The stars across MLB just returned to camp from the World Baseball Classic, including Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper. Harper didn't have the greatest tournament, notching a .214 batting average in a sea of disappointments, but did walk away with one of the most memorable moments in WBC history. His eighth-inning home run in the final against Team Venezuela now gives Phillies fans some additional excitement of a bounce-back with Opening Day approaching. Harper felt his timing was just a little off during the tournament, but the new approach he's bringing with him should garner a return to his MVP form.
Harper wants to tweak his hitting approach from 2025. He's looking to make better decisions earlier in the counts, without letting his aggressiveness get in the way. According to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, he intends to get back to walking more in order to facilitate a return to peak form (subscription required).
“Me just giving a crap about it, right?” Harper told Gelb, regarding how he can ensure he's locked in on his goals. “Just making sure I do it. That’s a big thing for me. I can hone in my strike zone and understand I’m really good when I walk. So if I can walk 140-150 times this year, then I think I’ll be right where I want to be… It's just buying in.”
Bryce Harper's patience could be the missing ingredient to the entire Phillies lineup
Harper walking more will also have a trickle-down effect on the Phillies' lineup. On Team USA during the WBC, Harper was hitting second the whole tournament. The same could happen at the start of the regular season. Harper getting on base more would help the Phillies produce more offense and give the guys behind him more chances to drive in runs. 140-150 walks seems like a lofty goal, considering Harper's last season featuring 100+ walks was 2021, but that number can easily jump when Harper is actively taking more pitches.
Phillies shortstop and Harper's close teammate Trea Turner had a similar revelation early in the 2025 season when Phillies manager Rob Thomson asked him to focus on his contact versus power. Turner did see a dip in home runs, but registered an .812 OPS, his highest since 2021. Turner also became the first Phillies player to win the batting title since 1958. Harper should see a similar jump if he follows through.
Compared to the rest of his career, Harper was a much different hitter in 2025. At the plate, he was more aggressive, while also showing less patience lowlighted by an inability to lay off pitches outside the strike zone. In 2025, Harper swung at the first pitch 53.9 percent of the time, the second-highest mark in MLB. Ironically, former Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos finished highest at 56 percent. Harper was actively trying to be more aggressive, but also fell victim to a higher chase rate of 35.4 percent, the highest in his career.
Per FanGraphs, no one in MLB saw fewer pitches in the strike zone than Harper in 2025, at just 42.8 percent. If Harper can lay off even just a percentage of those pitches, his .844 OPS from 2025 will look a lot different in just a year's time. The Phillies still need Harper to be a productive player entering his age-33 season. There's a path for Harper and his return to the MVP discussion, and he's taking it head-on.