Brady a broad invitation to comment on recent events.
“Notably what’s happened with the concussions and Tua and the changing now of the protocols,” Gray said, via a transcript circulated by SiriusXM. “Tom, what are your thoughts on just what we’ve seen, you had it yesterday in your game with Cameron Brate, he had to leave the game, didn’t appear that he was in a circumstance where he couldn’t play. In fact, I believe he did come back into the game and then was ruled out later. What do you make of what’s gone on here in the past seven days?”
“Well,” Brady said, “I think concussions are a part of contact sports and I think, you know, I watch boxing, I watch UFC, people are knocked out quite a bit. So, you know, that’s part of playing these very physical sports and all of them come with risks associated with it. And I think when you’re an athlete that chooses to do that you’ve got to understand this is part of it. Just like you can injure other parts of your body as well. So, I think my view has always been an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and to do your best you could do to try to be really proactive with your health and to make sure that when you do get injured you can recover as quickly as possible and get your body in the best position possible to give it the best nutrients possible to deal with whatever trauma you kind of come into contact with.”
Gray then asked Brady whether the protocols need to change.
“Well, I think those are all being evaluated, no doubt,” Brady replied. “But, at the same time, I think that, again, I think so much is focused kind of on the aftermath of that. I think what can we do in advance in order to help us athletes be in a position where we can deal with the physical elements of sport? Because you’re not gonna be able to take them out of sports. You know, that’s just not the reality. If you want to play two-hand touch football, there’s not gonna be a lot of people that tune in.
“Concussions, knees, I’d say most athletes would probably rather deal with a concussion than deal with a knee injury, you know? So there’s gonna be knee injuries, there’s gonna be ankle injuries, there’s gonna be concussions, there’s gonna be shoulder injuries. I think that we all kind of jump to these thoughts and conclusions in a short period of time. But at the same time this is just what sports are. And I think you’ve got to take the good with the bad. And I think that no one ever wants to see anyone get hurt. No one ever wants to see anyone injured. No one ever wants to see a concussion. No one ever wants to see an ankle sprain. No one ever wants to see a knee injury. But they happen. I think, how do we deal with them in the best possible way? What are the best practices associated with prevention of them, as well as if you do get them, how do you recover as quickly as possible? So I think that should be really a focus as well. How do you implement those protocols for athletes? And it’s something that we should all think about so we can do a better job of in the future.”
It’s unclear what, if anything, can be done to prevent concussions via nutrition. (Brady’s TB12 guru, Alex Guerrero, at one point was selling a drink that supposedly prevents head injuries.)
On the field, players can protect themselves in a way that minimizes the chances of taking blows to the head. Quarterbacks can get rid of the ball faster, hit the deck voluntarily, or otherwise avoid taking hits.
Brady’s attempt to equate concussions to other injuries is understandable, but it ignores the fact that knee and ankle injuries won’t jeopardize the flow of future football players. Concussions, and the handling of them, can.
Yes, grown men should be allowed to assume the risks associated with participation in contact sports. Indeed, boxing and UFC and other combat-related competitions entails far greater risks of multiple head injuries in a short period of time.
In this regard, football falls victim to its popularity. People pay more attention to head trauma in football than in other sports, because far more people are paying attention to football. And far more people play football at young ages. There’s no billion-dollar college boxing or college UFC or college wrestling industry. But there’s a multi-billion-dollar college football industry, which feeds the NFL. And high-school football feeds college football.
So the NFL, in the hopes of not having the system of developing future great football players collapse upon itself, has shown far greater sensitivity to concussions than other sports. The existence of those other sports doesn’t hinge on the immersion of little kids, adolescents, high-schoolers, and/or college students. The existence of football does.
That’s the difference between football and boxing and the UFC. That’s why the NFL strives to have the best possible protocols for dealing with concussions. The NFL believes it must set a standard that will make parents feel more comfortable (or less uncomfortable) about letting their kids play.
Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen seem to be heading for the end zone: Both have retained divorce lawyers, multiple sources tell Page Six exclusively.
As previously revealed, the couple have been living separately for the past couple months following an epic fight — and they’re now apparently looking at dividing up their multimillion-dollar empire.
“I never actually thought this argument would be the end of them, but it looks like it is,” one source in the know tells Page Six.
“I don’t think there will be any coming back now. They both have lawyers and are looking at what a split will entail, who gets what and what the finances will be.”
