Philadelphia Phillies’ star Bryce Harper reportedly engaged in a heated exchange with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred in a recent visit between the commissioner and the ball club, according to a report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

The meeting between Manfred and the Phillies was part of the commissioner’s visit list with all 30 clubs as he tries to improve relations between players and the league at large.

Things grew contentious during the clubhouse meeting when Manfred began discussing the economics of MLB. The two-time MVP in Harper told Manfred to “get the f— out of our clubhouse” if Manfred wanted to talk about the implementation of a salary cap as part of the next collective bargaining agreement. The current CBA is set to expire in January 2026, with multiple owners voicing support for the implementation of a salary cap.

Major League Baseball is the only American professional sport without a salary cap. The MLB Players Association has long opposed a salary cap, arguing that a cap would increase franchise values more than lessen the disparity between high-spending and low-spending teams.

Harper was reportedly quiet during much of the meeting with Manfred and the team, which lasted more than an hour. However, Harper stood up in the middle of the locker room during the economics discussion and said, “If you want to speak about [the salary cap], you can get the f— out of our clubhouse.”

Harper and Manfred eventually shook hands before Manfred left, but Harper would not take the commissioner’s calls the following day.

Manfred has not committed to pursuing a salary cap, but pressure from multiple owners around the potential for one in the new CBA is intensifying.

On the flip side, players from opposing clubs have reportedly voiced frustration to Manfred in other clubhouse meetings about some teams’ lack of payroll spending.

After a white-hot start to the 2024 season, the Philadelphia Phillies have finally cooled off in July, going 3-9 since the All-Star break. The team still has a comfortable lead in the N.L. East division, but after suffering a three-game sweep to the Yankees, stars in the clubhouse are looking for answers.

“I could say we haven’t been playing good baseball on both sides of the ball,” Phillies slugger Bryce Harper said after a 6-5 loss Wednesday. “Pretty sloppy as a team — we’ve got to turn the page. We’ve got to cowboy up and play the right way.”

Since returning from a minor injury on July 9, Harper has batted .149 with four home runs and 15 strikeouts. His dip in production reflects a Phillies lineup that has collectively gone quiet in recent weeks.

“We’re a damn good team,” Harper continued. “It’s not that hard, it’s baseball. It’s how the game works. We’ve got really good players in here.”

With a 65-37 record, the Phillies are still comfortably ahead of the Braves and Mets in the division, but the team’s most recent stretch has allowed those two rivals to inch closer. New York has been especially hot lately, making the most of Philadelphia’s drought to get within eight games.

In order to get swept by the Yankees, another group of struggling playoff contenders benefitting from the acquisition of Jazz Chisholm Jr., the Phillies suffered a 14-4 drubbing in the first game before losing two straight games by a single run. Missed opportunities with men on base made the difference in both contests.

With a potent starting rotation and professional lineup, the Phillies are still in an excellent position for the rest of the 2024 season. In fact, if there’s ever a time for the team to slump, it’s probably now.

Philadelphia has built an extremely large cushion within its division, and the team has a considerable amount of postseason experience after consecutive deep runs over the last two seasons. There’s still plenty of time before then to recover. A collapse is never out of the question, but this forgettable month remains a blip for now.

The Philadelphia Phillies are reportedly targeting Chicago White Sox outfielder Tommy Pham at the trade deadline. With the White Sox well, well out of the postseason race, Pham could be headed to his sixth team in the span of three seasons.

Pham is currently batting .264 with four home runs on a White Sox team doomed to a historically poor finish by season’s end. At the All-Star break, Chicago is 27-71 and 27.5 games out of the Wild Card. The team is on pace to lose nearly 120 games. Any price for Pham, a 36-year-old journeyman, would be worth taking for the team.

With a 62-34 record, the Phillies are on the opposite end of the spectrum, firmly in control of the N.L. East division and one of two National League teams seemingly in contention for a World Series berth. The team has plenty of talent in the outfield between Nick Castellanos and Brandon Marsh, but an injury to star Bryce Harper did impact the team’s depth. Pham could be an ideal short-term pickup.

In addition to the Phillies, the Royals are also reportedly interested in trading for Pham at the end of this month. Kansas City has overperformed in 2024 and are just two games out of the Wild Card at the All-Star break. The team are sure to consider buying at the deadline, and Pham has been a hot commodity for budget-conscious teams in recent years.

