Funny enough, even though Bryce Harper has only appeared in 140 or more games twice in his first five seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, they are still considered a huge success.
Naturally, the COVID-19 epidemic cut the 2020 season short to 60 games, and Harper participated in 58 games despite a back ailment during that strange season. However, the fact that San Diego Padres pitcher Blake Snell struck him with a ball in late June caused him to fracture his left thumb, which largely prevented him from playing in 99 games in 2022. Even though Harper’s Tommy John surgery recuperation went incredibly well, he missed the entire 2023 regular season and only made 126 appearances in that season.
Heck, Harper’s left forearm contusion kept him on the injured list until early summer 2021, even after winning NL MVP. In 2021, Harper played in 141 games. Despite missing 21 games, he posted an OPS of 1.044 to earn the senior circuit’s top award for the second time.
All of it points to one conclusion: Harper should play for the Phillies for the most games in 2024 compared to 2019, the year he made his debut with the red pinstripes, playing in 157 games. Although injuries are always a possibility, Harper has experienced some unusual injuries over the previous three seasons—he was struck in the face and on his left thumb—that don’t normally happen to a player. Considering that he has switched from right field to first base full-time, there is no reason to believe that he will experience any problems with his right elbow going forward, having already undergone Tommy John surgery once. And may it never happen again that a pandemic reduces the 162-game MLB schedule by more than 50%
Over the past three seasons, Harper has established himself as one of the best offensive players in the game when he has been on the field. Harper has slashed.297/.402/.546 with 74 home runs, 221 RBIs, and a.948 OPS since the 2021 season began. While acknowledging his shortcomings in Games 6 and 7 of the 2023 NLCS vs the Arizona Diamondbacks, Harper has been outstanding in back-to-back postseason runs, hitting 11 home runs and scoring 21 runs in 30 postseason contests.
Therefore, having a healthier Harper could be a big help to the Phillies if you’re wondering how they could possibly catch up to the Atlanta Braves in the NL East. Harper has participated in 225 out of 324 regular season games during the past two years. That has undoubtedly played a part in the Phillies’ failure to mount a credible NL East run in 2022 or 2023. Even with Harper’s improved health in 2024, the Phillies and Braves—who have won six straight NL East championships—will still be too far behind. However, it might be a contributing element to a more intense competition between the two competitors in 2024.
Even if Harper wants to play every day, manager Rob Thomson will still need to pace him. 2019 saw Harper participate in 157 games at the age of 26. Currently 31 years old, he is coming off of two consecutive deep postseason runs and is hoping for a third in 2024. It’s not a wise or practical ambition to try to play 162 games in 2023, even if that means spending some days at DH. However, if Harper can play 150 games by 2024, the Phillies may be able to move up from winning 90 games to about 95 games this past season.
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