Game 139 - Harper Stays Hot, Luzardo Tosses Gem in Win

Philadelphia Phillies	7
Arizona Diamondbacks	1

2026 Topps Big Ticket Players #BTP-19

Late Tuesday Night, September 1st

Chase Field - Phoenix, AZ
79-60, 2nd Place, 3 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Bryce Harper stayed red hot with a 4 for 4 night and Jesus Luzardo pitched a gem in this 7-1 win over the Diamondbacks.

What It Means:  The Phillies go for the series sweep this afternoon.  They now own sole possession of the top National League Wild Card spot and they're three back of the Braves in the division.  The Phillies and Braves open a four game, Labor Day Weekend series at Citizens Bank Park on Friday.

What Happened:  Luzardo's only blemish was a fifth inning solo home run allowed to Jordan Lawlar.  He picked up his 13th win, allowing six hits and striking out six.  Jonathan Bowlan and Chase Shugart handled the Diamondbacks over the final two innings.  The Phillies manufactured runs throughout the game, with no home runs but 13 hits overall.  Trea Turner started it off with an RBI double in the first and Luis Arraez grounded into a double play to score Turner, giving the Phillies a 2-0 lead.  Alec Bohm added an RBI single in the fifth.  Three more runs scored in the eighth, putting the game out of reach, when Justin Crawford contributed a pinch-hit single, Kyle Schwarber added a sac fly and Harper singled home Crawford.  Bryson Stott scored another run with a sac fly in the ninth.

Featured Card:  Harper is hitting .483 (15 for 31) on this West Coast trip, and he's reached base in a career-high 34 straight games.  He's truly a . . . Big Ticket Player.

Transaction:  Rosters expanded to 28 players, and the Phillies added Rafael Marchan (c) and Grant Holman (rhp).  Holman was selected off waivers from the Tigers on May 7th, and he's pitched well for the IronPigs, going 3-0 with a 3.12 ERA in 26 innings pitched.

2026 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2026 Season Summary Index / 2026 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 134 - Pitching, Hitting, Defense Win the Day the Seattle

Philadelphia Phillies	6
Seattle Mariners	0

2026 Topps Profiles #TP-19

Wednesday Afternoon, August 26th

T-Mobile Park - Seattle, WA
74-60, 2nd Place, 4 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  After two late nights of lackluster performances, everything clicked - pitching, offense, defense - in this decisive 6-0 win over the Mariners.

What It Means:  Following an off-day on Thursday, the West Coast swing continues with a weekend series in Anaheim.

What Happened:  Pitching:  Jesus Luzardo picked up his 12th win, allowing one hit (and three walks) in seven innings of work, while striking out nine.  Tim Mayza and Jhoan Duran shut down the Mariners over the final two innings.

Offense:  The Phillies got out to a 2-0 lead in the first when Kyle Schwarber doubled and Bryce Harper connected for his 27th home run of the season.  Four more runs would score in the second.  Justin Crawford singled home Bryson Stott, who had doubled to start the inning.  With two men aboard, Schwarber hit his 40th home run of the season, giving the Phillies a 6-0 lead.  Stott had three hits in the game.  Harper has reached base in a career-best 29 straight games.

Defense:  Bryce Harper robbed Julio Rodriguez of what could have been a home run, making a leaping catch in right field to keep the ball in the ballpark, or at least take a hit away.  All three infielders - Stott, Trea Turner and Luis Arraez - made acrobatic plays at different points in the game, preserving the shutout and Luzardo's one-hitter.

Featured Card:  This is from one of those superfluous Topps insert sets with a loose theme pulling together 25 stars.  The "Profiles" aspect of the card has nothing to do with the game, but I chose it since Harper shares the card with Mariners' all-time great, Ken Griffey, Jr.  (Would Griffey or Mariners team collectors feel the need to add this card to their collections?)

2026 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2026 Season Summary Index / 2026 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 126 - Phils Squeak by Fish on Controversial Umpire Call

Miami Marlins	5
Philadelphia Phillies	6

2025 Topps Chrome Platinum
1955 Topps Doubleheaders #55DH-4

Monday Night, August 17th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
68-58, 2nd Place, 6 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Cristopher Sanchez won his league-leading 16th game and a controversial replay review aided the Phillies in this 6-5 win over the Marlins.