If Pham were to join Philadelphia, it would be his ninth team since debuting in 2014. In 2022, he spent time with the Reds before the Red Sox acquired him for a playoff push. The Arizona Diamondbacks did the same thing in 2023, trading with the Mets to acquire him before going to the World Series. At this point, there is no seller in a more dire situation than the 2024 White Sox, making yet another trade highly likely.

Pham has gained a reputation in recent years as an outspoken club member, for better or worse. It is unclear whether his frequent moves are a result of this or simply a matter of circumstance. Regardless, he has proven capable of contributing to winning teams in search of a postseason run, making him a valuable addition despite his advancing age.

Benches cleared during the San Francisco Giants game against the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday. Giants pitcher Kyle Harrison nearly hit star slugger Bryce Harper with two straight pitches in the fourth inning, almost causing an altercation between the two teams.

On a 1-2 count in the top of the fourth, Harrison threw his first fastball high and inside, eliciting a complaint from Harper before he stepped back into the box. Harrison responded by throwing another fastball high and inside, hitting the knob of Harper’s bat as he tried to twist out of the way for an incidental foul ball.

Though both benches cleared under the assumption that the second inside pitch had hit Harper, umpires and other cooler heads managed to prevent a physical dispute. Harper eventually grounded out to end the inning after things settled down.

For all of the controversy he caused, Harrison was decidedly casual about his part in the disagreement between him and Harper after the game. In fact, the 22-year-old pitcher stood by his actions and even doubled down. 

“I would have gone in again. Why not?” Harrison said. “We’re trying to get guys out, and it’s a spot where I thought I could get him. It might have leaked a little bit too in, but really just focused on the baseball side [of things] and tried to execute.”

Despite getting out of the fourth inning, Harrison did not have his best outing against Philadelphia, allowing four runs on 12 hits in five innings of work. San Francisco went on to lose 6-1. With a 4-2 record through 12 starts, however, Harrison has still done enough this season to keep his spot in the rotation.

Meanwhile, Harper and the Phillies needed to win their final game against the Giants to avoid a three-game sweep and keep the stalling Braves at bay in the N.L. East. Philadelphia currently has a 39-18 record this season, which is good for a six-game lead in the division.

Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner made an undisclosed financial contribution to the team’s advertising campaign in order to send a thank you message to fans on seven local billboards. They simply read, “Thank you, Philly,” a message Turner felt was necessary after fans cheered him on through a profound slump at the plate.

“I think it was nice to get the message out there and say thank you,” Turner said Monday. “I said it in interviews and whatnot, but I think it was just another nice gesture.”

After a rough start to his first season in Philadelphia, Turner began receiving unexpected support from fans at Citizen Bank Park. Instead of characteristic boos or disinterested quiet, he received standing ovations before several at-bats last Friday. The following day, Turner hit a go-ahead three-run home run to lift Philadelphia past the Royals.

With a feel-good moment with the team under his belt, Turner felt obligated to make a reciprocating act of gratitude for the city.

“I feel like when you’re younger, you don’t think about things like that,” Turner said about the billboards. “You’re just kind of living the dream or trying to play baseball and whatnot. As you get older, you start to see what’s important. I’d never done anything to that magnitude.”

If Turner returns to form in the second half of the season, it would be a much-needed improvement for the Phillies, currently 61-51 and holding a slight lead in the NL Wild Card standings. The team’s offense is succeeding thanks to elite hitting from the likes of Bryce Harper, Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott, and in spite of Kyle Schwarber, the former star currently hitting .182.

With Philadelphia’s shortstop back on the right track, it is still unlikely that the team can do anything to topple the Braves within the NL East. The Phillies can do plenty more to secure a postseason berth, however, and build upon their surprise trip to the World Series last season.

The Philadelphia Phillies have been waiting a while for Bryce Harper to return to the lineup – and the big money man delivered quickly. 

During the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Phillies wasted no time making noise offensively. 

The team immediately had the bases loaded with no one out – all set for Harper, who was batting cleanup in the first game back since June. 

The 29-year-old star outfielder took the count to two balls and two strikes. 

He then drove a pitch through the shifted right infield that got too much of the plate. 

That drove in two runs to give the Phillies runners on first and third. 

