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Philadelphia Phillies: 3 reasons Bryce Harper is a legit MVP candidate

By David Esser

CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - MARCH 20: (EDITORS NOTE: Retransmission with alternate crop.) Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a double off Steven Matz of the Toronto Blue Jays in the fourth inning during a spring training game on March 20, 2021 at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - MARCH 20: (EDITORS NOTE: Retransmission with alternate crop.) Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a double off Steven Matz of the Toronto Blue Jays in the fourth inning during a spring training game on March 20, 2021 at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /
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Philadelphia Phillies Bryce Harper
Mar 20, 2021; Clearwater, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Bryce Harper (3) runs after hitting an RBI double during the fourth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports /

More wins (hopefully).

The final piece to the puzzle when it comes to winning an MVP in baseball (or any sport for that matter), the team is typically expected to finish with a winning record. Outside of someone freakish like Mike Trout for example, most MVP candidates are players who play for an organization set to go deep into the postseason.

Despite his above average individual play the last two seasons, Harper was unable to generate any serious MVP buzz, primarily due to the team’s lack of in-game success. The Phillies finished exactly .500 in 2019, and actually ended with a losing record in 2020.

With Dave Dombrowski and Sam Fuld now running the show at Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies are expected to be a much more competitive ball club moving forward. The duo revamped the bullpen and added starting pitching depth, while also keeping the team’s one strength (the offense) intact.

Finishing with a winning record in 2021 while simultaneously cracking the postseason would do a lot for Harper and a potential MVP campaign.

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Harper being an MVP candidate in 2021 isn’t the only thing the Phillies need this season to become a winning club once more, but it would certainly help. If your best player is being considered for league-wide awards, that’s normally a good sign that things are trending in the right direction.

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