Philadelphia Has Surplus of New Stars, Are Phillies Next?
Contributor – Ryan Straub
Philadelphia is beginning to gain a reputation as a city whose sports teams fall just short of their goals. Close but no cigar. Can’t get over the hump. Good, but not great. Whatever phrase you so choose to use, it’s admittedly fair to use for Philadelphia.
Losing the Super Bowl, World Series, and MLS Cup all in one year is just as impressive and difficult to do as winning all three. We all know the Sixers’ recent track history, and the Flyers have lost all six Stanley Cups they’ve been to since winning back-to-back cups 50 years ago in 1974 and 1975.
Despite the constant disappointment, media scrutiny, and social media trolls, Philadelphia remains a hotbed for free-agent acquisitions and a desired destination for players looking to be traded. This is mostly due to the fact that the teams are almost always competitive and have a real shot at winning. This summer specifically has seen Philadelphia add exciting talent for all four major sports teams.
Eagles: Saquon Barkley
The Eagles scored a touchdown in free agency when they signed Barkley to a three-year contract worth $37.75 million, taking him through his age-29 season. From a pure talent perspective, Barkley is the epitome of speed, agility, and athleticism. When healthy, he’s undoubtedly a top-10 running back in the league.
The Pennsylvania native and former Nittany Lion has made himself very familiar to Eagles fans, rushing for 615 yards and 7 touchdowns while averaging 27.8 receiving yards in 9 career games against the Eagles.
Barkley has been very vocal about critics who point out his injury history, saying “That’s BS. “Marcus Allen played until he was 36, 37 years old. Some of the greats that I admire and I look up and study, they played well into their 30s. […] Don’t tell me how long I can play.” Many fans are thrilled about Barkley’s addition to an already-elite offense.
Sixers: Paul George
Much like Barkley being signed to star alongside Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown, George was brought in to coexist with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. He was signed to a four-year, $212 million contract after a year-long plan set forth by Daryl Morey and the front office to use their max contract slot on the former Clipper.
Related: Paul George And The Sixers Agree To 4-Year Max Contract
George averaged 22.6 points per game on 47.1% shooting from the field last season for Los Angeles. His performance in the first round against the eventual Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks raised some questions, and rightfully so. As the main option with Kawhi Leonard sidelined, his average took a dip to just 19.5 points per game on only 41.1% from the field.
While criticizing George’s playoff performances in the past certainly is fair, it doesn’t take away from the fact that he does fit extremely well and will mold nicely with the rest of the roster. It wouldn’t be a hot take to say that this can be the best signing of the Embiid era and that it could be the one to propel them into a deeper playoff run than usual.
Flyers: Matvei Michkov
It was well agreed upon that the Flyers got an absolute steal at No. 7 in the 2023 NHL Draft when they took Russian forward Matvei Mitchkov. He was regarded as a top prospect for the 2023 NHL draft even before he shocked rivals at the IIHF U18 World Championship, where he won MVP in 2021 and put on one of the best age-16 performances ever.
Concerns over his KHL contract and inquiries about when he would join the NHL dropped him off some boards as his draft got closer. On July 1, the Flyers signed the now 19-year-old right winger to a three-year entry-level contract. Mitchkov was widely regarded as the best prospect outside of the NHL.
Last season, Michkov played just one game for SKA Saint Petersburg before being sent on loan to HC Sochi. His 19 goals led the team and his 41 points were good for second. Coming off a season in which the Flyers overachieved so much to the point that they were still in the playoff hunt on the final day of the season, Mitchkov appears to be the perfect guy to center their continued rebuild around.
Phillies: TBD?
The Phillies headed into this year’s all-star break boasting the best record in Major League Baseball at 62-34, also holding an 8.5-game lead over the Atlanta Braves for first place in the NL East. Fans are already ecstatic enough, but a midseason acquisition at the trade deadline may be the cherry on top as the team aims for another deep run into October.
The Phillies’ biggest need as we near the deadline is to figure out what in the world their Centerfield plan is. Johan Rojas struggles at the plate and Christian Pache is a decent fourth outfielder but shouldn’t start as much as he does. Some potential names include Luis Robert from the Chicago White Sox and Jazz Chisolm Jr. from the Miami Marlins, although it’s reported the Phillies are not interested in Chisolm. Another possibility could be Oakland’s Brent Rooker, who is outstanding at the plate but is not the most reliable outfield glove, mostly DH-ing this season.
Regardless, expect the Phillies to be active at the deadline as they might decide going all-in on this season is the best plan of action. They could be the latest of Philadelphia teams to continue the trend of adding a star player this summer.
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Every Philly Athlete On ESPN's Top 100 Of The 21st Century List
78: Bernard Hopkins
Bernard Hopkins did not play for a Philly team, because boxing is not a team sport. But he is actually from Philly, which is even better. Hopkins is the best Boxer in Philly history. He went 55-8-2, 32 wins by KO, and was the oldest ever after he beat Jean Pascal in 2011. He would beat his own record a few years later when he reclaimed that title at 49 years old.
Hopkins is Philly royalty. We might be best known for the fictional boxer that is from Philly, but Bernard Hopkins is a real-life boxing icon we can call our own. His 28-year career saw him break many records, including 20 middle-weight title defenses. What made him extra special was his longevity and his dominance late into his 40s.
When talking about the greatest Philly athletes, there is no way you could leave Hopkins out. His place on ESPN’s list is well deserved.
LAS VEGAS – SEPTEMBER 18: Bernard Hopkins celebrates after winning the match against Oscar De La Hoya for the world middleweight title at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on September 18, 2004 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Hopkins knocked out De La Hoya in the ninth round.
