Section 215
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3 ways the Philadelphia Phillies can save their 2020 season

By David Esser

BUFFALO, NEW YORK - AUGUST 20: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates with teammate J.T. Realmuto #10 after hitting a one run home run during the first inning of game one of a double header against the Toronto Blue Jays at Sahlen Field on August 20, 2020 in Buffalo, New York. The Blue Jays are the home team and are playing their home games in Buffalo due to the Canadian government’s policy on coronavirus (COVID-19). (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - AUGUST 20: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates with teammate J.T. Realmuto #10 after hitting a one run home run during the first inning of game one of a double header against the Toronto Blue Jays at Sahlen Field on August 20, 2020 in Buffalo, New York. The Blue Jays are the home team and are playing their home games in Buffalo due to the Canadian government’s policy on coronavirus (COVID-19). (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GA – AUGUST 22: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts after hitting a two run home run in the first inning of an MLB game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on August 22, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – AUGUST 22: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts after hitting a two run home run in the first inning of an MLB game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on August 22, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /

Bryce Harper winning MVP.

The Phillies $330 million man is off to a scorching hot start to the 2020 season, and him winning his second career MVP award would cap it all off beautifully.

When John Middleton handed over a third of a billion dollars to Bryce Harper last offseason, Phillies fans were beyond excited. They hadn’t had a player of Harper’s caliber since back in the Howard-Rollins-Utley days, and even then their marketability and fame were nothing compared to the national spotlight that Harper has lived in since debuting in baseball.

Harper had a pretty great first year in Philly, setting a new career-high in RBIs and launching an impressive 35 homers. However, the Washington Nationals going on to win the World Series without their former franchise right fielder left a bit of a sour taste in a lot of Philly fan’s mouths.

If Harper won the NL MVP this year, a lot of those awkward feelings would quickly be erased.

For the most part, the narrative on Harper has really started to flip. Baseball fans all around the league have started to appreciate his ability more so then they ever did when he was with Washington, and his on-field production this year has only backed that notion.

Harper is currently batting .320 and leads the National League in OPS (1.119), so he’s actually a pretty logical choice for MVP if the Phillies can get their win total up.

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Capping off the 2020 MLB season with Harper hoisting up the MVP trophy would do a lot in terms of satisfying Phillies fans. Obviously we’d all love a World Series trophy instead, but Harper getting back to that MVP-level form simply brings the team one step closer to that goal as well.

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