That was Harper’s first at-bat since June 25 when San Diego Padres pitcher Blake Snell let a 97-mile per hour (mph) fastball get away from him that unfortunately drilled the star outfielder on the left thumb.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2CGlAkmOpc&ab_channel=WestCoastSports

X-rays revealed that it was a fracture.

The good news is the Phillies were able to manage without Harper.

The team held a 32-20 record without him and sit second in the wild card race in the National League.

This year, the Phillies rank ninth in the majors in batting average and eight in on-base plus slugging (OPS). 

Ahead of the trade deadline, the Phillies acquired pitchers Noah Syndergaard and David Robertson.

If the injury hadn’t happened, Harper would have had a decent shot of winning the NL’s most valuable player award again. 

Before the injury, Harper was slashing .318/.385/.985 (batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.) 

Harper has won two MVP awards in his 11-season MLB career: one in 2015, with the other in 2021. 

But likewise, this year’s race will come down between two St. Louis Cardinals: Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado. 

But most importantly, the Phillies will hope Harper will stay healthy and that he will help the team make noise in the playoffs. 

In a season where multiple All-Star level players have been sidelined by injuries, it is not easy to see another player of that caliber continuing to sit on the sidelines. Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper continues to be out – and the star is vowing to return this season.

The reigning AL-MVP was sidelined in June after he was struck by a pitch thrown by San Diego Padres pitcher Blake Snell. Harper was sent to the IL after being diagnosed with a broken left thumb and had to have three pins inserted into his thumb.

Harper spoke to the media earlier this week saying that he would be back but was reluctant to give a timetable on his return. “I don’t want to give anybody a timetable because I don’t know. If I knew a specific date that I’d be back, I’d tell you. I just don’t think it’s fair to anybody. I’ll be back when I’m ready to go,” he said. “I don’t want to hope or think about anything. I just want to go day by day and be back when I can, whenever I feel healthy, whenever that is to help this team win. Granted, if we’re out of it, I’m going to come back and play no matter what, just so I know that I can go out there and play the game. I don’t want that to be my last day playing this year. No matter what the outcome, I’m going to come back, and I’ll be playing.”

Harper will not be able to attend the Phillies’ upcoming road trip against the St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays and Miami Marlins due to conflicts with his medical appointments. “I don’t really feel the need for me to go anywhere, especially with appointments for the next two weeks with the doctors,” he said. “If I didn’t have those appointments, I’d be going on this road. After the break, I’ll be kind of a little more open to going on the road and travel and get the things done I need to.”

Prior to his injury Harper was getting back to MVP form. He had been batting .318 with a .985 OPS and 15 home runs. In his absence, however, the Phillies have not wavered in their hunt for a postseason berth. The Phillies are 5-3 in his absence and the offense has still been producing, scoring five or more runs in six of the last eight contests including an 11-0 dismantling of the Washington Nationals.

The Phillies now sit in third place in the NL East with a 43-38 record. They have a 71.3% chance to make the postseason.

Major League Baseball’s Opening Day is less than two weeks away. With that, it is time to make predictions for each team heading into the 2021 season, following a 2020 pandemic-shortened campaign.

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The Philadelphia Phillies have not had a winning record since 2011, nor have they made the postseason in the past nine years. Not only that, in 2020, Philadelphia had the fourth-worst ERA in baseball with a 5.14 ERA. However, their offense is one of the team’s strong suits, as they moved to 11th in home runs with 82 homers in 2020. While the National League East looks incredibly competitive going into 2021, the Phillies have a competent team to possibly make a run for the postseason.

Here are Philadelphia’s projected starters.

Philadelphia Phillies Projected Batting Order:

1. OF Andrew McCutchen
2. 3B Alec Bohm
3. OF Bryce Harper 
4. 1B Rhys Hoskins 
5. C J.T. Realmuto 
6. SS Didi Gregorius
7. 2B Jean Segura 
8. OF Scott Kingery
9. Pitcher

Philadelphia Phillies Projected Pitching Staff:

• SP1 Aaron Nola 
• SP2 Zack Wheeler 
• SP3 Zach Eflin
• SP4 Spencer Howard
• SP5 Matt Moore
• CL Archie Bradley

Philadelphia Phillies Team Outlook:

During the duration of the offseason, the Phillies made some impactful moves. However, the most impactful of those moves was the re-signing of catcher J.T. Realmuto. Additionally, they brought back shortstop Didi Gregorius and made a plethora of additions.

