It has been an underwhelming start to the 2025 campaign for Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper. While he has been productive at times, he has struggled to maintain consistency from the plate thus far through the first quarter of the season. Despite concerns from fans, one member of the Phillies coaching staff is confident that Harper will get back on track quickly.
Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long has a long history coaching Harper at the major league level, both in Philadelphia and in Washington with the Nationals. Long joined MLB Now on Monday to discuss all things hitting, and inevitably, Harper's slump came up.
Hitting coach Kevin Long sounds confident that Bryce Harper will be okay
“He’s an intelligent, intelligent player. He knows his swing, he knows his mechanics," Long said about Harper's maturation and development. "He has a better understanding of what he needs to do in order to prepare and get ready for a game.”
“I know he is going through a tough spell right now," Long added, acknowledging that the first baseman has been struggling this season. "But it’s almost good that it's happening now in May because I know he's going to get this thing figured out, and he's going to help us win a lot of games and hopefully the big games, the ones in October.”
Bryce Harper is no stranger to slow starts. In his first year in Philadelphia in 2019, it took the two-time MVP some time to become the player that fans expected him to be when he signed a then record-breaking 13 year, $330 million deal before the start of the season. He even received boos from some fans during his first few months in red pinstripes.
Through his first 41 games in 2019, Harper hit just .219 with seven home runs and 25 RBIs. The 32-year-old has similar numbers right now, as he is hitting .232 with seven home runs and 22 RBIs through 41 games. By the end of the 2019 season, he had turned things around and finished with 35 home runs, a career-high 114 RBIs and a .260 average.
You can even look back to last season, when Harper was named to his first All-Star team as a full-time first baseman. At one point in May, he was hitting .231 before turning a corner and improving his average to .284 by the end of the year en route to an All-Star appearance and a Silver Slugger Award.
Throughout his career, Harper has had his ups and downs both at the plate and in the field, but he has shown an ability to deliver in the clutch when the Phillies need him most.
This is especially true during the postseason, where Harper has shined as a member of the Phillies. In 34 playoff games for the club, Harper has compiled an impressive line of 12 home runs and 29 RBIs to go along with a .325 average and .444 on-base percentage.
While Bryce Harper’s start to the 2025 season may not be what fans hoped for, his track record indicates that it is far too early to panic. With Kevin Long in his corner, Harper will look to turn things around once again and prove that he is still one of the best hitters in all of baseball.