Crucial Month Ahead for Philadelphia Phillies Superstar

September is going to be a crucial month for Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies.

Sep 3, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Philadelphia Phillies first base Bryce Harper (3) hits a single against the Toronto Blue Jays during the eighth inning at Rogers Centre. / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Now that the calendar has flipped to September for the Philadelphia Phillies, they are looking to finish off the season on a strong note and win the National League East. 

In a big weekend series against the Atlanta Braves, the Phillies were able to win three out of four games to give themselves some more cushion in the race for the division. While winning the NL East is the main goal, Philadelphia is also keeping their eye on the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record in the NL. 

One of the players that is going to be under pressure for the rest of the season for the Phillies is Bryce Harper. 

Harper is arguably the best player in Philadelphia and, when he is on, has proven to be a true superstar in the game. However, Harper has been battling nagging injuries this season and has seen his production fluctuate from month to month. 

Recently, R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports spoke about September being a crucial month for Harper. 

“Harper has had a brilliant season overall, but he's not far removed from a July that doubled as the worst full month of his career. (He posted a .598 OPS in 17 games.) Harper's power has also vanished since the end of June, with him launching just two home runs in his last 32 games. For comparison's sake, he hit at least six home runs in each of the season's first three months. Harper admitted over the weekend that he's been dealing with wrist and elbow discomfort. If the Phillies are going to win the NL East and make a serious run at the pennant, they'll need Harper to regain his power stroke soon.”

July was certainly one of the worst months of baseball that has been seen from Harper.

In 67 at-bats, he totaled just a .149 batting average. Fortunately, he bounced back in August with a .298 batting average, but his power wasn’t there, as he hit just two home runs. 

The lack of power has to be a concern for the Phillies with September here. In the last 30 games he has hit just two home runs. If his nagging injuries are sapping his power, the organization should step in to get him some time off. 

For Philadelphia and Harper, September is a crucial month, as they certainly would like to see him get healthy and back to normal at the plate.