Among those additions are relievers Archie Bradley, Tony Watson, and Brandon Kintzler. They also added starters Chase Anderson and Matt Moore, along with infielder Brad Miller. Philadelphia also added infielder C.J.Chatham, and relievers Jose Alvarado and Sam Coonrod via trades.

The Phillies’ offense has potential with the powerful combination of Bryce Harper, Rhys Hoskins and J.T. Realmuto in the midsts of their lineup. Philadelphia’s pitching is in decent standing, as Aaron Nola is the team’s lone ace. But starter Zack Wheeler has shown growth, Zach Eflin is a competitive arm, and Spencer Howard will offer a boost once he is ready for the big leagues. From the looks of it, the Phillies will win more games than they will lose in 2021, and who knows, they might even be good enough to make a trip to the postseason.

Philadelphia Phillies Schedule:

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Although the Olympics have been pushed back to 2021, there is some news surrounding it. Baseball is returning to the Olympics for the first time since 2008, which has some players eager to play in it. Major League Baseball has already said that its players can’t play in it, partially because the Olympics fall in the heart of the season which has some like Bryce Harper not happy, calling the choice “dumb.”

Harper said that this is one of those things that athletes dream of, representing their country. “It is such a travesty to me. I’m not saying this as disrespect to minor-leaguers – the [2021] Olympics are in Tokyo, and you’re not sending big-league guys? Are you kidding me? You wanna grow the game as much as possible and you’re not gonna let us play in the Olympics because you don’t wanna cut out on money for a two-week period? Like, ok, that’s dumb.

The Olympic team will be mostly composed of minor league players and some veteran MLB free agents have yet to qualify for the games. In the World Baseball Championship, another tournament featuring international play, MLB players are allowed to partake in it. The one difference is that the WBC is played during the MLB offseason.

Because of the Olympics taking place in the middle of the season, one of the biggest concerns for MLB is that if a star player were to play in the Olympics, there is a chance of injury, which would be detrimental for a team’s season. 

In a post on Instagram, Harper tagged numerous MLB stars, trying to gain traction and force the league’s hand in letting its players represent their respective countries.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_5hnkvght6/

The Philadelphia Phillies announced Tuesday that they have brought on former manager Charlie Manuel as a hitting coach.

The 75-year-old Manuel replaces John Mallee. Manuel, who last worked as the Phillies’ manager in 2013, holds the record for the most wins with the franchise with 780. During Manuel’s eight-year tenure as manager, he led Philadelphia to a 2008 World Series title and five consecutive division championships.

Phillies general manager Matt Klentak told reporters that hiring Manuel is part of the organization’s plan to improve its record significantly in the second half of the season, especially after Philadelphia hit a heavy slump following the All-Star break last month.

“The reason we did this today is because we have 44 more game remaining and we’re two games out of the playoffs,” Klentak said. “I know a lot of people are burying us, saying we have no chance and we haven’t played well.

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“Part of that is correct. We have not played well. We have not hit well, especially since the All-Star break. But we are not buried and we are not out. It makes sense to try something different rather than continuing to do the same thing.”

Philadelphia has ranked last in the National League in RBIs (109), batting average (.240) and extra-base hits (82) since the All-Star break.

The Phillies’ struggles this season have surprised many fans given the recent additions of players like Bryce Harper, Jean Segura and J.T. Realmuto. In June, former 2013 MVP Andrew McCutchen sustained a season-ending knee injury.

Manuel previously worked as a manager and hitting coach for the Cleveland Indians.

Philadelphia (60-58) is fourth in the NL East, just two games behind in the NL wild-card race and one game behind the third-place New York Mets. The Phillies are coming off a four-game series against the San Francisco Giants, only one game of which they won.

When the Washington Nationals parted ways with not only their young franchise’s most prolific hitter, but also a player constantly reeling in revenue for the team, most expected many dark days to come for the Nats. That player, Bryce Harper, signed with his former team’s rival, the Philadelphia Phillies. Although Harper’s move to abandon ship lead most to believe the Phillies to stand as the next playoff product coming from the division, the Nationals currently hold the second wild card spot, shocking not only opposing NL East teams, but the entire league.

Since May 24, the Nationals hold the league’s best record, keeping them eight games afloat the .500 mark. While the team still remains several games behind the World Series hopeful Atlanta Braves, the wildcard action spot team proceeds to flirt with already exceeds the expectations which surrounded the team during this season’s early days.