Reps for Brady and Bündchen did not respond to requests for comment.
Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen have retained divorce attorneys and are exploring “what a split will entail,” sources say.Getty Images for UCLA Institute
Insiders close to the seven-time Super Bowl champ, 45, and the supermodel, 42 — who have been married since 2009 — say both are very involved in their children’s lives and would share joint custody in any separation.
They share son Benjamin, 12, and daughter Vivian, 9, and Brady is also the father of son Jack, 15, with ex Bridget Moynahan.
Insiders say Brady and Bündchen are committed to their children: Benjamin (from left), Jack — Brady’s son with ex-girlfriend Bridget Moynahan — and Vivian.gisele/Instagram
The couple would likely file for divorce in Florida, as that’s where they are primarily based, legal experts say. Another source who knows the couple confirm they are looking at dividing their assets, which includes a $26 million property portfolio.
From 2021 to 2022, Brady’s estimated overall net worth swelled from $180 million to $250 million. In May, Forbes reported he is now the ninth-highest-paid athlete in the world, with endorsement deals including Under Armour, Sam Adams, Foot Locker and Tag Heuer.
The couple had been building a home on Indian Creek Island, nicknamed “Billionaires Bunker,” in Miami, but construction has halted.
SplashNews.com
The couple also own a condo at 70 Vestry Street in Tribeca.
Peter Aaron
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The Duchess of Sussex resumed her “Archetypes” podcast after the…
As Page Six first reported in December 2020, their most recent property purchase was a $17 million home on Indian Creek Island in Miami, nicknamed “Billionaires Bunker.” They planned to knock down the 5,172-square-foot, five-bedroom mansion on the two-acre lot and build a new one.
But work has recently stalled on the property amid the marital fallout.
Experts say Brady is the ninth-highest-paid athlete in the world, with endorsements to match.Getty Images
The couple also own a condo at 70 Vestry St. in Tribeca, valued at $3.6 million, as well as a $5.7 million property at developer Mike Meldman’s Yellowstone Club in Montana.
Bündchen’s favorite property is believed to be their remote home on the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica, where the family often vacations.
The couple are likely to file for divorce in Florida and divide assets, insiders tell Page Six.gisele/Instagram
Ahead of Hurricane Ian, the pair both fled Tampa, where Brady is playing for the Buccaneers, and went to Miami, where they have been staying apart. Bündchen has been spotted there over the past few days.
A source told us that Bündchen has been staying in the Miami home that she and Brady rented in 2020; it’s not clear where the quarterback was holed up.
A source says Brady and Bündchen were both in Miami but living in separate places during Hurricane Ian.VEM/MiamiPIXX/BACKGRID
Although sources close to Bündchen have stressed that it is “sexist” to say the split is over the model’s issues with Brady reneging on his NFL retirement, the source in the know says, “As with many marriages, it’s not just one thing. Gisele has made it clear that she worried about Tom playing football and that they had had many talks about it.
“But they have had a series of blowups over the past few years, and this time it looks like there’s no going back.”
Bennet Omalu, the famed neuropathologist who discovered Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) in former football players, has advised that Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa “stop playing” football after suffering a concussion last Thursday.
“Tua, my brother. I love you,” Omalu told TMZ. “I love you as much as I love my son. Stop playing. Stop. Hang your helmet and gallantly walk away.”
Tagovailoa was stretchered off the field in Miami’s loss to the Bengals on “Thursday Night Football” after the back of his head crashed into the ground following on a hit by Cincinnati nose tackle Josh Tupou.
The quarterback’s fingers flexed in a “fencing response,” and he remained on the field for nearly 10 minutes before he was carted off and subsequently hospitalized. It came just four days after he appeared wobbly after appearing to hit his head on the field against the Bills.
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) is carted off the field after an injury in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 29, 2022, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, OH. Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesDolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 29, 2022, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, OH. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
“My advice to him is, look, it’s time,” Omalu said. “You’ve suffered severe, long-term permanent brain damage. He seized… If you love your life. If you love your family, you love your kids, if you have kids, it’s time to gallantly walk away. Go find something else to do.
“He should stop. Sometimes money is not more valuable than human life. $20 billion is not worth more than your brain.”
Omalu, who authored the 2018 book, “Brain Damage in Contact Sports,” was the first to identify CTE in the brains of deceased athletes and military veterans.
