Bryce Harper on Facing Mason Miller: "I'm Good"

Jason Burke | Jul 17, 2024

Jul 9, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) plays first base during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The Oakland Athletics wrapped up the first half of the 2024 season with a stop in Philadelphia to face the Phillies. After the series, the A's lone All Star, Mason Miller, hopped on the Phillies plane loaded up with their All Stars and headed to Texas for the All Star Game festivities.

In a video released by Pitching Ninja, Miller tells a hilarious story about Bryce Harper wanting to check out Miller's stuff during their series over the weekend.

Mason Miller on Bryce Harper's change of heart on wanting to hit against him. 🤣 @FanDuel pic.twitter.com/Nk1cY2X0eR

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 16, 2024

The story, according to Miller, goes like this. "On the plane ride here, Bryce came back an introduced himself, which was super cool. After we played them this weekend, our first base coach, Bobby Crosby, had told me that Harper was asking when I was warming up, 'Hey is that Miller? I kind of want to get in there and see what that's about.'

"I threw Friday and was up to like 104, so I saw him on the plane and I was like, 'I heard you wanted to get in and see me.' He was like, 'I'm good. Changed my mind.'"

Not only is this just a delightful story about a two-time MVP winner and eight-time All-Star coming up and talking with a young guy on a team he rarely sees, but it's also great that someone of the caliber of player that Harper is also pumping up the next wave of talent in baseball.

There is no chance that Harper would shy away from a challenge if his turn in the order came up and Miller was on the mound, but by saying "I'm good. Changed my mind" he is telling the A's closer that his stuff is nasty, and on that particular day he was happy he didn't have to step in the box.

For a 25-year-old like Miller, who has under 100 innings pitched in the big-leagues, that's huge. There was a time in baseball when a two-time MVP wouldn't have even bothered speaking to Miller, let alone offer him a compliment. Now MIller has a story he can tell for the rest of his career.