Philadelphia Phillies Star Has Now Homered Against All 30 Teams

Jason Burke | Jul 14, 2024

Jul 13, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) reacts as he rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Oakland Athletics in the seventh inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper burst into the league in 2012 with the Washington Nationals, but didn't play in a game against the Oakland A's until the 2017 season. He went 0-for-2 with three walks, two strikeouts, and a stolen base in that game.

Harper went on to play the A's again in 2022 and 2023, totaling five more games, but one feat had eluded him until Satuday afternoon in Philly. He had never taken an A's pitcher deep. That changed when Harper went to the opposite field on a 1-1 Austin Adams fastball.

The A’s were the last team that hadn’t allowed a homer to Bryce Harper

He now has one against all 30 teams https://t.co/4yCeJ7CMcF

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 13, 2024

Coming into the game, Harper was 6-for-25 (.240) against Oakland in his career with a .406 OBP. The home run he clobbered on Saturday is number 327 for his career. If he can stay healthy, there is a pretty good chance that he will join some elite company in the 500 home run club. There are currently just 28 members of that group.

Heading into Saturday's game, there have been 20,690 players in major league history. 28 of them have hit 500 home runs. Harper ranks seventh on the current home run list, with Giancarlo Stanton (420), Mike Trout (378), Joey Votto (356), Paul Goldschmidt (353), Freddie Freeman (335), and Nolan Arenado (333) all ahead of him. Harper is also the youngest player on this list, though Manny Machado, also in his age 31 season, is right behind him with 326.

The A's have done a decent job of limiting the long ball in 2024, giving up a total of 102 in 97 games, which ranks 14th in baseball. The Phillies have given up the second-fewest with 84, while the Atlanta Braves have given up 80, the best mark in baseball.

With the Phillies holding a 9.5 game lead over Atlanta in the NL East, this marks one of the few places you'll be able to find the Braves above Philadelphia in the standings.