KANSAS CITY -- Aaron Nola allowed two runs in the first inning of Sunday’s 5-2 loss to the Royals at Kauffman Stadium, and it looked like it could be another one of those starts. A couple hours later, however, Nola not only began the seventh inning in a game for

KANSAS CITY -- Cristopher Sánchez said he isn’t thinking about the All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 14 because he is focusing on Monday afternoon’s start against the Royals and Saturday’s start in Detroit. But Sánchez has a good chance to start the Midsummer Classic.

KANSAS CITY -- Bryce Harper has heard the word “elite” too many times to remember the past several months. Is he? Isn’t he?

KANSAS CITY – Brandon Marsh has enjoyed one of the Phillies’ finest breakout seasons in recent memory. Jhoan Duran has been one of baseball’s best closers since he joined the team last summer. The baseball world has noticed.

KANSAS CITY -- Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly spoke this week about how the Phils’ rotation is, “obviously a great rotation.”

This story was excerpted from Todd Zolecki’s Phillies Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

PHILADELPHIA -- It is a rarity for a baseball team not to play on Friday, but this Friday’s off-day -- courtesy of Kansas City hosting a World Cup game that night -- comes at a good time for the Phillies. It allows Don Mattingly to rest his bullpen before the

PHILADELPHIA -- Maybe Bryce Harper is being coy. He knows Phillies fans want to see him participate in the Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park on July 13. Harper has hinted that he might, if he makes the NL All-Star team.

PHILADELPHIA -- Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly is OK that Zack Wheeler is upset with him for removing him from Wednesday night’s game against Pittsburgh, just one out from being in line to secure his ninth win of the season. They hadn’t chatted yet on Thursday morning, but they will.

PHILADELPHIA -- The Phillies will need to beat elite pitching again and again in October if they want to win the World Series. They haven’t beaten enough the past few years. They got reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes twice this year, including Wednesday night’s 10-6 victory over the

PHILADELPHIA -- Phillies ace Zack Wheeler left the mound and the ballpark on Wednesday night plenty steamed. Interim manager Don Mattingly pulled him from a 10-6 victory over the Pirates at Citizens Bank Park, after he threw 104 pitches in 4 2/3 innings. Wheeler had retired the first two batters

PHILADELPHIA -- Cristopher Sánchez waved for help. He had a small cut on the top of his left thumb in the second inning on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park, although nobody in the stands or Phillies’ dugout could see the nick … or the blood splattered on his white

PHILADELPHIA -- Aaron Nola made the 302nd start of his Phillies career on Monday night at Citizens Bank Park. Only Hall of Famers Steve Carlton (499) and Robin Roberts (472) started more.

PHILADELPHIA – The Phillies’ outfield depth is so paper thin they made a trade on Thursday. They acquired center fielder Derek Hill and international bonus money from the White Sox for outfield prospect Dylan Campbell and infield prospect José Colmenares, neither of whom ranked on the Phillies' Top 30 Prospects

This story was excerpted from Todd Zolecki’s Phillies Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Who are the best players born on each day of the year? We have a list for every day on the calendar. Here’s a subjective ranking of the top five for May 10. 1) Salvador Perez (1990) Perez is the easy choice here. He is a World Series champion, World

PHILADELPHIA -- Bryce Harper left Saturday night’s game in the middle of the first inning because of a migraine. Rookie Felix Reyes pinch-hit for Harper in the bottom of the first against Colorado at Citizens Bank Park. Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly said after a 9-3 victory over Colorado that

PHILADELPHIA -- Alec Bohm believes in hard work and the numbers on the back of baseball cards, so he knew something good would happen to him eventually.

PHILADELPHIA -- Everything had been going so poorly for the Phillies on Friday night that Jhoan Duran exited the bullpen door at Citizens Bank Park in the eighth inning without the lights, tarantulas and flames that traditionally accompany his jog to the mound. Duran needed to pitch because he hadn’t

PHILADELPHIA -- Alec Bohm is trying everything. He has hit early on the field, like Friday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. He has hit in the batting cages after games. He has hit off the Trajekt machine. He has tried different drills. He has studied video. He has talked to

PHILADELPHIA -- Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly approached Andrew Painter in the dugout in the middle of the third inning on Thursday at Citizens Bank Park. Painter had been hit hard in the first three innings in a 12-1 loss to the A’s, so Mattingly told Painter he could stop

PHILADELPHIA -- Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly said he is giving Alec Bohm “a little day.” Others might call it a breather, a reset, a clearing of the mind or a benching.

This story was excerpted from Todd Zolecki’s Phillies Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

PHILADELPHIA -- Bryce Harper is feeling most excellent these days. He hit two home runs in Tuesday night’s 9-1 victory over the A’s at Citizens Bank Park. He’s hit three homers in the past two days and nine this season.

PHILADELPHIA -- Cristopher Sánchez had been so calm and so focused for so long on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park that he finally needed to let loose. So when he struck out Darell Hernaiz to get out of a jam in the seventh inning of Tuesday night’s 9-1 victory