What It Means:  The Phillies kicked off their homestead with their fourth win in a row.  In the seventh, the Marlins' Javier Sanoja doubled down the first base line with the ball initially called foul.  Upon replay review, it was ruled fair, but what would have been the tying run was placed back at third base.  Marlins' manager Clayton McCullough earned a justifiable ejection due to the umpire's mishap.

We arrived home on Monday after our odyssey to Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota, and I proudly plopped in front of the TV for the duration of this game.

What Happened:  Sanchez allowed a run on six hits while striking out six over six innings of work.  The Phillies' bullpen allowed the Marlins to creep back into the game, as Sanchez had departed with a 4-1 lead.  Jhoan Duran escaped trouble in the ninth to record his 27th save.  The Phillies received RBI singles from Trea Turner and Luis Arraez in the third, and an RBI pinch-hit single from Derek Hill in the sixth.  Hill also walked with the bases loaded in the seventh.  Alec Bohm provided the needed insurance run in the eighth with an RBI single to drive home Bryce Harper.  Harper was 3 for 4 in the game.

Featured Card:  I'll feature another Harper card here, as there is no shortage of his cards in my collection.  Here's his 1955-inspired card from the recently released Topps Chrome Platinum set, with Mike Schmidt making an appearance on the back of the card.  Even though it's recently released, Topps still considers this a 2025 set for some reason.

2026 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2026 Season Summary Index / 2026 Chachi Set Checklist

2026 Chachi Field of Dreams Set

I knew I'd create a few custom cards from the Field of Dreams game for my 2026 Chachi set, but when walking from the movie site to the actual ballpark, I had the idea for an insert set to commemorate the event.  There was a meandering gravel path between the two locations with some concessions, helpful ushers and what looked to be somewhat sturdy, life-size standees of stars from the Phillies and Twins.  I took pictures of all the Phillies and the one ex-Phillie, with Jenna posing with a few of her favorites.

Shown here are those 11 photos, presented on a 1941 Play Ball design, which is close enough to represent the 1939 throwback uniforms worn by the Phillies.

All-Star Game Experience - Absolutely Amazing / All-Star Game - Complete Dud

2026 Chachi #59

2026 Chachi #58

2026 Chachi #56

2026 Chachi Friendly Encounters #7

American League All-Stars	4
National League All-Stars	0

Tuesday Night, July 14th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

One Sentence Summary:  Citizens Bank Park was electric during the pregame ceremonies and for all the other mid-game festivities, but the 96th All-Star Game itself was fairly boring, as the American League pitching completely shut down the National League, 4-0.

What It Means:  There was absolutely nothing during the game for a Phillies fan (or a National League fan for that matter) to cheer for.  Still, it was worth the six-year wait between the announcement of the game in 2019 and the playing of the game in 2026.

What Happened:  Cristopher Sanchez struck out Mike Trout to start the game, then allowed a single to Yordan Alvarez, walked Shea Langeliers and walked Bobby Witt, Jr. to load the bases.  Cody Bollinger brought home two runs with a single to center, eventually earning him the game's MVP honors.  Ben Rice singled to give the American League a 3-0 lead and that was pretty much the ballgame.  Sanchez would be saddled with the loss and a 27.00 ERA for his one inning of work.  The National League All-Stars managed three singles, never advancing a runner to second base.  Miguel Vargas hit a solo home run for the American League in the eighth.

Sanchez had a crappy night, and the other Phillies All-Stars, other than pitchers Jesus Luzardo and Jhoan Duran, didn't fare much better.  Kyle Schwarber led off as the DH, replacing the injured Shohei Ohtani.  Schwarber struck out swinging again Dylan Cease in the first and grounded out to second in the third.  Brandon Marsh started in right field, batting seventh.  He struck out twice - against Parker Messick in the second and Nick Martinez in the fifth.  Bryce Harper pinch-hit for Schwarber in the sixth, striking out in his only at-bat against Cade Smith.

Jesus Luzardo had the best night of all six Phillies All-Stars.  Entering in the fourth, Luzardo struck out Riley Greene and then induced two quick ground outs from Ernie Clement and Trout.  He threw a total of six pitches.  Jhoan Duran entered with one out in the top of the ninth, jogging to the mound in the dark while we all waited for his signature entrance music to start.  It eventually started, albeit late, and Duran needed just four pitches to retire Travis Bazzana and Ceddanne Rafaela after Randy Arozarena had reached on a single.