In December 2015, Sony Pictures produced and released a major Hollywood film titled “Concussion” on Bennet’s life and work. Will Smith played Dr. Omalu in the film.
Dr. Bennet Omalu speaking at a briefing sponsored by Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) on Capitol Hill on January 12, 2016 in Washington, DC. Getty Images
Tagovailoa remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol and has already been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Jets.
In a statement posted to Twitter on Friday, Tagovailoa said he is “feeling much better and focused on recovering” in order to return to action.
DeMaurice Smith, the executive director of the NFL Players Association, has vowed to pursue “every legal option” to investigate a potential protocol violation by the Dolphins concerning Tagovailoa.
Week 4 saw more significant injuries, putting pressure on fantasy football managers to make the right waiver wire moves. With Tyler Allgeier, Mike Boone, Nyheim Hines and more potentially ready to be Week 5 starting options, let’s dig through the top Week 5 waivers, plus the worries, streamers and more.
HEADS UP
Players must be under 60% rostered on Yahoo
Listed in order of preference — I’ll often prioritize potential upside over immediate middling production
No FAB suggestions: It varies wildly by league tendencies and always relative (ex: if you lost your RB1 to injury and there is a clear backup, you’re going to be more aggressive)
Streaming QB and TE are grouped together— their ranking might change slightly once projections/ranks run
Emojis
😤 = I Tried to Tell Ya — players included for several weeks (not much more to add if you don’t want them)
🧐 = Check if Dropped — players whose managers might have cut for other needs or impatient
WORRY REPORT
More DUCKS 🦆 (1-5) = More Concern (woo-hoo!)
Egg 🥚 = 1/2… or about to birth a new concern duck
QUARTERBACK
Trevor Lawrence, JAX 🦆 — The rough weather hurt the passing game and Lawrence’s ability to hold on to the ball (four fumbles). Those negative points and just 174 passing yards led to a down Week 4, but Lawrence was coming off two nice showings against the
A month into the season, nobody is laughing now. The last remaining undefeated team in the league is the 4-0 Philadelphia Eagles, fresh off a comeback victory in the slosh over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. They remain atop my Power Rankings this week, but there are two other 3-1 teams in the NFC East.
The Dallas Cowboys, who have won three straight games with backup quarterback Cooper Rush, and the New York Giants, who somehow find themselves with three victories despite being anything but pleasing to the eyes, are both one game behind the Eagles.
The Cowboys have the look of a team that will stay there, with a big game against Philadelphia on the road looming in two weeks after a tough one with the Los Angeles Rams this week. The Giants don’t have that same look, but coach Brian Daboll deserves a ton of credit for getting this team off to a fast start. We will know a lot more about the Giants this week when they play the Green Bay Packers in London this Sunday.
For now, the top of the division is a combined 10-2, with only the 1-3 Washington Commanders dragging the division down, with two of their losses having come to the Eagles and the Cowboys.
The Eagles are the story for now. They faced the NFL’s best run defense in the Jaguars and ran through them for over 200 yards in the rain. They rallied from 14-0 down to win, 29-21, thanks to a fierce pass rush combined with that run game.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts didn’t put up gaudy numbers, but he again played a big part in the victory, which is why he’s smack dab in the middle of the MVP conversation.
The Cowboys are winning with defense and some timely throws by Rush. But any talk of a quarterback controversy when Dak Prescott is back healthy is absurd. It’s Prescott’s team and the Cowboys will be much better when he’s back.
As for the Giants, they’ve taken the old-school approach to winning, which is running the football and playing sound defense. Thanks to the resurgence of Saquon Barkley, who leads the league in rushing, the Giants have the top-ranked run offense in the league. They are also ninth in scoring defense.
At times, the Giants are ugly to watch. There is no dynamic passing game, but the old-time football has them at 3-1. I doubt they can continue to win without improving the passing game, which could be tough with their top two quarterbacks banged up. But the start deserves praise.
So, for now, let’s hail the NFC East — and especially the Eagles.
Biggest Movers
Rk
Teams
Chg
Rcrd
1
Eagles
After a slow start, they showed how good they are in rallying to beat the Jaguars. They are the clear top team in the league.
—
4-0-0
2
Bills
That was a big-time, comeback victory against the Ravens on the road. That speaks volumes about this team.
1
3-1-0
3
Chiefs
Going to Tampa Bay and beating up on the Bucs gets them back on track after that loss to the Colts. They looked like the Chiefs offense of old in that game.
