MLB Network Host Says Phillies are Winning the World Series

Lauren Shehadi, co-host of MLB Central, MLB Network's morning show, has high expectations for the Philadelphia Phillies as they approach the postseason.

Jack Vita | Aug 30, 2023

MLB Network Host Says Phillies are Winning the World Series /

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Philadelphia Phillies

Wednesday morning, a prominent host made a bold proclamation on MLB Network's morning show, MLB Central.

After running through the highlights from the Philadelphia Phillies' 12-7 victory over the Los Angeles Angels Tuesday night, hosts Mark DeRosa, Lauren Shehadi and Robert Flores transitioned to a conversation about the Phillies' postseason chances. Shehadi predicted that Philadelphia will not only return to the World Series in 2023 this fall, but that they'll win their first title since 2008.

"I'm sitting there last night, and I get a text from Lauren Shehadi," DeRosa said. "And what did you say? You said, '[the Phillies] are winning the World Series."

Shehadi confirmed the text she sent to her cohosts, explaining that her belief in the Phillies traces back to the start of the season.

"I called it in March," she said. "They have everything. Two games ago I was watching. Trea Turner threw it to first. Bryce Harper, a megastar, learning a new position at the big league level, all out trying to get it. They have heart and are fired-up."

Shehadi likes the team's makeup and synergy.

"They're connected with each other," Flores responded. "They're connected with the fan base."

Last fall, Philadelphia won their first six postseason games that they played at Citizens Bank Park. The club seemed to thrive off the energy radiating from the fans in a playoff atmosphere. The Phillies took a 2-1 lead in the World Series, but dropped three straight games to the Houston Astros, who won their second championship in six years. Two of those three losses came in Philadelphia.

Entering the final day of August, the Phillies have hit 57 home runs this month, the third-highest total for a team in the month of August, since 1900. Only the 2019 New York Yankees (74 HR) and 2019 Minnesota Twins (59 HR) have hit more long balls in the month of August than this year's team has.

Philadelphia entered June 3 with a 25-32 record. In the time since, the Phillies have a record of 48-26. The club has been playing phenomenal baseball over the past three months, and is in prime position to make another deep postseason run.

MLB Central airs each morning from 9:00 a.m. ET to 11:00 a.m. ET.

For more from Jack Vita, follow him on Twitter @JackVitaShow, and subscribe to his podcast, the Jack Vita Show, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Facebook, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and wherever podcasts are found.

Published Aug 30, 2023

JACK VITA

Jack Vita is a writer and contributor to Sports Illustrated's Inside the Phillies, and host of the Jack Vita Show, a popular sports podcast available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and wherever podcasts are found. Jack is a 2017 graduate of Valparaiso University, in northwest Indiana. Since completing his degree, Jack has created his own independent sports media outlet (JackVita.com) and podcast (the Jack Vita Show). He has featured prominent guests from the worlds of sports and entertainment including Brian Urlacher, Scot Pollard, Bob Nightengale, Dan O'Dowd, and Survivor icons Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick, Cirie Fields, Danni Boatwright and "the Dragon Slayer", Coach Benjamin Wade. While studying at Valparaiso, Jack was the school newspaper's beat writer for the Valpo Crusaders men's basketball team, which won three straight Horizon League championships from 2015-2017. Traveling to cover the team, Jack had a front row seat to one of the nation's best mid-major teams, headlined by future NBA Draft pick Alec Peters and coached by NCAA Tournament hero Bryce Drew. Jack hosted a weekly sports radio show and provided play-by-play and color commentary services for ESPN 3 and the university's student radio station, WVUR-FM, 95.1 The Source, covering Valparaiso men's soccer, women's basketball, softball and volleyball. Jack also covered these sports, in addition to men's and women's tennis, baseball and women's soccer for the school newspaper, The Torch. While he was in college, Jack interned for and co-hosted Jewell On Sports, a sports radio program on AM 1050 WLIP in Kenosha, Wisconsin. There, he interviewed various pro athletes such as Ahman Green, Javon Walker and Javier Arenas, in addition to talking sports with the late, great Brad Jewell. Jack also interned for 22nd Century Media, a now defunct newspaper corporation that provided news to the North Shore of Chicago. With 22nd Century Media, Jack wrote post-game recaps, feature stories about local athletes, reviews of local restaurants and compiled the newspaper's "Pet of the Week" and "Athlete of the Week" sections, while providing copy-editing services. Before attending Valparaiso, Jack enrolled at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he studied for two years before transferring. He is a high school graduate of New Trier Township High School in Winnetka, Illinois. You can follow Jack on Twitter @JackVitaShow, subscribe to his podcast, the Jack Vita Show, wherever podcasts are found, and reach him via email at jack@jackvita.com.