Arguably the most important player on the Philadelphia Phillies might’ve busted out of an unusual slump. All-Star first baseman Bryce Harper looked like his usual self in Sunday’s win over the Seattle Mariners.
The Phillies have been going through a rough patch since the series before the All-Star break against the Oakland Athletics. The team lost six series in a row, including 13 losses in their last 18 games. Harper and many other key players haven’t been playing up to standards during this stretch. They hope Sunday’s win will be a turning point and a sign of good things to come.
Bryce Harper is so back after slump-busting, milestone-setting game
Prior to the All-Star break, Harper was slashing .301/.403/.579 with a .982 OPS, 21 home runs, 21 doubles and 61 RBI. The two-time MVP was having another MVP-type season. The 31-year-old is slashing .156/.194/.375 with a .569 OPS, four home runs, two doubles, eight RBI and 16 strikeouts since the All-Star break. This kind of play is uncharacteristic of Harper.
The good news is that Harper might’ve figured things out at the plate. He went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run to help propel the Phillies to a 6-0 win, snapping a six-game losing streak. He looked like himself after going just 2-for-38 with only two extra-base hits and two RBI since July 24.
Bryce Harper just crushed a 2 run home run.
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) August 4, 2024
Bryce Harper is 3 for his last 3
🔥🔥 after going 2 for his last 39 before that. Slump Over?
pic.twitter.com/h615e6zHIB
Sunday’s win was also a special one for Harper. The eight-time All-Star became the 42nd player in MLB history to reach 3,000 total bases before turning 32 years old, per PhilliesNotes on X. 73 percent of the previous players to do so went on to become Hall of Famers.
This was exactly the kind of game that Harper and the Phillies needed to put the losing behind them and get back to playing winning baseball. The Phillies are still the top team in the National League and after Sunday's win, held a 6.0-game lead over the Atlanta Braves in the NL East.
After losing the series opener 5-3 to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday, in which Harper went 1-for-4 with a double, the Phillies will look to get back in the win column on Tuesday. The Phillies are a much better team when No. 3 is doing his thing at the plate.