2
3-1-0
4
Packers
They have to be better than what they showed against the Patriots, or they won’t be winning games against better teams down the road. The run defense isn’t good right now.
—
3-1-0
5
Dolphins
The Tua Tagovailoa situation clouds their fast start. It’s Teddy Bridgewater this week against the Jets, which will be a tougher game than maybe they thought.
3
3-1-0
6
Buccaneers
The defense carried this team the first three weeks, but got beat up against the Chiefs. They haven’t played a complete game yet.
—
2-2-0
7
Vikings
At 3-1, they are in first place after a victory over the Saints in London. The good news is they got Justin Jefferson back on track. The defense, though, has to be better.
4
3-1-0
8
Cowboys
Cooper Rush has done a great job in place of Dak Prescott as the Cowboys have won three straight. The defense is carrying the team.
5
3-1-0
9
49ers
That defense is outstanding, even with guys missing time. DeMeco Ryans is doing a great job, and they looked like a playoff team against the Rams.
6
2-2-0
10
Rams
They just don’t look good right now. Matt Stafford isn’t playing well behind a bad offensive line and they lack playmakers not named Cooper Kupp.
3
2-2-0
11
Ravens
Their defense is awful right now, which limits their chances to win. That is not a Ravens team we’ve come to expect.
3
2-2-0
12
Titans
They’ve won two straight in typical Titans fashion: Using their toughness. They have righted things since that Bills debacle.
4
2-2-0
13
Bengals
They evened up their record by beating Miami, but now face a big division game at Baltimore. They still don’t seem to be clicking on offense just yet.
5
2-2-0
14
Jaguars
They showed well early against the Eagles, but then fell apart. Trevor Lawrence has to be better, and really has to do a better job of taking care of the football.
5
2-2-0
15
Chargers
They did some good things on offense against the Texans, bouncing back from that Jaguars loss. They still need to be better on defense.
5
2-2-0
16
Giants
At 3-1, they are one of the early surprises of this season. They don’t win pretty, but they find a way. The quarterback injuries are concerning.
7
3-1-0
17
Browns
The injuries have impacted their defense, but they had their chances against the Falcons. Now 2-2, they haven’t looked like a playoff team yet.
5
2-2-0
18
Broncos
At 2-2, they haven’t come close to looking like the team many expected. They’ve been just off on both sides of the ball at different times this season.
4
2-2-0
19
Colts
At 1-2-1, they are limping into their Thursday night game with the Broncos. The Jonathan Taylor injury situation bears watching.
2
1-2-1
20
Cardinals
At 2-2, they had to have the road game at Carolina and they got it with an impressive second half. Now they face the league’s top team in the Eagles at home in prove-it game.
1
2-2-0
21
Raiders
They faced a must-win game against the Broncos, and they won it. Maybe that’s the game that gets this team going, but now they get the Chiefs on the road.
4
1-3-0
22
Falcons
At 2-2, they are tied for first place in their division. Give Arthur Smith credit for this team’s start.
4
2-2-0
23
Patriots
They showed a lot of fight against Green Bay after being forced to play Bailey Zappe at quarterback because of injuries. But they are limited in a lot of ways.
3
1-3-0
24
Saints
Injuries have hurt them a lot, but at 1-3 they are one of the early-season disappointments. The good news is nobody is running away with the division.
3
1-3-0
25
Bears
They can’t pass the football or protect their quarterback. That limits what they can do, which looks like it will be a season-long problem.
1
2-2-0
26
Jets
Zach Wilson looked good in his first game back from injury, which is encouraging for the future. Robert Saleh has this team heading in the right direction.
1
2-2-0
27
Seahawks
Geno Smith is playing outstanding football at quarterback. Their offense has become fun to watch. The defense has issues.
4
2-2-0
28
Steelers
It’s Kenny Pickett time now, which is a good thing. But at 1-3, this might be a season for him to learn and grow and not about wins and losses.
6
1-3-0
29
Lions
They are fun to watch since they score a lot, but that defense is awful. They can’t stop anybody, which is going to make for a long season.
1
1-3-0
30
Panthers
The Baker Mayfield experiment just isn’t working. He is playing poorly, and this team could be headed for a coaching change.
1
1-3-0
31
Commanders
They have lost three straight and have looked bad in doing so. Are changes coming, both with starters and coaches?
