Phillies give 4 former players their 'Moonlight' moment in ode to Field of Dreams

PHILADELPHIA -- The Phillies kicked off the week leading up to the 2026 MLB at Field of Dreams Game in fitting fashion on Sunday afternoon, when they gave four former players their "Moonlight" moment.

For those unfamiliar with the movie -- or the history of the real-life player -- Archibald "Moonlight" Graham is famous for his unique big league career. Graham reached the Majors in 1905 and though he got into one game, he never recorded a big league at-bat.

Graham's lone MLB appearance came with the New York Giants on June 29, 1905, when he entered a blowout against the Brooklyn Dodgers late in the game. He played one inning in right field but never stepped to the plate.

In "Field of Dreams," however, Graham is one of the central characters who Ray Kinsella -- played by Kevin Costner -- recruits to play on his makeshift baseball field on a farm in Iowa. Graham finally gets that elusive plate appearance, driving in a run with a sacrifice fly.

So, with the Phillies set to take on the Twins on Thursday at the "Field of Dreams" movie site in Dyersville, Iowa, they invited back four former players who reached the Major Leagues but never got into a game. In an ode to the 1989 classic, those four players -- pitchers Jeff Singer and Tim Lahey, catcher Tim Gradoville and infielder Will Toffey -- finally took a big league field on Sunday.

Each player was presented with the special-edition Field of Dreams uniform, then introduced during a pregame ceremony before throwing out a first pitch in front of a packed crowd at Citizens Bank Park.

Considering they've all been away from the sport for at least a few years, they were all caught off guard when first approached with the idea. In Lahey's case, he last played professionally in 2010 and has been working in real estate ever since.

Lahey, now a chairman and executive vice president for a company in the New England area, actually broke camp with the 2008 Phillies as a member of their Opening Day bullpen. His stint with the eventual World Series champions lasted less than a week, and he never stepped foot on the mound -- until Sunday.

"If you’re familiar with the movie, you know that there are mixed emotions that come with an honor like this, but it's an honor nonetheless," Lahey said. "And I have my two kids here today with me, so it means a lot, and the Phillies have done such a wonderful job with this."

Gradoville also had his family in attendance. A 37th-round pick in 2002, Gradoville got called to The Show on Sept. 6, 2006. He remained on the roster for 16 days, but he never found his way onto the field.

After hanging up his cleats in 2009, he briefly served as a bullpen catcher and a Minor League coach for the Phillies. He still works as a catching instructor alongside his full-time job in finance.

“I'm more grateful than anything," Gradoville said. " … My kids weren't born yet when I was playing, so it's pretty cool for them to see me on the field because they never got that opportunity when I played. So, just a great honor from the Phillies."

The moment was especially meaningful to Singer, who was born in Northeast Philadelphia and grew up in South Jersey. As a kid, Singer went to a handful of games at Veterans Stadium. He's been to countless games at Citizens Bank Park.

So when he signed with the Phillies organization in 2016, that alone was a dream come true. But the most memorable moment for Singer came on April 12, 2022, when he was called up to the big league roster.

He immediately called his parents and just about everyone he could think of to tell them to get to the Bank that night.

"This was the dream," Singer said that day while sitting in the Phillies dugout. "It’s something I’ve been waiting for, not just for the last seven years, but ever since I picked up a baseball."

Singer's stint with the Phillies lasted just one day. His friends and family all stopped by the center-field concourse to see him in the bullpen that night.

Many of them were there again on Sunday to see him throw off the mound.

"Being from this area, it's such an honor," Singer said. "I was really excited to get this phone call. My family got to come and see me be on the big league field, which was really cool. They didn't get to do that before."

Added Toffey: "Obviously, making it to the Major Leagues is one of the hardest things to do in sports. The fact that we all were able to have a short glimpse of what it's like in the Major Leagues, a day like today really just kind of affirms your career."

Of course, there were some anxious moments when the time finally came -- much like "Moonlight" Graham experienced when he was brushed back on his first two pitches in the film.

"It was a little nerve-wracking, to be honest," Gradoville said. "You're just hoping you're not going to spike one or throw one in the netting."

Good news: They went 4-for-4 hitting the glove.