Bryce Harper isn’t hiding his disappointment with how he’s playing early in the Phillies’ season, as the team sits at 19-15.
Through the first stretch of the season, Harper is hitting .234 with a .346 on-base percentage and .422 slugging percentage. He has six home runs, six doubles, 17 RBIs, and 20 runs scored. While his 119 OPS+ is still above average, it’s well below his career norms of a .908 OPS and 143 OPS+.
His recent slump has made the struggles more noticeable. After a strong seven-game homestand against the Giants and Marlins where he hit .320 with three home runs and a 1.229 OPS, Harper has cooled off, going just 8-for-47 (.170) with a .568 OPS in his last 12 games. His homer against the Diamondbacks on Sunday was his first since April 18.
“I’m frustrated on a bigger level,” Harper told The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Scott Lauber. “I’ve had worse slumps before, but this one’s tough because I’m frustrated for the fans and for my teammates.”
Despite the skid, Phillies manager Rob Thomson isn’t concerned.
“There’s not a whole lot of power right now,” Thomson said. “But it’s going to come. He’s probably the last guy I worry about. He’s close.”
Advanced metrics back up that confidence—Harper ranks in the 78th percentile in average exit velocity, 84th in hard-hit rate, and 86th in bat speed, showing he’s still making quality contact.
Harper, 32, remains confident he’ll turn things around.
“I’m not where I want to be, that’s for sure,” he said. “But I’ve had stretches like this before. It’s part of the game. I’ll bounce back.
