Once again, Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies’ season ends in disappointment despite cruising to an N.L. East division, the Phillies lasted one series in the playoffs. In four games, the New York Mets, divisional rivals, eliminated the Phillies in the N.L. Division Series.
Now 13 years into his MLB career, Harper is still without an elusive World Series ring. The two-time NL MVP thought to have his best chance this season. The Phillies stockpiled a payroll of nearly $250 million.
Yet the top of the Phillies’ order, including Harper with Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, and Nick Castellanos, couldn’t carry the team against the red-hot Mets.
Unlike Harper, Schwarber and Turner have had the experience of winning a World Series title. Schwarber with the Chicago Cubs in 2016, and Turner with Harper’s former team, the Washington Nationals, in 2019.
While with Washington, Harper and the Nationals couldn’t cash an improbable run into an N.L. East division title in 2012 (Harper’s rookie year) into a World Series title. For seven seasons, Harper came up short with Washington.
Harper won the 2012 N.L. Rookie of the Year and claimed his first NL MVP award in 2015. He was the face of the franchise. Yet, when he became a free agent in 2018, the Nationals and he couldn’t come to terms on a mega contract. Instead, Harper had to find what he was looking for financially with Philadelphia.
During his introduction to the Phillies fans, Harper had a slip of the tongue, saying he wants to “bring a title back to D.C.“
The misstep went viral in 2019. Little did Harper know he would bring a title to D.C. indirectly. In the first season without Harper, the Nationals finally got over the proverbial hump. They turned a 19-31 record into a World Series title with Harper’s replacement, a 20-year-old young phenom, Juan Soto.
What Harper was looking for by going to Philadelphia landed in Washington immediately after his departure.
Bryce Harper has chased the cloud hovering over him for the past six years. He won a second N.L. MVP in 2021, reached the World Series in 2022, and the NLCS in 2023. Yet, he still didn’t get to taste victory. His lone World Series appearance ended in a loss to the Houston Astros, the team the Nationals defeated in the 2019 World Series.
Harper batted .285/.373/.525 with 30 home runs, 42 doubles, and 87 RBIs in 145 games this season. In the NLDS, he went 4-of-12 at the plate with five strikeouts and one home run. He drove in six runs. However, his efforts couldn’t propel the Phillies.
A lot of players have great careers without winning a championship. However, Harper is chasing a legacy. Whether fair or not, his hefty $330 million, 13-year contract defines Harper’s career and the lack of a World Series title, especially since his former team won it all without him.
He’s still young, 31 years old, and seven years remaining on his contract. However, every year without a championship presumably eats at Harper. A player with a competitive nature understands the narrative that follows him. Wanting to win a World Series was why Harper is now with the Phillies.
Signing with the Phillies would only be considered a success if a World Series gets produced during his time with the team. After Wednesday’s season-ending defeat, the question surfaces: will Bryce Harper ever win a World Series title?