2026 Chachi #61

2026 Chachi #57

2026 Chachi #60

2026 Chachi #55

Featured Cards:  Since I started creating Chachi cards in 2005, a mainstay of my sets are the annual All-Star cards, and this year is no different.  I created cards for the six Phillies All-Stars, along with Don Mattingly, who served as a bench coach.

Field Report:  Doug and I were there!  Doug completed the trifecta of Futures Game, Home Run Derby and All-Star Game, and this was the second All-Star Game I've attended.  My Dad and I were at Veterans Stadium, cheering on Ricky Bottalico, back in 1996.  We arrived right before 5pm and waited in a crazy long line out to the parking lot to eventually snake its way through the entrance when gates opened.  We surveyed the MLB All-Star Fan  Zone, set up outside the ballpark and complete with vendors, food trucks and photo opportunities, before heading into the ballpark proper.  After a 20 minute or so wait to get into the team store, Doug found the Ohtani Ring the Bell t-shirt he wanted and he posed for a quick picture with the Rangers' mascot, Captain.

We then did a full lap of the ballpark, getting stuck momentarily in an unmoving crowd in Ashburn Alley, and enjoying our obligatory meal at Bull's BBQ, before settling into our seats in Section 415, Row 2.  It was hot, but there was an occasional breeze in the higher section, something we rarely experience down in Section 315.

The pregame ceremony is always my favorite part of the All-Star Game, and I love the full team introductions.  I was happy to see all the represented teams once again wearing their actual uniforms and not MLB created abominations for the game.  We loved how the starting line-up signed their own version of a Declaration after being announced, and singers Jennifer Hudson and Patti LaBelle were amazing.  There were flyovers, fireworks and a dramatic reading from actor and Phillies fan Miles Teller.  Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton threw out the ceremonial first pitches, caught by Scott Rolen and Cole Hamels.

The Sandlot tribute in the middle of the fifth inning was also very impressive.  With Ray Charles, Jr. singing "America the Beautiful" and the ballpark lights dimmed, kids rode their bikes, played catch, practiced their swings and traded baseball cards down on the field with the All Stars.  What followed was so many fireworks in such rapid succession, Doug and I were convinced they might actual blow up the ballpark.

The game itself stunk.  Sanchez struck out Trout to start the first and then quickly gave up three runs, letting all the air out of the celebratory balloon.  But I loved every minute of it, and I'm thrilled I could share it with my son, just like my Dad had done 30 years earlier.

2026 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2026 Season Summary Index / 2026 Chachi Set Checklist

Home Run Derby Upset! / Walker Stuns Schwarber, Phils Faithful

2026 Chachi #53

2026 Chachi #54

When it was first announced the All-Star Game would be coming to Philadelphia in 2026, I was immediately excited about going to the actual game and mildly interested in the other festivities surrounding a typical All-Star Weekend/Week.  We were lucky enough to secure tickets for the entire three days of festivities, with Doug and one of his friends attending the Futures Game on Sunday and he and my wife attending the Home Run Derby last night.  I had no interest in attending the derby, but as it got closer to the time for them to leave for Philly, I admittedly started having a little bit of FOMO, which developed into a full-fledged case once the festivities began.

The broadcast on Netflix was fine, and the announcers did their best to gush about the palpable excitement at the ballpark.  But it didn't compare to their experience of actually being there and it was a night they won't soon forget.

During the pre-derby introductions, Bryce Harper embraced his Showman persona, hoping onto the middle rung of the makeshift boxer's ring situated in the infield, while Michael Buffer did his best announcer's schtick with the obligatory "Let's Get Ready to Rumble," not coming until the tournament's final round.  Harper and his teammate Kyle Schwarber both started slow, and Harper's eight home runs in the first round were surpassed by Schwarber's 10 home runs, knocking Harper out of the semi-finals.  Schwarber took down Willson Contreras in Round 2, nine home runs besting Contreras' eight.  All seemed right with the world when Schwarber connected for 11 home runs in the final round, but the Cardinals' Jordan Walker hit four home runs in a row on his final swings, surging past Schwarber and silencing the 45,000-plus fans pulling for a Schwarber win in his home ballpark.

Doug and Jenna reported it was LOUD and they had never heard such loud and sustained booing, which is saying something since they've both been to their fair share of big Phillies games over the years.  As I've done in the past, I created a few Home Run Derby cards for my Chachi set, and I look forward to creating some All-Star cards for the set following Tuesday night's Midsummer Classic.

What an incredible experience this All-Star Week has been!