1
1-3-0
32
Texans
They showed something in coming back against the Chargers, but they aren’t good enough to win games like that. This is going to be a long season.
A protester met the full-force of NFL linebacker Bobby Wagner on Monday night as the Los Angeles Rams hosted the San Francisco 49ers.
At the end of the first half, a man ran onto the field at the Levi’s Stadium carrying a pink flare, temporarily halting play.
While he initially evaded the efforts of stewards trying to stop him, he made the mistake of running towards the Rams defensive bench.
Wagner and teammate Takkarist McKinley saw him coming and, as McKinley tried to grab hold of the protester, Wagner took him down.
Content with his intervention, the 32-year-old walked away as security escorted the man off the field.
“He looked like he wasn’t supposed to be on the field,” Wagner told reporters after the game. “I saw security was having a little problem – so I helped him out.”
NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning seemed to enjoy the takedown as they reacted on ESPN.
“That’s what we’re talking about. Wagner, a veteran. Get him down, now get out and let the guys takeover. Bobby Wagner, a veteran play,” Peyton laughed as he watched a replay of the incident.
Animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere took responsibility for the stunt, with the protester trying to raise awareness of ‘Right to Rescue,’ an affiliate organization that looks to “help the whistleblowers facing prison time for exposing factory farm abuses and rescuing suffering animals.”
Another protester also tried to disturb the game but appeared to be stopped early on.
Direct Action Everywhere posted a picture on Twitter of the two activists after they were released, adding that they were “a bit beaten up but in good spirits.”
It also said the man tackled by Wagner had a burn on his arm, presumably from the flare.
The 49ers went on to dominate the Rams behind a stout defense that had seven sacks and an interception, winning 24-9 to move to 2-2 on the season. The loss also drops the defending champion Rams to 2-2 on the year.
HOUSTON — The Phillies are going to a place they haven’t been to since the bright and shiny days of Jimmy, Chase, Ryan, Cole, Chooch and Big Chuck.
After 10 long seasons of not making the playoffs, 10 seasons that included a full tear down, a rebuild, the end of a long sellout streak, several huge free-agent spending sprees, six managers, three general managers, a change of leadership at the ownership level, a dedication to analytics, the addition of a president of baseball operations, and way too many losses, the Phillies are finally headed back to the postseason.
They clinched a National League wild-card spot with a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros deep in the heart of Texas on Monday night.
Aaron Nola pitched the game of his life. Kyle Schwarber hit the first pitch of the game over the wall in left-center. He hit another homer, his 46th, in the top of the eighth, going back-to-back with rookie Bryson Stott.
Jose Alvarado was spectacular out of the bullpen and when it was over, Phillies players mobbed each other on the field.
October baseball, a regular occurrence from 2007 to 2011 and a stranger since, is back on Philadelphia’s sporting marquee and the longest postseason drought in the NL is over. The Phillies will play their first postseason game since October 7, 2011, the night Roy Halladay left it all on the mound and Ryan Howard blew out his Achilles tendon in a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, on Friday. St. Louis is a potential opponent. So are the Mets. It’ll be a best-of-three series, all to be played on the road because the Phillies will be the lower seed. After 10 years of grim darkness, they aren’t about to complain about the venue.
With their magic number down to one, the Phillies needed a win over the Astros or a Milwaukee loss to gain entry to the postseason.
On the out-of-town scoreboard, the Brewers and Diamondbacks went back and forth on their way to extra innings. The Brewers ended up winning.
But it didn’t matter.
The Phillies took care of their own business.
They walked through the front door, with the longest-tenured member of the team and a newcomer and emotional leader showing them the way.
Nola debuted with the Phillies in 2015. He entered Monday night’s game with 202 career starts, the second most of any active pitcher not to appear in a postseason game. In his 203rd career start, he pitched perfect baseball for 6 2/3 innings, retiring 20 batters in a row, before giving up a pair of singles and leaving the game at 88 pitches. He walked none and struck out nine.
Schwarber came to the Phillies in March on a four-year, $79 million contract and so far has been worth every penny. In just a few months with the team, he became its emotional leader. He also became its home run leader, the league leader for that matter. He led a June renaissance for the team with 12 homers and 27 RBIs. When the Phillies were desperate for a win Saturday night in Washington, Schwarber homered twice. When they were on the cusp of clinching a playoff berth in the 160th game of the season Monday night, he homered twice.
