Phillie Phanatic Had Key Part in Navy Officer Surprising His Family After Coming Home

There was a heartwarming moment during the Philadelphia Phillies game, and the Phillie Phanatic played a key part in making it happen.

Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Sometimes it's easy to forget that baseball is just a game.

As the Philadelphia Phillies embark on their journey to win a World Series championship -- something that would mean so much to so many people in this city -- passion can sometimes overtake anyone and make them lose sight of what's actually important in life.

And because the baseball season is so long, it's easy to fall into the monotony of the schedule and ride the ups and downs that come with this sport, looking at everything through a performance-based lens whenever a ballgame is being played.

But on Saturday, everyone in attendance at Citizens Bank Park and watching the game on television was treated to a reminder that there are more important things in life than just baseball, as the Phillie Phantic played a key role in a Navy officer surprising his family after he returned home from deployment.

This Navy Officer coming home to surprise his family at the Phillies game has us in tears 🥹 pic.twitter.com/qcx7VxdTs9

— MLB (@MLB) August 23, 2025

Zipping across the outfield grass in typical Phanatic fashion, this time the beloved mascot had the Navy officer on the front of his vehicle, delivering him to his family who was waiting on the field not knowing that he would be in attendance.

As seen in the video, the officer's children were more than happy to see him, with two of them jumping into his arms as he embraced his wife. Once he set them down, he embraced his youngest in what was an all-around heartwarming moment.

Stuff like that puts the game of baseball in perspective, but with that being said, it was a much more enjoyable day at the ballpark because the Phillies were able to win.

Phillies Go For Series Win Against Nationals On Sunday

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Philadelphia has been pushed to the brink by the Washington Nationals in their last few matchups. The two sides split the four-game series that was played in the nation's capital a week ago, and in the opener of this current set, the Nationals won by causing Jhoan Duran to blow his first save since coming to the Phillies.

But Aaron Nola bounced back and had a good performance on Saturday, allowing the offense to do enough to even things up at a win apiece even though Washington made things interesting at the end with even more ninth-inning pressure on Duran.

On Sunday, it will be Ranger Suarez going up against Jake Irvin. Surprisingly, neither of these two pitched in the previous series between these two sides, so both lineups will be facing someone new. Suarez has a 9-6 record and a 3.25 ERA across 19 starts, while Irvin has an 8-8 record and a 5.30 ERA across 26 starts.

First pitch is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. ET.