Game 97 - Wheeler, Still Bitter, Dominates Tigers; More from the All-Star Village

Philadelphia Phillies	5
Detroit Tigers	0

2026 Chachi Freindly
Encounters #6

Sunday Afternoon, July 12th

Comerica Park - Detroit, MI
54-43, 2nd Place, 2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Still bitter over his All-Star Game snub, Zack Wheeler improved to 10-1 with a two-hit, 10-strikeout performance against the Tigers in this 5-0 win.

What It Means:  Wheeler was eventually invited to the All-Star Game but felt "disrespected" and declined the invite.  It's a shame, as the fans, including me, would have loved to have seen him at least introduced prior to the game on Tuesday.

What Happened:  Wheeler, Jose Alvarado, Orion Kerkering and Jonathan Bowlan combined for the two-hit shutout, striking out 14 Tigers batters.  Wheeler out-dueled Tarik Skubal, who departed after five innings with the Phillies leading, 2-0.  The big hit for the Phillies was a bases-clearing double by J.T. Realmuto in the sixth inning.  Bryson Stott would beat out an infield hit to shortstop, scoring Realmuto with the Phillies' fifth run.

Featured Card / Field Report:  I was back at the All-Star Village on Sunday morning, this time as a volunteer manning the booth for ALS United Mid-Atlantic as part of the MLB Together initiative.  I enjoyed early morning access to the Pennsylvania Convention Center, snapping quite a few pictures of the many fantastic exhibits before the crush of eager fans arrived for the day.  I also made a new friend in the Athletics' mascot, Stomper, who helped guide a bunch of wondering fans over to the MLB Together booths during the mid-morning rush.  It was a fantastic day, and I left incredibly impressed by what the Phillies and MLB had put together for their fans.

2026 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2026 Season Summary Index / 2026 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 81 - Harper Plays the Hero as Phils Win 3rd Comeback in a Row

Philadelphia Phillies	10
Washington Nationals	5

2026 Topps Now #378

Thursday Night, June 25th

Nationals Park - Washington, DC
45-36, 2nd Place, 4 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  For the third night in a row, the Phillies used the long-ball to take a ninth inning lead, with Bryce Harper doing the honors in this game.

What It Means:  Amazing!  I'd love for the Phillies to win while they're leading the entire game, but these type of wins create energy and momentum.  They find themselves four games back of the division-leading Braves as they open a weekend series against the Mets in Flushing.

What Happened:  Cristopher Sanchez suffered another setback, allowing four first-inning runs, but he'd settle down and allow just one more run through five innings.  The Phils trailed 5-0 when the latest comeback began in the sixth.  The hot Brandon Marsh launched a two-run home run to right center.  In the seventh, Mitchell Parker walked both Harper and Marsh with the bases loaded, making the score 5-4.  Alec Bohm grounded into a fielder's choice, tying the score at 5-5.  In the top of the ninth, Kyle Schwarber singled and was replaced by pinch-runner Garrett Stubbs.  Harper launched his home run, silencing the Nationals fans and giving the Phillies a 7-5 lead.

J.T. Realmuto added an RBI double and Derek Hill capped the scoring with a two-run home run, sending the Phillies to their third thrilling victory in as many days.

Featured Card:  The 2026 Phillies became the first team in MLB history with three go-ahead home runs in the ninth inning in three consecutive games.  Topps Now featured Harper on a card commemorating the feat.  Hard to believe, Harry.

Transaction:  Johan Rojas (of) was activated from the restricted list and placed on the 60-day injured list following his right knee surgery.

2026 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2026 Season Summary Index / 2026 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 77 - Harper, Schwarber Stay Hot in Win Over Mets

New York Mets	2
Philadelphia Phillies	6

2026 Philadelphia Phillies Photocards

Sunday Night, June 21st

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
42-35, 2nd Place, 6 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Bryce Harper finished a triple short of his second cycle and Kyle Schwarber blasted a three-run home run in this 6-2 win over the Mets.

What It Means:  The Phillies took the series from the Mets and they'll head to D.C. next for four night games against the Nationals.

What Happened:  Similar to Cristopher Sanchez the night before, Zack Wheeler was the beneficiary of the offense in this game.  Wheeler improved to 7-1, dropping his ERA to 2.11, allowing four hits and striking out seven in 5 2/3 innings.  The Phillies didn't get the ball out of the infield in the first inning, but scored a pair of runs on a few walks and infield hits from Alec Bohm and Edmundo Sosa.  Schwarber launched his three-run blast in the third, his 29th of the season.  Harper added a solo home run in the fifth, his 17th of the season.  In his last two games, Harper is 7 for 9 with two doubles, a triple and two home runs, driving in four runs.