Alvarado’s contribution in recent months has been huge and it was again in the clincher. Manager Rob Thomson asked him to protect a 1-0 lead with two men on base in the seventh and he struck out lefty-hitting Kyle Tucker with a 101-mph sinker. He stayed for the bottom of the eighth and got three more outs. In that inning, he was pitching with a 3-0 lead thanks to the back-to-back homers by Stott and Schwarber against Jose Urquidy in the top of the inning. Zach Eflin, another longtime Phillie who has never been to the postseason, got the final three outs and the first save of his career.
In the biggest win of the season, Thomson pulled Nola at the right time and brought in the right guy from the bullpen. In his own way, Thomson was as clutch as Nola, Schwarber, Stott and Alvarado, both on Monday night and in the big picture.
The Phillies were seven games under .500 when Thomson took over for Joe Girardi in early June. The team quickly turned things around and played itself into playoff contention. Things got a little rocky in recent weeks, but now everything is OK. The Phillies are 65-44 under Thomson, who still wears an interim label, and 87-73 overall.
They are going to the postseason for the first time in a decade.
Through the front door.
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The Philadelphia Phillies became the 12th and final team to clinch a postseason berth on Monday, punching their ticket with a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros. The Phillies will advance to the playoffs for the first time since 2011. That season happened to represent the final year of a stretch that saw them appear in five consecutive playoffs.
In the clinching win, the Phillies got a pair of home runs from Kyle Schwarber, who now has 46 on the season, and right-hander Aaron Nola took a perfect game into the seventh inning. Zach Eflin worked a perfect ninth for his first career save.
It’s fair to write that the Phillies took an unusual route to this point. They started the season poorly under former manager Joe Girardi’s watch, racing out to a 22-29 start before Girardi was fired. Interim skipper Rob Thomson has since guided the Phillies to a 65-44 record. That would prorate to 97 wins over a full season.
The Phillies’ chances appeared to take a major blow when star Bryce Harper was sidelined for two months by an injury. Yet their supporting cast proved good enough to keep them afloat. Indeed, Philadelphia can credit Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto, and Rhys Hoskins, among others, for leading the charge. On the pitching side of things, the Phillies have a strong four-pitcher staff consisting of proven veterans like Nola and Zack Wheeler, along with youngsters Ranger Suárez and Bailey Falter.
The Phillies had been jockeying alongside the Brewers after a rough September that saw them go 11-14. That putrid month included two separate five-game losing streaks that were separated only by a three-game winning streak. In other words, the Phillies lost 10 of 13 games from Sept. 15-29.
The rest of the National League playoff field will feature the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, and San Diego Padres. The Phillies’ win on Monday meant that the Brewers were eliminated despite their win in extras over the Arizona Diamondbacks. That ends a streak of four straight postseason appearances for Milwaukee.
NEW YORK — As the Mets looked to make a last-ditch run at the National League East title, they found both the Braves and local weather patterns blocking their path.
Monday’s series opener against the Nationals was postponed due to a steady rain that fell across the tri-state area throughout the afternoon and evening. The teams plan to make up the game as part of a single-admission doubleheader on Tuesday starting at 4:10 p.m. ET.
Carlos Carrasco and Taijuan Walker will start the doubleheader in some order for the Mets, who entered the week needing to win all three games against the Nationals to have a chance at the NL East title. The Braves would also have to lose all three of their games against the Marlins. After being swept by the Braves over the weekend in Atlanta, the Mets woke up Monday no longer controlling their own fate for the first time all season.
“They understand the reality of what’s behind them and what’s ahead of them,” manager Buck Showalter said.
It remains to be seen if the Mets will be able to play both games on Tuesday, given continued rain in the forecast. But they will try. Beyond their slim hopes at a division title, the Mets still have plenty of reasons to take the field, including keeping players sharp in advance of the Wild Card Series on Friday, and watching Jeff McNeil make a run at the NL batting title.
Assuming the Mets lose the division race, Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer are lined up to start Games 1 and 2 of the Wild Card Series at Citi Field against either the Padres or Phillies. Single-game tickets for those and other potential playoff home games will go on sale Tuesday at 10 a.m. ET.
Tickets for Monday’s game are not valid for Tuesday’s doubleheader. Fans can exchange Monday’s tickets on Tuesday or Wednesday, or to any 2023 home game in April, May or June (excluding Opening Day or the Subway Series). Full ticket exchange information is available at Mets.com/rain.
