Philadelphia Phillies: Bryce Harper has rewritten his own narrative

When Bryce Harper first came into the big leagues, he was a cocky kid who seemed willing to challenge anyone and everyone. He had the kind of swagger you love to have on your team but hate to see somewhere else. Naturally, as a member of the Washington Nationals, Philadelphia Phillies fans came to dislike him very quickly.

Harper’s reputation altered slightly over the years. He matured a lot in Philadelphia. However, one thing remained the same: Harper didn’t win.

Until 2022, Harper had never been on a team that won a playoff series. The Phillies didn’t even make it to the postseason in his first three years with the team. It all changed in 2022. The narrative has been rewritten. Harper has been the author making it happen.

Bryce Harper is changing the story of his career by winning with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Harper has been an absolute monster in the first three rounds of the postseason in 2022. He had only one previous series in the playoffs where he looked anything like a superstar. We have to go back to 2014, when the Nationals lost to the San Francisco Giants, to find any successful series out of him.

Now with a new club and an underdog status for his team throughout this postseason, Harper has literally powered his way toward rewriting his reputation.

Harper replicated his awesome NLDS numbers against the Atlanta Braves when the Phillies played the San Diego Padres in the NLCS. He scored four runs, had eight hits, doubled three times, hit two home runs, and drove in five in both series. He’s not striking out, either. Harper fanned just once against Padres pitchers in 20 trips to the plate. By putting the ball in play more, he’s making things happen.

When Harper won the National League MVP in 2015 with the Nationals, he did it on a non-playoff team. The same thing happened in 2021 while with the Phillies. A regular debate among baseball fans erupted once again. How can someone be all that valuable for a team when it fails to make the postseason?

Naysayers have been feeling like Harper’s massive contract signed prior to the 2019 campaign was a bad deal. What good is a $300+ million player if your team isn’t winning?

Well, we’re seeing first-hand in 2022 what it means. Harper has been nearly unstoppable in the playoffs thus far. Remove him from the equation; the Phillies would probably be off playing golf right now instead of preparing for the next mountain they must climb—the Houston Astros.