Latest news with #BryceHarper
Yahoo
an hour ago
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- Yahoo
Kyle Schwarber leads Phillies to 11-0 start vs. Braves
The post Kyle Schwarber leads Phillies to 11-0 start vs. Braves appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Philadelphia Phillies have struggled after a mid-month surge allowed the team to reclaim control of the NL East. As Bryce Harper remains sidelined with a wrist injury, the Phillies' offense has been inconsistent. But Philadelphia bottomed out during its three-game losing streak, scoring just one run in the last three games. Advertisement Then, suddenly, the Phillies' bats woke up as the offense erupted against the Atlanta Braves in their series opener Friday. Philadelphia jumped out to an early lead, scoring five runs in two innings. Then, in the third, the Phillies broke the game open as Kyle Schwarber capped a six-run inning with a massive home run, putting the team up 11-0. Facing reliever Michael Peterson, Schwarber worked the count full before demolishing a 90 mph cutter to deep right center. The 439-foot blast was Schwarber's 25th homer of the season and the Phillies' fourth in three innings. The Phillies celebrated an offensive eruption against Atlanta Brett Davis-Imagn Images Schwarber was the first batter that Peterson faced after taking over for Bryce Elder. The Braves starter got absolutely shelled, allowing 10 runs (9 earned) on 8 hits and 4 walks in two innings. Advertisement The Phillies would add two more runs in the ninth inning, running the final score up to 13-0. The team had scored 12 total runs over the last five games. The Braves emerged as a possible suitor for Schwarber in free agency after the season and Atlanta got a good look at what the two-time All-Star brings to an offense. Schwarber is now tied for the fourth-most home runs in the majors and he's behind only Shohei Ohtani in the National League. His 57 RBI are the 11th-most in baseball. Earlier this year, Schwarber hit his 300th career home run, reaching a major milestone. And the 11th-year veteran has been the Phillies' best offensive player this season by far. However, he wasn't the only contributor to the team's beatdown of the Braves. The Phillies went off on Atlanta, racking up 17 hits and five home runs Friday. Trea Turner went deep twice in the game and scored four runs, while Nick Castellanos and Otto Kemp also homered for Philadelphia. Advertisement The win, combined with the New York Mets' ugly 9-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, allowed the Phillies to take back first place in the NL East. However, the team is clinging to a half-game lead over New York. Related: 3 sneaky trades Phillies must make to boost World Series chances Related: Max Kepler claims being lied to by Phillies
Yahoo
9 hours ago
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- Yahoo
Phillies' Bryce Harper Announces Exciting News on Friday
Phillies' Bryce Harper Announces Exciting News on Friday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper is in his fourteenth major-league season after debuting with the Washington Nationals at age nineteen in 2012, having become one of baseball's most dynamic talents and competitors. Advertisement Drafted first overall in the 2010 MLB Draft, Harper immediately made a huge impact by winning the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 2012. After seven seasons in Washington, he signed a thirteen-year, $330 million contract with the Phillies in March 2019, and he is now in his seventh year in Philadelphia. He spent the majority of his career patrolling the outfield before transitioning to first base during the 2023 season. Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3)Ron Chenoy-Imagn Image Harper was placed on the ten-day injured list on June 7 with right wrist inflammation—a move made retroactive to June 6—and that same wrist had plagued him for much of the 2024 season, leading to frequent absences. Advertisement Today, Harper announced he's targeting a return during next week's homestand—the first timetable he's given since going on the IL earlier this month. He will face live pitching tomorrow in Atlanta and Monday appears to be the earliest option. Harper's career to date has been nothing short of Hall of Fame worthy. Over his 14-year MLB career, he has posted a lifetime .281 batting average, a .907 OPS, 345 career home runs and 1,010 RBIs. A two-time NL MVP (2015, 2021), an eight-time All-Star, a four-time Silver Slugger Award winner and the 2022 NLCS MVP, Harper's trophy case reflects continuous excellence. Advertisement Now aged thirty-two and still seeking his first World Series title, Harper remains central to Philadelphia's quest for October glory and his availability will be crucial to the team's success this season. Related: Phillies' Rob Thomson Announces Bryce Harper News Before Astros Game Related: Phillies' Rob Thomson Announces Bryce Harper News Before Marlins Game This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Phillies' Rob Thomson Announces Bryce Harper News Before Astros Game