Meanwhile, the Phillies remain outside and looking in on the NL playoff picture. Plagued with players such as the .256 hitting Harper, .267 hitting J.T. Realmuto, and the once highly valued ace Jake Arrieta, who’s struggles appear ongoing with a 4.42 ERA. While they’re not atrocious numbers by any means, they do fail to stand out and warrant prominent recognition.

Riding some equally surprising and impressive play, the Nationals instead motor on. Most notably, Anthony Rendon, who currently posts a .316 batting average, well above his career mark at .288. From the mound, Washington continues pitcher Stephen Strasburg’s services who deals night in and night out with a 3.37 ERA. The team also awaits four–time Cy Young winner, Max Scherzer’s, return from the IL.

Washington currently leads Philadelphia in head–to–head victories as well, by a 9 to 5 margin. Although this season’s second half commenced just a few weeks ago, the Nationals and Phillies appear poised to swap pre–season expectations.

Hoping to keep their NL East first place position unhinged, this week the Philadelphia Phillies added a new meaning to the term “lost and found” amid some roster turnover.

Although injury appeared somewhat inevitable with the former NL MVP’s age climbing up to 32, outfielder Andrew McCutchen’s injury woes worsened, as he suffered a season–ending ACL tear. While Philly poises to miss McCutchen’s services, a bright spot to combat this bad break appeared almost immediately as the new acquired Jay Bruce crushed two home runs including a grand slam just days after Cutch’s injury, leading the Phillies to a 9–6 win over the San Diego Padres and illustrating how the effective Philadelphia front office continues to improve their roster.

Not too long ago, the Phillies roster appeared inked with question marks across the entire diamond, as their young an unproven players held the Phillies as an inconsistent team with a cloudy future. Although recent off–field issues concerning Odubel Herrera illustrate work that still need doing, change commenced this offseason with winning the Bryce Harper sweepstakes, as the once unproven Phillies now stand as a true NL power, thanks to a front office that makes strategic effective moves such as adding Bruce. Harper currently resides as Philadelphia’s crowned jewel with his marketable name, home run threatening power, and effective glove. Yet, the other moves that Philly’s front office orchestrates prove equally as effective.

Standing in at shortstop, newly acquired Jean Seguara highlights the league as a true steal for the Phillies with his .285 batting average and 23 RBIs thus far. Even with Segura’s production aside, the trade which sent Carlos Santana packing allowed potential All–Star Rhys Hoskins to shift back to first base, a more comfortable position where Hoskins now posts a top ten NL fielding percentage, which combines with his 13 home runs at the plate. Adding to the cause stands J.T. Realmuto, yet another addition conducted by the Philadelphia front office. Although not putting up monster numbers, he hits quite effectively with a .273 batting average and remains generally on pace to match last year’s numbers, which earned him a Silver Slugger Award. Realmuto proved his value once again during last night’s contest going 3/5 at the plate.

These expensive and somewhat risky moves are essential to Philadelphia’s success and continually fit in like puzzle pieces, filling jagged and unusual holes perfectly as if made for that exact purpose. The Phillies also await newly-signed relief pitcher David Robertson‘s return from injury, as his effective bullpen pitching poises to assist the Phillies down the stretch. With the always entertaining trade deadline forecasted to strike soon, look for Philadelphia to slide more pieces, improve their team and look to make the playoffs for the first time since 2011.

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Andrew McCutchen suffered an apparent knee injury on Monday night against the San Diego Padres. He was hurt earlier in the first inning of the game and did not return.

The Padres won the game 8-2. McCutchen was caught between first and second base, trying to avoid being tagged out by spinning away from one of the Padres’ players when his knee twisted up.

The Phillies are already in a pickle with several holes in the outfield. Odubel Herrera is still on standby after his domestic violence arrest after an alleged incident between him and his girlfriend. Herrera is currently placed on administrative leave by the MLB offices during the investigation. The Phillies acquired outfielder Jay Bruce from the Seattle Mariners because of this incident, and now, McCutchen will have to sit out indefinitely. McCutchen walked off after the injury, but it could still be serious. According to CBS Sports, you can usually walk in a straight forward line even on a torn ACL. The pain will be there but it’s not impossible to walk straight. With it being a non-contact injury as well, that usually means it could be a muscle tear or other similar issue. 

