MVP Candidate Harper Isn't Interested in Awards, Just Wants to Help Phillies Win

After a series win versus the New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves dropping two to the San Francisco Giants over the weekend, the Philadelphia Phillies found themselves within three games of first place in the National League East with just 12 left to play.

At 76-74, the Phillies are also 4.5 games back of the second NL Wild Card spot.

And do not be mistaken: none of this would be possible without the $330 million dollar man, Bryce Harper.

Harper’s second-half numbers are beyond impressive and among the best in baseball. He’s batted .347, hit 18 homers, 42 RBI, 22 doubles, scored 46 runs, stolen six bags, and posted a 1.223 OPS in 61 second-half games. His 1.047 OPS in 2021 leads all of MLB.

It’s one of the best second halves in Phils' history, and Harper is in good company with Ryan Howard, who posted a 1.259 OPS in 2006, and Mike Schmidt with 1.214 in 1981.

And that’s great news for Harper’s National League MVP campaign, as Howard and Schmidt went on to earn the honor in their respective years as a result of their excellent second halves.

Harper has clearly earned MVP, not just because of his stunning second-half numbers, but the way he has almost singlehandedly willed this team to win is commendable. Especially with first baseman Rhys Hoskins being done for the season due to injury, Harper has really put the team on his back during the playoff push.

If the Phillies do somehow make the playoffs, whether it be through winning the division or Wild Card, it will be because of Harper. When he signed with the Phillies on February 28, 2019, he was signed with the expectation that he’d carry this team to its first playoff berth since 2011.

However, Harper isn't interested in the national talk surrounding his post-All-Star break success and his push for MVP.

"I don't like MVP talk. I don't like looking at my numbers. I don't like looking where I'm at or where I am in the second half or anything like that," he said. "I just want to play my game. I just want to show up every night, make sure I'm playing right field, batting third, and helping this team win."

Harper has certainly done his job, now it’s time for the rest of the team to turn up the heat in the remaining 12 games, including a crucial three-game series versus the Braves in Atlanta on Sept. 28-30.

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