Phillies' Rob Thomson Announces Bryce Harper News Before Astros Game originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper is currently playing his fourteenth season in MLB after bursting onto a scene with the Washington Nationals in 2012. Advertisement Bryce Harper spent his first seven seasons with the Nationals—since being selected in the first round of the 2010 MLB Draft—before signing a 13-year, $330 million contract with the Phillies. He's now in his seventh season in Philadelphia, switching over to first base after spending a majority of his career in right field. A former National League Rookie of the Year, Harper has since captured two MVP awards (2015 and 2021) and earned eight All-Star nods. Philadelphia Phillies first base Bryce Harper (3)Dale Zanine-Imagn Images Harper was placed on the 10-day injured list on June 7 with right wrist inflammation, a move made retroactive to June 6. That wrist has been a nagging problem, as he battled the same issue for much of the 2024 season, requiring periodic rest before he could rejoin the lineup. Advertisement Phillies' manager, Rob Thomson announced today that Harper logged another strong rehab session—taking 75 swings on the high-velocity machine—and is scheduled for an outdoor hitting session at Truist Park on Friday. Barring any setbacks (and pending a live arm for throwing batting practice), he could be back in the lineup as soon as Monday. Philadelphia's offense has gone cold as of late—scoreless over its last 18 innings—and the club is desperate for Harper's return to inject power and run production into the middle of the order. At 32 years old, he remains a focal point of their lineup and a veteran leader in the clubhouse. Through 57 games in 2025, Harper is batting .258 with a .368 on-base percentage, a .446 slugging mark and an .814 OPS, along with nine home runs, 34 RBIs and eight stolen bases—numbers that highlight just how critical he is to the Phillies' pursuit of a championship. Advertisement Related: Phillies' Rob Thomson Announces Bryce Harper News Before Marlins Game Related: Phillies Turn Heads With Kyle Schwarber Announcement on Friday This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Phillies' Rob Thomson Said Bryce Harper 'Had Another Good Day' Amid His Injury Recovery
Phillies' Rob Thomson Said Bryce Harper 'Had Another Good Day' Amid His Injury Recovery originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Philadelphia Phillies have been without their superstar first baseman, Bryce Harper, for a few weeks. During that span, the offense has been wildly inconsistent. The Phillies' bats have gone ice-cold in the series against the Houston Astros. Advertisement But, fortunately, according to a post on X from Matt Gelb of The Athletic, Harper's road to returning to the lineup is trending in the right direction. Rob Thomson, the Phillies manager, gave a positive update before the series finale against Houston. Thomson said that it was another good day for Harper, coming off a wrist issue. Harper took 75 swings, more than he's taken the past few days, and he is also taking those swings off a high-velocity machine. Harper's progression is pointing towards a return soon. Over the weekend, Harper is also expected to face live pitching for the first time since his injury, a great sign he's close to returning. Advertisement Gelb predicts that Monday, June 30th, is a possibility for Harper to make his return from the injured list. With how the Phillies' offense has sputtered recently, that return date can't come soon enough. Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) waits for the play to begin against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fifth inning at Rogers Turchiaro-Imagn Images While Harper himself hasn't had the best offensive season of his career, he's still been one of the best Phillies hitters. Harper is second on the Phillies in OPS, with his .814, only the second OPS above .800, next to Kyle Schwarber's .914. The Phillies, amid their struggles this season, need Harper back badly. While Otto Kemp has had his moments filling in for Harper at first base, the team needs Harper back for more offensive firepower. Advertisement Harper needs to return to the lineup because the New York Mets are faltering. If the Phillies want to win the NL East, now is the time for them to separate themselves from the Mets. Harper doesn't have a set time for his return, but with this report from Gelb and Thomson, it might not be long before Harper returns to the lineup. Related: Phillies' Jose Alvarado Expected to Make Impact After 80-Game PED Suspension Related: Phillies Not Expected to Solve Key Issue at Trade Deadline This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
Forbes
