Philadelphia Phillies Wiretap

The White Sox traded veteran outfielder Derek Hill to the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday in a swap between contending teams.

The White Sox also sent $250,000 in international bonus pool money to the Phillies for minor league outfielder Dylan Campbell and minor league infielder José Colmenares.

Hill, 30, is batting .213 with four homers, eight RBIs and seven steals in 50 games this season. He was claimed off waivers by the White Sox in September.

Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper says MLB's push for a salary cap in collective bargaining agreement talks threatens the sport's hard-won growth in attendance, ratings, and global reach, as owners and players exchange sharply opposed opening proposals.

The MLB Players Association has sought higher minimum salaries, elevated luxury-tax thresholds, and an expanded pre-arbitration bonus program. The league, representing its 30 clubs, countered with a strict cap-and-floor structure modeled after the NHL, along with a 50/50 revenue split.

Harper cited the Los Angeles Dodgers, two-time defending champions carrying a projected competitive-balance-tax payroll above $400 million, as central to baseball's recent growth. He argued a cap would undercut the type of organization driving the sport's popularity.

"Our game is in a great direction, in a great place, because of the Los Angeles Dodgers," Harper said. "Obviously they make a lot of money, they're able to get free agents, but the Dodgers don't just do that. They draft well. They do a very good job in the minors, developing guys. Other teams can't do that. You can spend all the money in the world, but you can have a terrible farm system and not have teams come up."

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, a back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner and member of the MLBPA's executive subcommittee, shared Harper's skepticism about the cap's stated rationale.

"I don't think it impacts what they think it impacts in terms of having an even playing field," Skubal told ESPN's Jesse Rogers on Friday. "I don't think that a salary cap does that by any means, so it didn't matter that the floor may have been higher than people thought, even though the ceiling is still kind of low. It doesn't matter what the numbers are, so to speak."

The league's opening cap figure stands at $245.3 million, with a floor of $171.2 million. Under those terms, 12 clubs would need to collectively add $617 million in payroll while eight teams would need to cut a combined $578 million. An escrow mechanism tied to the 50/50 revenue guarantee also drew concern. A comparable NBA system cost players nearly $500 million in a single year.

The last MLB salary cap push ended the 1994 season before a World Series was played. MLBPA interim executive director Bruce Meyer raised that history in his formal response to ownership's proposal Thursday. Another work stoppage is widely expected within six months.

"It's just the first proposal," Harper said. "I don't want to miss games. I don't think anybody wants to miss games. I'm getting later in my career, I don't want to miss games. I would love to get this done, on a personal level, just because I don't want to do that, but we'll see."

With nearly two months of the 2026 season complete, 22 players from the preseason MLB top 100 prospect list have graduated from eligibility, reshuffling the rankings ahead of what figures to be an active trade deadline season.

Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Jesus Made, 19, moves to the top spot after posting 90th percentile exit velocities that rank among big league averages despite playing in Double-A. His ability to control the strike zone and his defensive profile stand out, though scouts note his swing produces insufficient lift to translate his raw power into home run totals. If that changes in the second half, a significant ranking jump could follow.

Among the most notable movers is Boston Red Sox shortstop Franklin Arias, who climbs from 36th to sixth after posting improved exit velocity and lift rates while maintaining contact. Athletics shortstop Leo De Vries jumps to second after his profile helped pry All-Star closer Mason Miller from Oakland. Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Seth Hernandez rises from 49th to seventh after slider and fastball shape improvements unlocked his ceiling.

Notable graduates from the list include the previous top two prospects, Konnor Griffin and Kevin McGonigle, along with Samuel Basallo, JJ Wetherholt, Bubba Chandler, Carson Benge, Andrew Painter, and Carson Williams, among others.

Seven players currently on active big league rosters remain eligible but could graduate within weeks.

Top-50 MLB Prospects

60FV
1. Jesus Made, SS, Milwaukee Brewers (Previous: 3)
2. Leo De Vries, SS, Athletics (Previous: 11)
3. Colt Emerson, SS, Seattle Mariners (Previous: 6)
4. Max Clark, CF, Detroit Tigers (Previous: 8)
5. Sebastian Walcott, SS, Texas Rangers (Previous: 5)
6. Franklin Arias, SS, Boston Red Sox (Previous: 36)
7. Seth Hernandez, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates (Previous: 49)
8. Eli Willits, SS, Washington Nationals (Previous: 41)
9. Kade Anderson, LHP, Seattle Mariners (Previous: 16)
10. George Lombard Jr., SS, New York Yankees (Previous: 20)
11. Travis Bazzana, 2B, Cleveland Guardians (Previous: 23)
12. Walker Jenkins, CF, Minnesota Twins (Previous: 9)
13. Trey Yesavage, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays (Previous: 14)
14. A.J. Ewing, CF, New York Mets (Previous: 28)
15. Rainiel Rodriguez, C, St. Louis Cardinals (Previous: 19)
16. Aidan Miller, SS, Philadelphia Phillies (Previous: 10)
17. Ryan Sloan, RHP, Seattle Mariners (Previous: 24)