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW 

“I didn’t feel it pop or anything,” McCutchen said, according to Fox News.  “Something felt uncomfortable, something that made me grab my knee and go down. I’ve had an ACL injury before and I know what that feels like. This didn’t feel like that.” McCutchen underwent an MRI Tuesday to follow up.

McCutchen has a .256 batting average this season, with 10 home runs in 59 appearances. The Phillies still have Bryce Harper in the outfield, with his world-record-breaking 13-year, $330 million contract. The Phillies are currently top of the NL East, just half a game ahead of the Atlanta Braves and 4.5 games ahead of the New York Mets.

MLB’s offseason was filled with talk of a disaster waiting to happen, potentially the first strike since 1994. The cause was a rapidly drying up free agent market. Then, come March, Bryce Harper got 13-years, $330, Mike Trout opted to avoid free agency with a 12 year, $426.5 million contract, and Jacob deGrom fetched 5 years, $130 million.

To complain about a lack of contracts when all those four were signed in the same month seems ludicrous. But the only thing ludicrous is the contracts themselves. The players should’ve made more.

Let’s first look at Harper. At 26 years old, the Philadelphia Phillies signed one of the game’s premier talents for the rest of his career. Harper’s agent, Scott Boras, claims that he received short term deals north of $45 million per year. For what it’s worth, Philly locked him up early and even if his body turns to dust at 34, they’ll still have gotten close to a decade of meaningful production out of him. But what’s concerning is that Harper’s average annual value is $25.4 million, $0.2 million more than Alex Rodriguez’s in 2000. $25.2 million in December 2000 is equivalent in value to about $36.5 million now. That’s not to mention that MLB revenues have tripled in that time span. The Phillies even sold 100,000 additional tickets in the day after they signed him and Harper had the most popular jersey of all time. Harper’s value to the team is clear. Why he’s not paid in accordance with that is not.

Trout topped Harper’s deal, but the fact that the best player in baseball didn’t want to hit free agency doesn’t sit very well with fans who miss the nation’s pastime being a 12-month sport. While he’ll walk away with close to half of one billion dollars when he retires, the numbers don’t set records in the way that he does. It’s a tough argument to make but it’s easier when you realize any additional money given to Trout instead just sit in the pockets of the Angels front office. Trout’s career value was close to 2.5 times larger than Giancarlo Stanton’s through their age 24 season. At that age, both were blossoming superstars. Yet their contracts don’t reflect that at all. Instead, they both have average annual values in the same range. And the deal doesn’t take into account that the New Jersey native is wasting his time on some downright atrocious Angels squads that have only reached the playoffs once in his career.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

The argument with deGrom is the easiest of all. If he pitched how he did last year, which is not impossible but not exactly an easy thing to do, he’d earn the value of his five-year contract by September of 2020. The New York Mets haven’t exactly been the smartest front office. This signing is a steal though.

While players get ridiculous contracts with numbers that only a few people on this earth will make in their lifetime, keep in mind that the owners will always make more. While at one point, they were more willing to pony up a greater share of revenue, today it just goes back into their pockets. Current deals are record-breaking but today’s revenues are even more so. Players generate most, if not all of that. Yet, more and more frequently they see less and less. 

The Minnesota Twins head to Citizens Bank Park to take on the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies are coming off a season in which they finally saw a light at the end of the tunnel. However, a late-season slump put them in third place and pushed them to add Andrew McCutchen, J.T. Realmuto, and Bryce Harper as well as locking up Aaron Nola before he hit free agency. They got off to a hot start, going 4-1 after sweeping the reigning NL East champions Atlanta Braves and splitting a two-game road series against the Washington Nationals.

The Twins are also 4-1 after sweeping the Kansas City Royals and going 2-1 against the Cleveland Indians. They’re hoping to rebound from a 78-84 season in which longtime Twin Brian Dozier was traded away and young stars Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton spent significant time on the disabled list. The acquisition of Jonathon Scoop, CJ Cron, and Nelson Cruz make this team a competitor.

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When facing the Phillies, there’s an added element of chance. Both their rotation and their bullpen are top-heavy, meaning that if their stars are used up or resting, the odds can shift in an opponents favor dramatically. While the Twins won’t have to face Nola, they will have to square off against former Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta. In the bullpen, Juan Nicasio and David Robertson are big name guys but they’ll be used at the manager’s discretion. The Twins typically field one of the faster teams in the league. This could be a difference maker as both Maikal Franco and Harper are suspect on the defensive end and an aging McCutchen can’t be counted on in the ways that he once was. If a ball drops, and at least a few will, expect the Twins to try and eke out a win on those.