Featured Card:  Here's Harper's photo card from the recently released team-issued set, produced and sold at the ballpark for the first time since the 2022 season.  I had been told that MLB's agreement with Fanatics precluded the Phillies from selling these sets for the past three seasons, and I assume the deal only covered a three-year period that expired in 2026.  Whatever the reason, it's great to see these sets back on sale (for just $5!) at the ballpark, and I might even get a little greedy and hope for a second series to be released following the All-Star break.

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Game 76 - Schwarber and Harper Make History in Blowout Win

2026 Chachi #50

2026 Chachi #51

New York Mets	3
Philadelphia Phillies	15

Saturday Night, June 20th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
41-35, 2nd Place, 7 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Kyle Schwarber launched three home runs, two in the third inning, and Bryce Harper hit for the cycle in this 15-3 blow-out win over the Mets.

What It Means:  I'm considering this an early Father's Day present!  What an enjoyable game to watch, in spite of the Fox broadcasters.

What Happened:  Harper's cycle started with a bang, when he launched a first inning home run off Mets' starter David Peralta.  The Phillies scored twice more in the second, courtesy of RBI doubles from J.T. Realmuto and Justin Crawford.  The floodgates opened in the third.  Eight Phillies runs crossed the plate, with Schwarber hitting a pair of home runs in the inning, both traveling over 450 feet.  Harper would collect a hustle double and a single in the inning, getting him closer to the cycle.  Bryson Stott, Realmuto and Trea Turner all contributed RBI hits.  Harper completed his cycle in the fifth, scoring two more runs with a triple to center.  Schwarber capped the scoring with this third home run of the night in the seventh.

Schwarber went 4 for 5 with four runs scored and six RBIs, while Harper countered by going 4 for 5 with a pair of runs scored and three RBIs.  All this happened while Cristopher Sanchez was on the mound, cruising to his ninth win of the year.

Featured Card:  I created a Chachi Highlight card in 2023 when Turner homered twice in one inning.  Schwarber joins Turner, Von Hayes and Andy Seminick as the only four Phillies players to accomplish the feat.  Harper became the first Phillie to hit for the cycle since Weston Wilson did it back in 2024, and he now owns the 11th cycle in Phillies history.

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Game 68 - Harper, Schwarber and Bohm Homer in Win

Philadelphia Phillies	7
Toronto Blue Jays	4

2026 Topps Now Road
to Opening Day #OD-181

Wednesday Night, June 10th

Rogers Centre - Toronto, Ontario
37-31, 2nd Place, 8 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  The Phillies refreshingly showed some offense, launching three home runs, in support of Jesus Luzardo's strong start.

What It Means:  That's a series win in Toronto, and the Phillies next head to Milwaukee for a weekend series.

What Happened:  This game was never as close as the final score indicates, as the Blue Jays scored three runs in the seventh off a surprisingly wild Chase Shugart.  The Phillies led 7-1 heading to the bottom of the seventh.  Bryce Harper (15), Alec Bohm (8) and Kyle Schwarber (24) homered, accounting for six of those runs.  Bryson Stott added an RBI single in the seventh.  Schwarber, Harper, Bohm and Stott each enjoyed two-hit games.  Jesus Luzardo went 5 2/3 innings, allowing a run and striking out eight.  As a result of Shugart's rough outing, Jhoan Duran was needed for the ninth and despite allowing a few baserunners, he shut down the Jays, earning his 17th save.

Featured Card:  Harper got things going with his first inning home run, and he was 2 for 4 with three runs scored in this game.  This is his card from the Topps Now Road to Opening Day Phillies team set.  Topps has produced these team sets since 2017.

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Game 41 - Schwarbombs Away on Mother's Day

Colorado Rockies	0
Philadelphia Phillies	6

2026 Topps #197

Sunday Afternoon, May 10th

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
19-22, Tied for 2nd Place, 9 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Kyle Schwarber homered twice and Christopher Sanchez threw seven shutout innings in this 6-0 Mother's Day win over the Rockies.

What It Means:  The Phillies head out on the road for three games in Boston, followed by three games in Pittsburgh.