55 FV
18. Josue De Paula, LF, Los Angeles Dodgers (Previous: 21)
19. Josuar Gonzalez, SS, San Francisco Giants (Previous: 30)
20. Ethan Salas, C, San Diego Padres (Previous: 110)
21. Ryan Waldschmidt, CF, Arizona Diamondbacks (Previous: 63)
22. Thomas White, LHP, Miami Marlins (Previous: 18)
23. Alfredo Duno, C, Cincinnati Reds (Previous: 29)
24. Connor Prielipp, LHP, Minnesota Twins (Previous: 54)
25. Caleb Bonemer, 3B, Chicago White Sox (Previous: 34)
26. Luis Pena, SS, Milwaukee Brewers (Previous: 26)
27. Ethan Holliday, SS, Colorado Rockies (Previous: 66)
28. Liam Doyle, LHP, St. Louis Cardinals (Previous: 50)
29. Tyler Bremner, RHP, Los Angeles Angels (Previous: 56)
30. Theo Gillen, CF, Tampa Bay Rays (Previous: 92)
31. Ralphy Velazquez, 1B, Cleveland Guardians (Previous: 33)
32. Jett Williams, SS, Milwaukee Brewers (Previous: 32)
33. JoJo Parker, SS, Toronto Blue Jays (Previous: 52)
34. Zyhir Hope, RF, Los Angeles Dodgers (Previous: 40)

50 FV
35. Cam Caminiti, LHP, Atlanta Braves (Previous: 53)
36. Jonah Tong, RHP, New York Mets (Previous: 31)
37. Noah Schultz, LHP, Chicago White Sox (Previous: 96)
38. Kaelen Culpepper, SS, Minnesota Twins (Previous: 79)
39. Angel Genao, SS, Cleveland Guardians (Previous: 80)
40. Gage Jump, LHP, Athletics (Previous: 42)
41. Jhonny Level, SS, San Francisco Giants (Previous: 84)
42. Emmanuel Rodriguez, CF, Minnesota Twins (Previous: 97)
43. Josh Hammond, SS, Kansas City Royals (Previous: 132)
44. Edward Florentino, CF, Pittsburgh Pirates (Previous: 78)
45. Eduardo Quintero, CF, Los Angeles Dodgers (Previous: 37)
46. Anthony Eyanson, RHP, Boston Red Sox (Previous: NR)
47. Eduardo Tait, C, Minnesota Twins (Previous: 38)
48. Didier Fuentes, RHP, Atlanta Braves (Previous: 88)
49. River Ryan, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers (Previous: 125)
50. Jamie Arnold, LHP, Athletics (Previous: 60)

Alex Cora has turned down an offer to manage the Philadelphia Phillies, just three days after the Boston Red Sox let him go, The Post's Jon Heyman confirmed. Bench coach Don Mattingly will instead lead the club on an interim basis.

Philadelphia approached Cora after dismissing Rob Thomson on Tuesday, with the reigning NL East champions mired at 9-19, tied with the New York Mets for the worst record in baseball.

Cora and Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski share prior history. The two worked together in Boston from 2018-19, winning a World Series title in Cora's first season as manager. The Red Sox dismissed Dombrowski after the 2019 season despite an 84-78 record.

Boston fired Cora on Saturday following a 10-17 start that left the Red Sox in last place in the AL East. His farewell message to fans on social media notably omitted president of baseball operations Craig Breslow and owner John Henry.

Mattingly, 65, takes over with 12 years of managerial experience spanning the Los Angeles Dodgers (2011-15) and Miami Marlins (2016-22). He carries a career 446-363 record. His first game leading Philadelphia comes Tuesday night at home against the San Francisco Giants.

Mattingly's performance in the interim role could determine whether the Phillies revisit a pursuit of Cora this offseason.

The Philadelphia Phillies dismissed manager Rob Thomson on Tuesday following a dismal 9-19 start to the 2026 season. Bench coach Don Mattingly, whose son Preston serves as the club's general manager, was named interim manager.

