Philadelphia fans are used to seeing Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith catch things: He's topped 1,000 yards receiving in three of the past four years and has 31 touchdown catches to his name. What they haven't seen him do is crush homers, something they'll get a chance to see at MLBx: All-Star 3-on-3 on July 12 at Citizens Bank Park.
The Eagles receiver -- who has at least some experience swinging the stick, having hosted a charity softball game for five years -- will join Ryan Howard and Alyssa Brito as they attempt to win the event against teams led by Shane Victorino, Jimmy Rollins and Braves Hall of Fame outfielder Andruw Jones.
"I’m looking forward to getting out there and competing in a different sport," Smith said. "Philadelphia fans know how much I love representing this city, so getting the chance to team up with Ryan Howard at Citizens Bank Park is going to be a lot of fun. Hopefully we can bring home another win for Philly.”
A modified home run derby, MLBx rewards players for defensive catches and home runs -- something that will surely help Smith stand out. Players can also earn their teams bonus points by collecting bonus points by hitting balls through the center-field target beyond the outfield fence or calling for a hot streak of five balls where offensive and defensive points count double. At the end of the game, the team with the most points win.
For tickets and more information, go to AllStarGame.com. Follow @mlbxofficial or visit MLB.com/MLBx for the latest updates.