What Happened:  It shouldn't be lost among the accolades for Sanchez and Schwarber that Brandon Marsh went 4 for 4 to raise his average to .353, making him the leading hitter in baseball.  Sanchez allowed six hits, walking none and striking out seven in his dominant outing.  Schwarber and Bryce Harper hit back-to-back home runs in the first, which was all the scoring the Phillies would need for the win.  Schwarber would homer again in the second inning.

Featured Card:  Homers from Schwarber and Harper in the first give me a good excuse to feature this Combo Player Card from Series One of the this year's Topps flagship set.

2026 Virtual Phillies Wall (Coming Soon) / 2026 Season Summary Index / 2026 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 27 - Phils Win in Extras! Losing Streak Halted at Ten

Philadelphia Phillies	8
Atlanta Braves	5

10 Innings

2026 Philadelphia Phillies
Kids Club / Club 215

Saturday Night, April 25th

Truist Park - Atlanta, GA
9-18, 5th Place, 9 1/2 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Zack Wheeler had a solid season debut and Bryce Harper had four RBIs in this extra-inning win over the Braves, snapping a 10-game losing streak.

What It Means:  We didn't know it at the time, but this would be the final win for Rob Thomson as manager of the Phillies.

What Happened:  Wheeler went five innings, allowing a pair of runs on three hits and three walks while striking out six.  With the Phillies holding a slim 3-2 lead,  Tanner Banks allowed the Braves to quickly take a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth when Matt Olson doubled to lead off the inning, Ozzie Albies doubled him home and Michael Harris II singled Albies home.  Kyle Schwarber tripled to start the eighth and Harper scored him with a sacrifice fly.

The Phillies offense exploded for four runs in the top of the 10th, starting with a two-run single from Harper and capped by a two-run single from Brandon Marsh.  Kyle Backhus allowed a run in the bottom of the 10th, but eventually got three outs to mercifully end the skid.

Featured Card:  This is only the second game this season to feature a Harper card, and I'm hoping he has many more starring roles throughout the summer.

Transaction:  Wheeler (rhp) was activated and Alex McFarlane (rhp) was optioned back down to Reading.

2026 Virtual Phillies Wall (Coming Soon) / 2026 Season Summary Index / 2026 Chachi Set Checklist

Game 10 - Harper Leads Phils to Impressive Comeback Win

Philadelphia Phillies	6
San Francisco Giants	4

2026 Topps Heritage #72

Late Monday Night, April 6th

Oracle Park - San Francisco, CA
6-4, Tied for 1st Place, 1/2 game ahead of the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  A four-run seventh inning, which included a two-run single from Bryce Harper, helped lead the way to this 6-4 comeback win against the Giants.

What It Means:  I'm catching up following Wednesday afternoon's game, and suffice it to say this game was the only highlight from a dismal San Francisco series.

What Happened:  The Giants held a 4-0 lead after four innings, with Andrew Painter not faring well in his first career road start.  Painter departed after four having allowed four runs on nine hits and striking out only one.  The comeback began in the fifth when Justin Crawford doubled and came home on a Trea Turner ground out.  Harper would then single Crawford home, making it a 4-2 ballgame.  In the seventh, Harper drove home two runs with a single to right, tying the game.  Alec Bohm broke the tie, doubling home Kyle Schwarber and Brandon Marsh would later score Harper with a sacrifice fly.

Relievers Jose Alvarado, Brad Keller and Jhoan Duran did their jobs over the final three innings, keeping the Giants off the board.  Duran recorded his fourth save.

Featured Card:  Harper went 3 for 4 with three RBIs, raising his season average to .200.  He's already got a ton of 2026 cards, including this one from Topps Heritage.

2026 Virtual Phillies Wall (Coming Soon) / 2026 Season Summary Index / 2026 Chachi Set Checklist

Texas Rangers at Philadelphia Phillies: 2026 Home Opener - Play Ball!

2006 Topps #485

2006 Topps #33

Thursday, March 26th - 4:15
Saturday, March 28th - 4:05
Saturday, March 29th - 1:35

Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
All fans receive a 2025 National League East Champions pennant on Thursday.  Fans 15 and over will receive a McDonald's Opening Night t-shirt on Saturday night and all fans will receive a 2026 schedule magnet on Sunday.