On Friday, April 5. at 6:05 P.M. CST, Jake Odorizzi will face off against Nick Pivetta. The next day, at 1:05 P.M. CST, Michael Pineda will take the mound for Minnesota against Arrieta. To wrap up the series on April 7, at 12:05 P.M. CST, Jose Berrios will face Zach Eflin.

Bryce Harper played 472 games at Nationals Park in Washington. On Tuesday, he’ll play his 473rd and his first as a visitor.

Bryce Harper Returns To Washington

Harper, who rose to national fame at age 16 when he was first on the cover of Sports Illustrated, remains the most polarizing figure in baseball. At 26, he found a superstar payday and headed two hours north to Philadelphia, joining the Washington Nationals’ division rivals, the Phillies.

Harper knows how the return could go. “I’m sure some cheers, some boos, as well,” he said. “It’s part of the game. It’s part of sports. I’ll always remember and cherish all the screaming and yelling and the exciting times that we had there.”

In fact, the D.C. mayor, Muriel Bowser, commented on his return in a now-deleted tweet. She posted a picture that depicted Harper as the revolutionary war traitor, Benedict Arnold.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Harper returns to DC in the midst of a hot streak. He has contributed to a 3-0 start with a pair of homers and four walks and seems to get a standing ovation each time he appears on the field.

The Nationals, on the other hand, are 1-2, tormented by opposing fans chanting “Where is Harper?” despite his young outfield replacement, Victor Robles, hitting .455 with four extra-base hits.

Hours before the game, Harper issued a message on Instagram to the fans. It began, “If you would have told me 5 years ago I would be walking into Nationals Park as an opposing player, I would’ve told you that you were crazy. Five years later, I’m doing just that. I remember the first day I walked into Nats Park. My first base hit. My first home run. And, of course, my first standing ovation. Nationals fans delivered that first ovation.”

He then thanks the staff and workers at the ballpark as well as the franchise’s management. Harper discusses what made DC feel like home to him and pledges that he’ll continue “Harpers Heroes with LLS in the DMV as well as making sure the legacy fields bearing my name are the best youth fields in town!”

He ended the message thanking the fans. He wrote, “When I run on the field tonight I am sure to hear some boos, but I will always remember the cheers and the screams that are still with me right now, as I start my new chapter. So for that, DC, THANK YOU.”

Barring a change to how MLB makes their schedules, Harper could play as many as 117 games at Nationals Park during the span of his 13-year contract with Philadelphia. Over time, it could become just another stop. On Tuesday, it certainly won’t be.

The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 5-1 on Sunday night to complete a three-game sweep of their NL East division rivals. It’s their first opening-series sweep since 2011 and it’s big news because it comes against the reigning division champs. The 2011 season was both Philly’s last winning year and most recent playoff appearance.

Harper Propels Phillies To Sweep Of Braves

The Phillies showed off their offseason pickups, Bryce Harper and Andrew McCutchen, in the game. Both homered. In the bottom of the third, McCutchen homered to tie the game up 1-1.

Harper showed up the whole game. On top of his dinger, he doubled and walked. Already up 3-1 in the top of the seventh, he sent a solo shot deep into the air and out of the park. Of course, Citizens Bank Stadium erupted.

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Harper’s arrival in Philly seems to be going as well as it can be. The Bryce Bow is the newest tradition as the team rises up from the basement of the NL East and he seems to be meshing well with his teammates. Throughout the game, the 26-year-old can be seen giving out complex handshakes to his squad.

Meanwhile, Jake Arrieta‘s season debut had its ups and downs. After signing a monster three-year, $75 million deal with the Phillies, he didn’t live up to the hype last season. In his first game back, Arrieta walked six batters, hit another and threw only 55 strikes. Not exactly eye-popping numbers. However, he did get the win and threw six innings, giving up only one run.

Philly will have a day off before taking on the Washington Nationals. The Braves will play the Chicago Cubs on Monday night.

