The Philadelphia Phillies recently wrapped up their first series with the Washington Nationals of the 2017 season, ending with a 5-7 record; something more admirable than most may think. The Nationals’ offensive abilities are some of, if not the best in Major League Baseball right now, and for the Phillies to nearly break even with this powerhouse of a team gives the fans a slight sense of hope that they may not be as bad this season as they have been in the past few years.
However, after watching this grueling series between the division rivals, one thing (or person) stands out more than most: Bryce Harper. The young right fielder for the Nationals recorded one too many game-winning hits against the Phillies to keep Philadelphia fans hopeful, and after recently signing a contract to stay with the team throughout the 2018 season, it seems he won’t be going away anytime soon.
Harper’s success against Philadelphia may induce flashbacks for fans old enough to remember the Montreal Expos. Before relocating and becoming the Washington Nationals in 2004, Montreal had one of the most efficient batters the Phillies had ever faced between 1996 and 2003. Of course, I’m speaking of Vladimir Guerrero. The Dominican right fielder made life difficult for Philadelphia’s bullpen in his years with the Expos, as he averaged an unbelievable .371/.465/.739 on-base slugging average when facing Phillies pitchers. Upon the team moving to Washington and Vladimir Guerrero being traded to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, there was an enormous sigh of relief heard all throughout the City of Brotherly Love, as the Phillies would no longer have to endure a truly dominant batter like Guerrero for some time. Enter Bryce Harper.
The Washington Nationals saw very little success in their first couple years as a franchise, recording several losing records throughout the mid 2000’s; something not uncommon for brand new franchises to experience. They were in a building process, which seemed to peak after drafting Bryce Harper with their first overall pick in 2010. Harper made an immediate impact on the team’s offensive abilities after being called up from the Nationals’ minor league team in 2012. He received the National League Rookie of the Year award in his first professional season, in which he recorded 144 hits, 22 home runs, and 59 RBI’s.
Before Harper’s admission to the team, the Phillies had little to fear about the Washington Nationals. Now that they are facing a right fielder with an impressive batting average and offensive talent several times a year, the eery similarities between him and Guerrero have created a certain amount of unease throughout the division. With his new contract, Harper will be playing great number of games against Philadelphia in the near future, and at the moment, the Phillies don’t necessarily have a pitching staff capable of shutting him down.
The Phillies have struggled to find a true shut-down pitcher in recent years after losing the likes of Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay. Though most of the team is comprised of younger players, they’ll need to bulk up on the defensive side of the ball if they wish to stay in contention with the Nationals, and effectively limit Bryce Harper’s dominant presence at the plate.