Texas Rangers 81-81
3rd Place in the A.L. West, 9 games behind the Mariners

Rangers Probables
Nathan Eovaldi (11-3, 1.73)
Jacob deGrom (12-8, 2.97)
MacKenzie Gore (5-15, 4.17)

Rangers Spring Leaders
Average:  Josh Smith - .340
Runs:  Cameron Cauley - 12
Home Runs:  Wyatt Langford - 5
RBIs:  Wyatt Langford and Josh Smith - 15
Stolen Bases:  Alejandro Osuna - 4

Wins:  Jack Leiter - 3
ERA:  Nathan Eovaldi - 3.26

Strikeouts:  Peyton Gray and Jack Leiter - 18
Saves:  Peyton Gray - 2

Philadelphia Phillies 96-66
2025 N.L. East Champions

Phillies Probables
Cristopher Sanchez (13-5, 2.50)
Aaron Nola (5-10, 6.01)
Jesus Luzardo (15-7, 3.92)

Phillies Spring Leaders
Average:  Justin Crawford - .250
Runs:  Otto Kemp - 11
Home Runs:  Otto Kemp - 4
RBIs:  Otto Kemp - 15
Stolen Bases:  Justin Crawford and Johan Rojas - 3

Wins:  Jesus Luzardo - 3
ERA:  N/A

Strikeouts:  Jesus Luzardo - 19
Saves:  Four tied with - 1

2026 Virtual Phillies Wall (Coming Soon) / 2026 Season Summary Index / 2026 Chachi Set Checklist

2026 Topps - The First Phillie!

Spring has sprung, and it's a little different around here this year given our oldest son is now enjoying his freshman year of college.  My Dad used to tell my sister and me, "I think about you guys every day," and I honestly didn't fully understand that or think it was even possible until I had kids of my own.  We used to make a big show of opening the first baseball card packs of the year, gathering around the kitchen table, taking a few pictures, and racing to find the First Phillie.  We delayed the ceremony a little bit this year until our son was home for his spring break a few weeks ago, and it made me happy to spend a short time opening packs of the new 2026 Topps cards with him.  My wife was kind enough to find a box for us to open from Target.

Fittingly, the First Phillie this year was Bryce Harper, card #250 in the Series One release.  He's wearing the City Connect uniform, which I'm already tired of, and his Phanatic elbow pad is front and center.

Topps is celebrating its 75th anniversary with this set, as they released their first true set of baseball cards in 1951 with the Red and Blue Back sets.  There's an unobtrusive foil Topps 75 stamp on the cards, and the most prominent design element on the fronts of the cards is a swath of jersey knitting running up the side.  Player names are bold and easy to read, a position and a team logo are included, and the one design element that probably wasn't needed is a city abbreviation at the top of the card.

It's a great design, and even though the design was created in order to support dozens of parallel variations, it works very well on its own.  It's clean, memorable, and something I could see myself trying to recreate for a future Chachi set.  The backs of the card continue the stitched jersey motif with relatively easy to read full career statistics.  

Do I feel strong enough about this set and its design to try to hand collate a complete set?  Nope.  Will I enjoy collecting the Phillies cards from this set and buy a factory set in the fall?  Absolutely.

This set cracks my top two Topps flagship designs of past decade, and it might eventually nudge its way into the #1 spot once I spend more time with it.  As cynical as I've been about Topps/Fanatics and modern baseball card collecting, it's a great sign that the top five flagship designs (in my opinion) of the past decade are all within the past five years.  I'm reminded here just how awful the 2020 and 2021 Topps set designs were.

Best - 2024 Topps #194

#2 - 2026 Topps #250

#2 - 2025 Topps #7

#3 - 2023 Topps #278

#4 - 2022 Topps #249

#5 - 2019 Topps #303

#7 - 2018 Topps #26

#8 - 2021 Topps #79

#9 - 2017 Topps #247

Worst - 2020 Topps #221

Past First Phillies

2010 Topps #300 Chase Utley

2011 Topps #242 Brad Lidge

2012 Topps #98 Domonic Brown

2013 Topps #6 Ryan Howard
2014 Topps #90 Ethan Martin
2015 Topps #309 Maikel Franco
2016 Topps #15 Ryan Howard
2017 Topps #247 Hector Neris
2018 Topps #26 Cesar Hernandez
2019 Topps #303 Ranger Suarez
2020 Topps #190 Aaron Nola

2021 Topps #79 Roman Quinn

2022 Topps #249 Zack Wheeler

2023 Topps #278 Aaron Nola

2024 Topps #194 J.T. Realmuto

2025 Topps #7 Alec Bohm

2026 Topps #250 Bryce Harper