While the Oakland Athletics and the Seattle Mariners kicked off the season a little early, the rest of the MLB had to wait until March 28 to play meaningful baseball. Fans who found themselves feining for the sport weren’t disappointed when it returned.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers hit an opening day record eight home runs as a team. Joc Pederson hit the first Dodger dinger in the second inning. Enrique Hernandez, Austin Barnes, and Corey Seager all went deep in the fourth. That led to a 12-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Dodgers are on pace for 1,296 homers. It would shatter the current team season record of 267.

The Milwaukee Brewers were snatched from the jaws of defeat by centerfielder Lorenzo Cain. With two outs in the ninth inning, Cardinal Jose Martinez sent a shot deep. Cain took off and found himself at the warning track. He reached up, snagged the would be home run, bounced off the wall, screamed, and threw the ball into the stands. The Brewers won 5-4.

Bryce Harper also made his Philadelphia Phillies debut. He trotted out to right field, took a bow for the fans and fist pumped. Later on, he showed off his green, Phanatic-inspired cleats when he dug in. Though he went hitless, the Phillies still won and it showed a promising era was beginning.

And another newly-acquired player made a splash as well. In his first game as a New York Met, Robinson Cano made sure his team won on opening day. He took the third pitch he saw deep. The Mets are now 38-12 in their last 50 opening days, a team-best in all four of the major sports.

As each MLB team looks to hoist the World Series trophy in November, be sure to follow along. Opening day brought plenty of suprises.

With baseball season starting and there’s no time to wait so come and get your tickets now to see your favorite team out on the mound, The Philadelphia Phillies.

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With Bryce Harper having just joined the Phillies on a major deal, the team’s games will surely be extra interesting this season. Harper, a former Washington Nationals star, even beat LeBron James in jersey sales!

The Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 10-4 at home on Thursday night in their season opener. The two teams will face off again this weekend two more times. Check out Stubhub.com for the Phillies’ entire 2019 MLB schedule and tickets to their games.

Here are some key dates for the Phillies’ 2019 schedule:

April 2: Bryce Harper returns to Nationals Park for the first time since becoming a Phillie.

• April 8: The Nats are in Philly.

• April 15-17: The Mets are in town and you could get your first potential matchup between Aaron Nola and Jacob deGrom, if the schedule lines up the right way.

• May 13: This begins a grueling stretch for the Phillies, where from May 13-June 2, the Phillies face all NL contenders — four vs. the Brewers, three vs. the Rockies, four at the Cubs, three at the Brewers, three vs. the Cardinals, three at the Dodgers. Talk about an early-season test.

• June 14-20: The Phillies have an important seven-game road trip through Atlanta and Washington.

• July 7: Final game before the All-Star break. The Phils are at Citi Field.

Wasn’t baseball dying? Turns out that Bryce Harper has already pulled in more jersey sales than Los Angeles Laker Lebron James.

Bryce Harper Jerseys Sales Skyrocket

The newest Philadelphia Phillies slugger set a new record this week when his jersey was the most sold by any player in any sport during the first 48 hours of its launch. Previously, the record was held by James followed by Giancarlo Stanton when he joined the New York Yankees, Khalil Mack after his trade to the Chicago Bears, and when the San Francisco 49ers picked Jimmy Garoppolo as their franchise quarterback.

Harper’s jersey hit the racks about 10 minutes into his introductory news conference with the Phillies, who’d just signed the 26-year-old to a historic 13-year, $330 million deal.

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Previously, Harper wore No. 34 during his seven-year span with the Washington Nationals. He’s noted for his great admiration of former Yankee Mickey Mantle, who wore No. 7, and wanted his number to add up to Mantle’s. However, recent Hall of Fame inductee Roy Halladay wore No. 34 for four seasons in Philadelphia.

Following Halladay’s tragic death in November 2017, Harper thought taking the number would be unfitting. Instead, he chose to don the No. 3. In doing so, Harper joins Philadelphia 76ers star Allen Iverson. While Harper was never a worrisome figure like Iverson was viewed by some, he is the face of a sport that is drastically trying to reinvent itself just as the NBA was during Iverson’s career. AI took to Twitter when he heard the news, writing, “This number will be retired from the Phillies!!! #illHaveItFirst #SoDope #BryceFan #3”

The last Phillies player to wear No. 34 was catcher Andrew Knapp during the 2017 season. The last Philly to wear No. 3 prior to Harper was outfielder David Lough in the 2016 season.

Fanatics reports that the top three markets for Harper’s jersey sales so far are Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and New York.