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Were these Phillies Snubbed by the MLB All-Star Game?

By Gabrielle Starr

DENVER, CO - MAY 13: A general view of the scoreboard featuring the All-Star Game logo during a game between the Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on May 13, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - MAY 13: A general view of the scoreboard featuring the All-Star Game logo during a game between the Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on May 13, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) /
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Phillies superstar Bryce Harper Could’ve Been an All-Star

Bryce Harper is having a weird season, but in early June, he was the only Phillie who had a chance to be an All-Star, according to MLB’s fan-vote update.

In late June, he set a new franchise record for consecutive solo home runs, which he has continued to hit; he’s now hit 14 home runs this season, each of them a solo shot, putting him two away from the MLB record set over fifty years ago.

But let’s compare Harper’s and Mookie Betts’ – who is a reserve outfielder for the NL team – this year:

  • Mookie Betts (71 games): .248/.361/.456, .817 OPS, 21 doubles, 3 triples, 10 HR, 31 RBI, 7 SB
  • Bryce Harper (60 games): .271/.377/.514, .891 OPS, 10 doubles, 0 triples, 14 HR, 26 RBI, 7 SB

Harper has more home runs, a better slash line, and a higher OPS than Betts. They have both stolen seven bases, but Betts has been caught thrice, and Harper has not been caught yet this season. Betts has walked more and struck out less; he has out-hit Harper, and has more than double his doubles (sorry), as well as three triples (Harper has none), but Betts has also played in 71 games to Harper’s 60.

Harper has also outslugged Juan Soto, another NL reserve. The Phillies superstar’s OPS is 60 points higher than that of the Nationals wunderkind. Like Betts, Soto has also played in more games than Harper, but overall, their numbers are close, too. Harper has more homers, Soto has more RBI.

Among NL rightfielders overall, Harper is in the top-10 in runs, hits, doubles, homers, walks, stolen bases. He’s fourth among the qualified NL RF in AVG and OBP, and third in SLG and OPS.

So overall, Harper has largely similar numbers to a few of the NL outfield superstars who have underperformed this season, so maybe none of them deserve to reserve (sorry again), or maybe they all do. Likely, it’s a bit of both.

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