Inside The Phillies

Phillies Superstar Hitting His Stride After Rough Start at the Plate

After an uncharacteristically slow start at the plate, this former NL MVP is getting back in shape for the Philidelphia Phillies.

Jacob Moss

May 21, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first base Bryce Harper (3) on deck in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
May 21, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first base Bryce Harper (3) on deck in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
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The Philadelphia Phillies have rocketed to the top of the NL East standings over the past couple of weeks, which has largely been due to their elite production at the plate. This offensive explosion has, in turn, been fueled by several key hitters coming alive after slow starts.

One hitter in particular has been the team's superstar captain, Bryce Harper. Harper had been dealing with a massive slump over the first month of 2025. The two-time NL MVP has appeared to have turned a corner in recent weeks, however, and it's done wonders for Philadelphia.

As of the writing, Harper is slashing .276/.382/.470 and is sitting on eight home runs and 31 RBIs. All of these are massive increases from where he was sitting just two weeks ago when he had a sub .240 batting average amid a 4-for-24 stretch at the plate.

Many have joked that the stark turnaround has something to do with the eight-time All-Star buzzing his hair, as he's been on a tear since doing so on May 12th.

While it's unlikely that his new hairstyle has much to do with his recent turnaround, it's clear that something has clicked for Harper over his past 10 games. He's batting over .450 in that stretch and carrying a 1.180 OPS.

Harper has also served as a catalyst for the Phillies as a whole, as they have won seven straight games. This has, in turn, allowed Philly to vault into the NL East driver's seat with a 1.5-game lead over the faltering New York Mets.

Hindsight may say that it was always going to be a matter of time before Harper broke out of his slump, but now that he's finally done so, the Phillies are reaping some serious benefits. It will be interesting to see just how long Harper is able to stay down the stretch as Philadelphia battles for the second straight division crown.

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Jacob Moss
JACOB MOSS

Georgia native and avid Atlanta sports fan who has lived in the Charlotte area for the past eight years. Got started writing about sports for my middle school paper and haven’t stopped since. Graduate from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and proud 49er. Passionate sports writer who has covered everything from high school soccer to the NFL for several prominent outlets including the Charlotte Observer, ESPN, and the Carolina Panthers. Also covered the South Carolina Gamecocks football program as the lead beat writer for Last Word on College Football, and was a contributing writer for several other notable online publications such as Yardbarker. Lives and breathes sports and will watch whatever is on or in season. Favorite teams include the Braves, Hawks, Falcons, and Georgia Bulldogs. Massive Jordan Speith and Rory McIlroy fan on the PGA Tour

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