Major League Baseball is in a great spot when it comes to popularity and viewership from a global perspective. The game continues to grow, with some of the sport's stars showcasing themselves on the biggest stage.
The Philadelphia Phillies have their own star in first baseman Bryce Harper. After being a superstar for over a decade, Harper is at a crossroads in his career, making the 2026 season a defining one.
However, 2025 showed a reduced version of the two-time MVP, so 2026 will be a significant year. Harper has been named one of 10 MLB players who will define the upcoming season by MLB.com's Will Leitch, one that Phillies fans will be keeping a close eye on.
Phillies star Bryce Harper is one of the MLB players to watch in 2026, for better or for worse
Harper has spent the last seven seasons in Philadelphia, leading his club to a World Series appearance and a playoff run each of the last four years. He's been a prominent face in MLB since he was a teenager and has remained in the limelight league-wide as he approaches his mid-30s.
As Leitch notes, "There are reasons for both optimism and concern here, but no matter what, this will be a story that bears watching."
The upcoming season will be Harper's age-33 season and year 15 of his playing career. He's still a high-level player, but age along with continuing wear and tear is making it harder to believe that Harper can still perform at the top of his game. He finished 2025 with an .844 OPS, 61 points lower than his career average of .905, but still managed to hit 27 home runs and 75 RBIs.
Harper also missed a month of action due to a wrist injury, similar to the one that sidelined him in 2024. He still has the power to get it done, but he just needs a better consistent outcome. He also had to deal with the opposition throwing him the least amount of strikes in the zone in 2025.
The 2026 season will present a different challenge for the future Hall of Famer. He has yet to successfully bring home a championship to Philadelphia and has been doubted from within the organization after the comments by president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. The doubt also stirred the pot within the fan base, wondering if the angle that Dombrowski took was warranted. There was also trade rumor speculation that didn't sit too well with Harper, even though it was later left unfounded.
Harper doesn't need an obvious motive to get up for an upcoming season, but doubt about his ability to stay elite could be a sticking point. He showed that on his TikTok recently, taking a jab at Dombrowski's comments. Phillies fans have seen Harper play with an edge before, and it has fueled his capability of turning a moment into a spectacle.
If Harper can bounce back to MVP form, he could be a massive storyline for the 2026 season, for the Phillies and the league. He easily has the ability to carry the Phillies past their current stagnant postseason fallout to World Series glory.
Harper isn't just riding out the rest of his career, but eyes will be on him, waiting to see if he can return to greatness. Phillies fans are cautiously optimistic of what's to come but will be elated if Harper can carry them through the 2026 season.