Phillies Extra

Aaron Nola will begin his 12th major league season this week. He has been an All-Star and received Cy Young votes. But after pitching for Italy, a country he has never even visited, in the World Baseball Classic, he said it was "some of the best times I've ever had." Nola sat down with "Phillies Extra" to discuss his WBC experience, the upcoming season, and more.

Justin Crawford always wanted to do everything like his famous father, especially on the baseball field. And when the 22-year-old center fielder makes his major-league debut for the Phillies later this month, Carl Crawford will be there. A four-time All-Star and 15-year major leaguer, Carl Crawford sat down with "Phillies Extra" to talk about his son's formative years in baseball and...

For the second time in three years, Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs is playing for Israel in the World Baseball Classic. He sat down with "Phillies Extra," live from Team Israel's camp in Miami, to discuss why it's important for him to represent his heritage in the tournament. Stubbs also touched on competing for a job with the Phillies, the new automated ball-strike system, and...

Kyle Schwarber had the best season of his career in 2025, with 56 homers and a runner-up finish for National League MVP. What can he possibly do for an encore? Schwarber joins Phillies Extra to discuss his goals for the season, the Phillies' chances of getting over the hump in October, playing for Team USA in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, and more.

A year ago, Brad Keller was trying to win a job with the Cubs as a nonroster invitee to spring training. Now, he's a key member of the Phillies' bullpen on a two-year contract. And in a few days, he will join the most talented U.S. team ever assembled for the World Baseball Classic. Keller sat down with "Phillies Extra," The Inquirer's baseball podcast, to discuss how much ha...

J.T. Realmuto just started his eighth spring training with the Phillies. But for a week in January, he wasn’t sure he’d be back. Realmuto sits down with Phillies Extra, The Inquirer’s baseball podcast, to discuss his roller-coaster offseason contract talks, the release of Nick Castellanos, his outlook for the 2026 starting rotation, and more.

When the Phillies report to spring training Wednesday, it will have been 125 days since last season ended on Orion Kerkering's 11th-inning throwing error at Dodger Stadium. How does an athlete – even a major-league pitcher who is 24, with a gifted right arm and a long career ahead of him – move forward from something like that? Kerkering joined Phillies Extra to discuss the path back.

In 2024, Whit Merrifield was the newcomer to a Phillies' roster that was virtually unchanged from the previous season. Now, the retired former infielder joined Phillies Extra to discuss the team's decision to keep the core of the roster intact, as well as his close friend Brad Keller's path to the Phillies' bullpen and why Rob Thomson was his favorite manager.

In less than three weeks, Phillies pitchers and catchers will hold their first spring-training workout. It's a good time, then, to sit down with manager Rob Thomson, who discussed the roster in the aftermath of not signing Bo Bichette, the potential impact of rookies Justin Crawford and Andrew Painter, the value of J.T. Realmuto, and whether the Phillies are better now than at the end of last...

Jesús Luzardo had the best season of his career last year with the Phillies. This is shaping up to be another important year for the 28-year-old pitcher, with free agency looming next winter. Luzardo sat down with Phillies Extra to discuss his interest in a contract extension, his relationship with catcher J.T. Realmuto, and what he can do for an encore after his breakout 2025.

The Phillies are preparing to turn over the keys to center field in 2026 to prospect Justin Crawford. After working with Crawford last season, triple-A Lehigh Valley hitting coach Adam Lind sits down with "Phillies Extra" to discuss the touted 22-year-old's readiness for the majors, as well as other prominent players in the Phillies organization.

An All-Star lineup of guests has joined The Inquirer's baseball podcast since it launched in February. Because it's the holiday season and the last "Phillies Extra" episode of the year, we've put together a "Best of 2025" show to revisit some of our favorite conversations, from Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper to Mike Schmidt and John Middleton, and many others.