Thomson, 62, posted a .568 winning percentage across parts of five seasons — the finest mark of any Phillies manager since the 19th century. He guided Philadelphia to four straight postseason appearances and a 2022 National League pennant.

The move comes after the Phillies dropped 10 consecutive games, their longest losing streak since 1999. Philadelphia entered Tuesday carrying the largest payroll in franchise history alongside World Series expectations.

Third base coach Dusty Wathan was elevated to bench coach. Triple-A Lehigh Valley manager Anthony Contreras will join the major-league staff as third base coach.

President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski acted after just 28 games, even more swiftly than his 2022 decision to remove Joe Girardi after 51 games, when Thomson stepped in and steered the club to the World Series.

Thomson used 21 different batting orders in 28 games this season, battling lineup inconsistency throughout. The Phillies have struggled offensively, received unreliable starting pitching and played erratic defense.

Dombrowski extended Thomson's contract through 2027 just months ago, following a playoff loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers last October. The entire coaching staff received similar extensions during spring training before Tuesday's abrupt reversal.

Thomson was only the fourth manager in MLB history to reach the postseason in each of his first four full seasons.

Phillies ace Zack Wheeler gave up two runs in five innings in his season debut in an extra innings win over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday night.

Wheeler struck out six and allowed three hits and three walks. He left with a 3-2 lead and threw 56 strikes in 84 pitches. The Phillies went on to win 8-5 in extras, snapping a 10-game losing streak.

The Reds signed Brandon Phillips to a ceremonial one-day contract Saturday to ensure the four-time Gold Glove Award winner would retire with the team.

"It was a dream come true," Phillips said. "For me to officially retire, this was the only place I wanted to do it. For this to really happen, this is where I wanted to be. This is my home."

The Philadelphia Phillies released veteran right-hander Taijuan Walker on Thursday morning, absorbing roughly $15 million in remaining salary. Walker's 9.13 ERA in 22⅔ innings this season made his roster spot unsustainable.

"He has tried everything he possibly can, just has not been able to be effective for us this past year," said president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski.

Walker surrendered eight home runs across his 2026 appearances, finishing his Philadelphia tenure with a 5.12 ERA over 89 outings. Only four pitchers in franchise history have logged more than 70 starts with an ERA above 5.00. He was in the final year of a four-year, $72 million contract.

Manager Rob Thomson spoke warmly of Walker despite the struggles.

"He's one of the best teammates and best people I've ever been around," Thomson said. "This guy always took the ball, never refused it, always answered questions after the game. This guy's a pro, and I'm going to miss him."

The move leaves Philadelphia's rotation depth thin. Dombrowski and Thomson pointed to Alan Rangel as one potential option, though he was optioned to Triple-A Thursday to maintain his turn. Prospect Jean Cabrera carries a 9.00 ERA in 16 innings at Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

The Phillies have now committed $19.2 million to released outfielder Nick Castellanos and $15 million to Walker — a combined $34.2 million in dead money this season.

Walker is the ninth free-agent signing Dombrowski has released during a season or spring training since joining Philadelphia in December 2020.

Wednesday’s series showdown will be broadcast locally on MARQ (Cubs feed) and NBCS-PH+ (Phillies feed). First pitch is scheduled for 7:40 PM ET. Fans can stream the game in high definition on Fubo, which offers access to regional sports networks and national MLB coverage.

The Philadelphia Phillies (8-15) continue their road trip at Wrigley Field this Wednesday, April 22, facing the Chicago Cubs (14-9). The Phillies are looking to climb out of an early-season hole, currently sitting seven games under .500 and searching for rotation stability. The Cubs, meanwhile, have been one of the NL Central's most consistent teams, backed by a potent lineup and a pitching staff that has performed well despite several injuries.

Chicago’s offense is firing on all cylinders, led by Nico Hoerner, who is batting .325 with 21 RBIs. He is joined by Alex Bregman and Ian Happ, providing a veteran core that has been difficult for opposing pitchers to navigate. For Philadelphia, Bryce Harper and Trea Turner remain the primary threats, though the team has struggled to find consistent run support for their starters. Catch every inning live on Fubo.

The pitching duel features a notable return to the mound. The Cubs turn to Matthew Boyd (LHP), who is expected to be activated from the IL to make this start. Boyd showed promise in his rehab outings and looks to improve on his 1-1 record. He faces Phillies right-hander Kyle Backhus (0-0), who enters with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP in limited action. You can witness this National League battle streaming live on Fubo.

