After a bit of a slow start to the 2024 campaign, Bryce Harper is in MVP form. The two-time MVP winner ended the first-half slashing .301/.403/.580 with 21 home runs and 61 RBI for the first-place Philadelphia Phillies.
If the season were to end after the first half, Harper would have an excellent case to win another MVP. He has, at the very least, re-established himself as one of the best players in the sport after a couple of injury-riddled seasons. He’s the player in this loaded Phillies lineup that no pitcher would want to face.
When he’s at his best, Harper appears to be as confident as anyone in the game. He can hit any elite pitcher, whether he throws with his right hand or left, and whether he’s using a 99 mph fastball or a wipe-out slider.
Harper even seemed to want to face arguably the most dominant pitcher in the sport right now, Mason Miller of the Oakland Athletics. Well, that’s until he saw him pitch in person right now, according to Miller. Harper had a change of heart, and that stance gives president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski yet another reason to try and acquire Miller in a trade at the deadline.
Phillies trade for Mason Miller would make even more sense after Bryce Harper’s stance
While speaking with FanDuel, Miller recalled when Oakland first base coach Bobby Crosby told him Harper was eager to come up to bat and face him. When Miller pitched a scoreless ninth inning in this past Friday’s game between the Athletics and Phillies with a pair of strikeouts while dialing his fastball up to 104 mph, Harper, understandably, had a change of heart. Miller told Harper on the flight to the All-Star Game in Arlington, Texas that he heard he wanted to face him. Harper’s response was simple.
Harper doesn’t back down to anyone. The fact that he wasn’t rushing to the plate to face Miller after seeing him throw says a lot about just how absurdly talented Miller is.
