97.5 The Fanatic Phillies Notebook: All Eyes On The Brightest Star

The Philadelphia Phillies reached the All-Star Break (which is actually way beyond the midway point of the MLB season) with the best record in baseball.

Eight players on the roster received selections for the National League, and six made the trip to Arlington, Texas. However, Bryce Harper unsurprisingly found his way in front of the cameras more than anyone after his eighth MLB All-Star Game selection.

Hardcore fans of the sport might not love the light competition in the MLB All-Star Game. However, Bryce Harper understands the purpose of the midsummer classic better than anyone.

The sport’s greatest superstar lives for spotlight moments. Look no further than his preplanned soccer slide during the MLB London Series or his constantly changing themed wardrobe.

Harper made the rounds in Arlington, Texas during the All-Star festivities. An interview in a cowboy hat, a pregame appearance on the Fox broadcast, and a mic’d up segment were all part of the sport’s showcase.

All three Phillies position players got one hit for the National League. All three pitchers left the game with a scoreless stat line.

The National League lost to the American League for the 10th time in 11 tries, but the loaded group of Phillies made their contributions and had fun doing it.

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Alec Bohm also participated in the Home Run Derby on Monday night. He entered with the fewest home runs of any contestant and longshot odds to win.

The MLB leader in doubles showed his longball power with a respectable performance. He reached the semifinals before a narrow loss against the eventual champion Teoscar Hernandez.

The Phillies picked 20 players at the 2024 MLB Draft in Fort Worth this week. They spent the 27th-overall selection on outfielder Dante Nori from Northville High School in Michigan.

Nori hit .477 with an outrageous 1.323 OPS during his senior season to bring his school its first-ever state championship. Phillies Assistant General Manager Brian Barber offered insight in the organization’s official press release about the newest first-round prospect.

The Phillies selected outfielder Griffin Burkholder from Freedom High School in Virginia with the 63rd-overall pick to finish the first day of the MLB Draft. Rounds 3-20 took place on Monday and Tuesday.

The slowest week on the sports calendars drives fans crazy. It’s almost over, and soon you’ll have the best team in baseball back on your television.

The Phillies will travel to PNC Park to face the Pittsburgh Pirates for a three-game weekend set beginning on Friday night.

Rookie phenom Paul Skenes pitched a scoreless first inning for the NL All-Stars on Tuesday. He’ll have four full days rest before the series finale on Sunday. The Pirates haven’t announced their plans for the starting rotation this weekend.

The Pirates selected Skenes with the first-overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. The 6-foot-6 righty has averaged 99.1 miles per hour on his fastball in 11 starts this season.

He’s pitched 66 ⅓ innings with a 1.90 ERA and a microscopic 0.92 WHIP. Skenes has helped breathe life into a Buccos team that has treaded water at 48-48 and stayed alive in the NL Central.

Expect to see plenty of Phillies fans head west on the Pennsylvania Turnpike to PNC Park, a great stadium that offers the chance to experience the rest of the city on a weekend trip.

Whether the younger generation of fans realizes it or not, the cross-state matchup used to be an exciting MLB rivalry.

Related Content: The Forgotten Rivalry in Philadelphia Phillies History