The key storyline for the Phillies is their desperate need for a "stopper" performance on the mound to snap out of their road funk. For the Cubs, the focus is on the health and efficiency of their rotation; with Justin Steele and others sidelined, Boyd’s return is a welcome boost. Fubo is your home for the complete broadcast.

Phillies vs. Cubs Betting Odds & Predictions

The Cubs enter the game as significant home favorites. Oddsmakers are banking on Chicago's superior record and the Phillies' historical struggles when trailing late to favor the home team.

Prediction: Matthew Boyd’s return provides an emotional and statistical lift for Chicago. While the Phillies have the power to keep it close, the Cubs' bullpen and home field advantage should prove to be the difference. Final Score: Cubs 6, Phillies 3.

Individual Matchups: Stars and Playmakers

The marquee matchup features the elite power of Bryce Harper against the deceptive southpaw delivery of Matthew Boyd. Harper’s ability to handle left-handed breaking balls will be a major factor early in the game.

Philadelphia relies on the leadership of Bryce Harper and the speed of Trea Turner to spark an offense that ranks among the league leaders in extra-base hits but has struggled with consistency.

Stream the MLB on Fubo

Fubo is the essential destination for baseball fans. Catch regional sports networks like MARQ and NBCS-PH+, national broadcasts, and premier matchups with the most flexible streaming plans available, ensuring you never miss a highlight from the Phillies or Cubs.

Fubo: New subscribers can check out current promotions to ensure they have access to local and national MLB coverage for the season. Follow the Cubs as they aim for another NL Central title.

Frequently Asked Questions

Monday’s series opener will be broadcast locally on MARQ (Cubs feed) and NBCS-PH (Phillies feed). First pitch is scheduled for 7:40 PM ET. Fans can stream the game in high definition on Fubo, which offers access to regional sports networks and national MLB coverage.

The Chicago Cubs (12-9) welcome the Philadelphia Phillies (8-13) to historic Wrigley Field this Monday, April 20, to kick off a four-game series. The Cubs enter as one of the steady forces in the NL Central, while the Phillies are looking to snap a frustrating five-game losing streak and find their rhythm on the road. Despite their records, both clubs possess high-octane lineups capable of turning any game into a slugfest.

The Cubs' offense is currently sparked by the red-hot Moisés Ballesteros, who is batting a staggering .364 with three home runs and 10 RBIs. He is supported by veteran Nico Hoerner, who leads the team with a .325 average and 21 RBIs. For the Phillies, Kyle Schwarber remains a lethal threat at the top of the order, already tallying seven home runs this season. Catch every pitch and home run live on Fubo.

The pitching matchup features Cubs right-hander Colin Rea (2-0, 3.63 ERA), who has provided stability to a rotation dealing with significant injuries. He faces off against Phillies ace Aaron Nola (1-1, 4.03 ERA), who is looking to lower his ERA and get his team back into the win column. You can witness this National League battle streaming live on Fubo.

The defining storyline for the Cubs is their ability to navigate a depleted pitching staff, with recent injuries to closer Daniel Palencia and prospect Cade Horton testing their depth. For Philadelphia, the focus is on breaking their slump; they are 0-2 as underdogs this season and desperately need Nola to provide a deep outing. Fubo is your home for the complete broadcast.

Phillies vs. Cubs Betting Odds & Predictions

The Cubs enter the series opener as narrow favorites at home. Oddsmakers are banking on the Cubs' momentum and Colin Rea's early-season form to overcome a struggling Phillies squad.

Prediction: Colin Rea has been surprisingly effective early in the year, and the Cubs' offense is significantly deeper than the Phillies' current production suggests. Expect a tight contest that hinges on the Phillies' bullpen. Final Score: Cubs 5, Phillies 3.

Individual Matchups: Stars and Playmakers

The marquee matchup features the scorching bat of Moisés Ballesteros against the veteran precision of Aaron Nola. Ballesteros is hitting a remarkable .667 over his last seven games.

Philadelphia relies on the power of Kyle Schwarber and the steady glove of Trea Turner to pressure opposing rotations at the Friendly Confines.

*Estimated recent form.

Stream the MLB on Fubo

Fubo is the essential destination for baseball fans. Catch regional sports networks like MARQ and NBCS-PH, national broadcasts, and premier matchups with the most flexible streaming plans available, ensuring you never miss a highlight from the Phillies or Cubs.

Fubo: New subscribers can check out current promotions to ensure they have access to local and national MLB coverage for the season. Follow the Cubs as they aim to climb the NL Central standings.

Frequently Asked Questions