2 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
The Phillies Could Close Their Contention Window After This Season
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 17: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a ... More two-run home run against the Colorado Rockies during the sixth inning of a game at Citizens Bank Park on April 17, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by) The Philadelphia Phillies are right where they expect to be at this point in the season, sitting atop the National League East with a 47-33 record. They're in position for their fourth-consecutive playoff appearance, but they're still searching for their first World Series championship since 2008. They need to pull out all the stops in their quest for the trophy because their window might be closing after this season. Philadelphia has the same core that propelled them to success over the last few years, but that core is starting to get older. They're the only team in MLB whose pitchers and position players both have an average age of 30, and their hitters are the second-oldest in the league. Phillies Contracts They have seven players under contract for next season, not counting arbitration-eligible and pre-arbitration players. Of those seven guys, only Cristopher Sánchez is under the age of 32 this year. (This counts Trea Turner, who turns 32 on June 30.) The others include three hitters and three pitchers who will be in their mid-30s next season. Bryce Harper and Turner will be Phillies teammates for a long, long time. Harper is in the middle of a 13-year, $330 million deal that lasts until 2031. The 32-year-old first baseman is hitting .258/.368/.446 with a 123 OPS+, indicating his offense has been 23% above the league average. Those are excellent numbers, but they're below his usual standards—the two-time MVP has a career OPS+ of 142—and he's on the injured list right now with wrist inflammation. Turner is signed through 2033 on an 11-year, $300 million contract, and he has been the best player in the Phillies' lineup this season, pacing them with 2.6 WAR (Baseball-Reference version). He leads the National League with 96 hits and has also stolen 19 bases. However, he's on borrowed time defensively, as there are no starting shortstops in MLB this season older than 32. While he's still a strong defender up the middle for now, he'll have to change positions long before the end of his contract. Right fielder Nick Castellanos is also under contract for next year for $20 million. He's hitting .281/.322/.437 with a 107 OPS+, but his awful defense bring his WAR down to -0.4. He could transition into a designated hitter role next year. In addition to Sánchez, they'll return ace Zack Wheeler in the rotation, who will earn $42 million each year through 2027. With a 2.55 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP, and 126 strikeouts in 99 innings, he's making a run at the Cy Young Award this year in his age-35 season. Their other pitching contracts aren't aging well. Longtime rotation stalwart Aaron Nola is in the second year of a seven-year, $172 million deal, but he's on the injured list with a sprained ankle. Before the injury, he compiled a 6.16 ERA through nine starts. Taijuan Walker will receive $18 million in 2026. He lost his rotation spot in May despite having a 3.99 ERA this season. Phillies Free Agents Several key players on the Phillies roster have contracts expiring at the end of this season, and they'll have a difficult time replacing their production. Chief among them is designated hitter Kyle Schwarber. He has been the club's best bat by far, hitting .250/.380/.534 with a 149 OPS+, and his 24 home runs and 56 walks both rank third in the National League. It will be tough for the team to retain him as a free agent entering his age-33 campaign, especially when Castellanos needs to move out of the outfield. Starting pitcher Ranger Suárez will be one of the biggest names available this offseason. He has a 2.08 ERA through 10 starts and 65 innings, and he could make his second consecutive All-Star appearance this year. He will be 30 when he reaches free agency, so he will command a large multiyear commitment on the open market. Two veteran position players have been disappointments in what will likely be their final year in Philadelphia. Catcher J.T. Realmuto is having the worst full season of his 12-year career at the age of 34, hitting .240/.307/.354 with an 82 OPS+. Outfielder Max Kepler signed a one-year, $10 million contract in December, but he's batting only .211/.303/.388 with an 89 OPS+. Even though Realmuto and Kepler aren't hitting much, they represent two more holes the front office will have to fill this offseason. With Schwarber and Suárez set to depart and the remaining core getting older, the Phillies could have trouble staying in playoff contention in 2026. That makes it even more important to go after the championship this year.
