Bryce Harper: The Most Clutch Player in Philadelphia Sports History
Any story about Game 3 of the NLDS starts and ends with the clutch performance from superstar outfielder Bryce Harper.
When the Philadelphia Phillies signed Harper in 2019, they knew they were getting one of the most colorful personalities in baseball. However, they might not have known that the former first-overall pick would earn a reputation in Philadelphia sports history as the player who performs best at the biggest moments.
Bryce Harper Sinks Braves With Clutch Home Runs
Harper proved again that the cliche clutch gene is real. His three-run shot in the 4th inning built a 4-1 lead, and he added a solo home run in the 6th to stretch the lead to 7-1.
Slugging two home runs in a 10-2 rout against the Atlanta Braves wasn’t enough. The two-time MVP also brought the attitude the Phillies needed to go up against their NL East foe in the series of the year in the MLB Playoffs.
“Bryce Harper might be the most clutch player I’ve ever seen in Philadelphia…The guy just has it in him. There’s people that seem to play well in big moments, and there’s people that crave big moments. I think he’s the guy that craves it and does it.” -Bob Cooney on The John Kincade Show
Orlando Arcia poked the bear after Atlanta’s Game 2 victory. Harper’s aggressive baserunning style burned the Phillies in the 9th inning when an unlikely double play ended the game. The Braves infielder foolishly taunted Harper for the mistake.
Harper stared down Arcia while rounding the bases after both home runs. He embodied the confidence that the Phillies have shown against their arch-rival in two consecutive seasons. The Braves are on the ropes once again.
The Phillies are officially rolling, and their fearless superstar has the type of look in his eyes that opponents fear.
He spoke after Game 3 about overcoming the pressure that came as a former first-overall pick and reaching the point that every baseball player lives for.
“That’s pressure. This is all cake, man. This is so much fun. This is what it’s all about, just coming in here and playing the game that I love. It’s not pressure anymore when you’re just playing and having fun.” –Bryce Harper
Harper Responds to Pressure
Philadelphia saw the flamboyant attitude of the anointed savior when he reached the majors with the Washington Nationals in 2012. Cole Hamels plunked the loudmouth rookie in a May series in Philadelphia, but Harper got the last laugh. He used the free base to steal home for the upstart Nationals, who ultimately dethroned the five-time defending NL East champs that season.
The script flipped in 2019 when Harper switched sides. He smacked a home run during his first weekend with the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park and immediately thought to give a curtain call to a fan base that had already embraced him.
In Game 5 of the 2022 NLCS, his game-winning home run felt downright inevitable. The swing of his life earned him his first trip to the World Series.
Bryce Harper: The Biggest MLB Superstar
Raul Ibanez spoke on The John Kincade Show before the MLB Playoffs began. The former Phillies outfielder gushed about Harper.
“Bryce Harper is a superstar, a magnetic personality, but at the same time, this guy plays hard. He cares about every pitch that’s thrown. He acts like every pitch is the last one he’s ever going to see. In the city of Philadelphia, they really appreciate that.” –Raul Ibanez
Wearing cleats with the Phillie Phanatic logo doesn’t make you a hero in Philadelphia. Harper has no intention of pandering his way into the history books. He wants a World Series, and he’s exactly the type of player who can carry a team on his back to win one.
“All I’m thinking about is the trophy. That’s all I want. That’s the moment, right? Broad Street.” –Bryce Harper
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