For two decades, Scott Franzke's voice has been the soundtrack of the summer for Phillies fans. And his radio calls of some of the best moments in franchise history are legendary -- from Jimmy Rollins' walkoff double in the 2009 NLCS to Bryce Harper's "Bedlam at the Bank" homer in 2022. The longtime play-by-play announcer joined "Phillies Extra" to talk about the te...

Cole Hamels is among the greatest pitchers in Phillies history. He's also on the Hall of Fame ballot for the first time this year. It's the perfect time, then, for him to join us again on "Phillies Extra," The Inquirer's baseball podcast, to discuss the honor of being on the ballot, the Phillies' offseason so far, his work with Phillies pitchers, and much more.

What's it like to be an executive at baseball's winter meetings? Jim Duquette, a former general manager with the Mets and Orioles and now the host of a show on MLB Network Radio, puts us in the rooms where everything happens. He also discusses the Phillies' offseason, including the chances that Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto return in free agency. It's all on "Phillies Extra...

Luke Murton just completed his first season as the Phillies’ minor league director. He joins Phillies Extra to discuss the state of the farm system, including the 2026 expectations for Justin Crawford, Andrew Painter, and Aidan Miller, as well as less heralded players to monitor.

Joe Maddon is a three-time former Manager of the Year, manager of the hex-breaking 2016 Chicago Cubs, and one of the sharpest minds in baseball. He’s also a native Pennsylvanian. And he joined "Phillies Extra" to discuss the state of the Phillies, Kyle Schwarber's evolution into a complete hitter, how to pitch Bryce Harper, and much more.

As the offseason begins and the Phillies sort through their roster, they will focus on trying to improve an offense that went cold again in the postseason. Hitting coach Kevin Long sat down with Phillies Extra to assess Bryce Harper's season and discuss his future, handicap Kyle Schwarber's chances of re-signing, the progress made by Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh, and more.

Dusty Wathan just completed his 20th season in the Phillies' organization, the last seven as the third base coach and catching instructor on the major league coaching staff. Wathan joined Phillies Extra to discuss the controversial bunt play in Game 2 of the NLDS against the Dodgers, J.T. Realmuto's remarkable longevity behind the plate and upcoming free agency, and more.

It's always a good time to sit down with former Phillies slugger Greg Luzinski. But it's particularly timely this week, as the team marks the 45th anniversary of its first World Series championship. The Bull discusses his starring role in the 1980 NL Championship Series, his career with the Phillies, the current team's struggle to get over the postseason hump, the power of Kyle Schwarb...

The Phillies' season is over. Larry Andersen is the perfect guest to help us make sense of what happened in the divisional round against the Dodgers because he has seen it all in 17 years as a major-league pitcher and 28 as a Phillies broadcaster. Andersen sits down with The Inquirer's Scott Lauber on the latest episode of "Phillies Extra" to discuss how the Phillies lost and wha...

As the Phillies prepare to open the postseason, there's no better time to sit down with the greatest player in franchise history. Mike Schmidt joins "Phillies Extra" to share his thoughts on the team's quest to win the World Series, Kyle Schwarber's big season, Pete Rose's Hall of Fame chances, and more.

Adam Wainwright won 200 games over 18 seasons as a pitching mainstay with the St. Louis Cardinals and had some memorable duels with Zack Wheeler, Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, and other Phillies players. Wainwright joins "Phillies Extra" to share his thoughts on the Phillies' chances for a long playoff run, his experience as Harrison Bader's teammate in St. Louis, charity work wi...

The Phillies planned for Andrew Painter to make his major league debut this season. Instead, he posted a 5.40 ERA in triple-A. But after missing two seasons because of an elbow injury that required surgery, the 22-year-old top prospect stayed healthy for 26 starts and 118 innings, more than doubling his career total in the minors. Painter sat down with Phillies Extra this week in Allentown for a c...

Nobody will forget Brad Lidge’s last pitch in the 2008 World Series. Seventeen years later, the Phillies have a closer with championship-clinching stuff. Lidge joined The Inquirer’s Scott Lauber to discuss Jhoan Duran, what it takes to close out playoff games, the remade Phillies bullpen, and more.