After a difficult start to the second half of the season, Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper’s MVP chances have all but vanished.
About a month ago, Harper was ranked second in MVP odds in the National League at +380 according to DraftKings Sportsbook. He was ranked behind Los Angeles Dodgers superstar designated hitter Shohei Ohtani who was sitting at -290.
Bryce Harper’s slump may have cost him a chance to win his third MVP
Fast forward to mid-August, and Harper’s stock has fallen dramatically. He now sits in third place on DraftKings behind Ohtani and Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte. Ohtani is now the runaway favorite for his third MVP award at -1800 odds, while Marte trails behind at +750 and Harper is at +4000.
Furthermore, MLB.com’s most recent MVP poll has the 31-year-old first baseman sitting even lower at No. 4 behind Ohtani, Marte, and Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz.
Harper finished the first half with a .301 average, 21 home runs and 61 RBI. In 23 games since the All-Star break, he is hitting just .208 with 20 hits and 24 strikeouts, including an 0-for-23 streak that lasted six games at the end of July.
Things have turned around for Harper lately as he is hitting .318 with 14 hits in 44 at bats in the month of August so far. Despite this recent resurgence from the 12 year veteran, it will take a lot to pull himself back in the rankings as his competitors flourished during his struggles. His odds were already a longshot for his third MVP award heading into the second half and these hopes have diminished even further as we enter into the home stretch of the regular season.
All in all, Harper has a .279 average with 26 home runs and 79 RBI in 104 games. His defensive play has been stellar in his first year at first base as he holds a .995 fielding percentage and just four errors in 906 innings of action.
While these numbers are respectable as a whole, they pale in comparison to Ohtani’s. In 116 games, Ohtani has 36 home runs and 85 RBI to go along with a .298 average and a .386 on-base percentage. Even more impressive is Ohtani’s OPS, which is a league-best 1.007.
With the MVP talks in the rearview mirror, Harper can now put his full time and attention into helping the Phillies gain momentum heading into the playoffs.
As Harper has struggled, so have the Phillies as they are just 7-16 since July 19. This is not a coincidence as he is the leader of the team and one of the biggest contributors to their success.
The Phillies will only go as far as Bryce Harper can take them. Their hopes of making another deep playoff run will depend on his ability to return to his early-season form and inspire his teammates to do the same. We know how much he wants to bring a championship to Philadelphia and he will surely trade in a third MVP award for a coveted World Series title.