Ricky Bottalico to Throw First Pitch at 2026 Phillies Opening Day
Get to your seats at Citizens Bank Park early on Thursday. Ricky Bottalico will throw out the first pitch on Phillies Opening Day, along with former Phillies Larry Bowa, Mike…
Get to your seats at Citizens Bank Park early on Thursday.
Ricky Bottalico will throw out the first pitch on Phillies Opening Day, along with former Phillies Larry Bowa, Mike Schmidt, and Greg “The Bull” Luzinski.
Philadelphia will host the MLB All-Star Game on July 14 as part of the nation's 250th anniversary celebration. When Veterans Stadium hosted the Midsummer Classic in 1996, Bottalico was the lone representative for the Phillies.
Mandatory Credit: Al Bello /AllsportBottalico made 37 of his 61 appearances in 1996 before the All-Star Break. His third-year breakout came on the back of a strong curveball to complement his pitch arsenal as a bullpen weapon for the Phillies. He finished the season with 34 saves and a 3.19 ERA.
He pitched for the Phillies in two stints across his 12 major league seasons from 1994-2005 before retiring to the booth. Catch him with Bill Colarulo on Unfiltered from 2pm-6pm on 97.5 The Fanatic.
Schmidt, Bowa, and Luzinski represented the Phillies at the previous All-Star Game in Philadelphia in 1976, the summer America celebrated its bicentennial. Their teammates Dave Cash and Bob Boone also played for the 1976 National League All-Star Team.
The Phillies will begin the 2026 season against the Texas Rangers at Citizens Bank Park on Thursday, March 26 at 4:15pm.
97.5 The Fanatic will broadcast Middays With Marks from Maggie’s on the Waterfront in Northeast Philly as part of the Opening Day festivities before Cristopher Sanchez takes the hill. Follow live sights and sounds from the ballpark on Instagram, Twitter/X, BlueSky, and Facebook.
