Philadelphia Phillies Superstar Finishes Runner-Up in MLB Network Position Rankings

The Philadelphia Phillies' lineup is anchored by an elite first baseman.
Oct 9, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) hits a double in the sixth inning against the New York Mets in game four of the NLDS.
Oct 9, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) hits a double in the sixth inning against the New York Mets in game four of the NLDS. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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Bryce Harper is used to being the best, so it's somewhat surprising the Philadelphia Phillies star didn't finish No. 1 in MLB Network's annual offseason position rankings.

MLB Network rated Harper as the No. 2 first baseman heading into 2025, behind only Los Angeles Dodgers star Freddie Freeman.

There may be some recency bias there, as Freeman is only a few months removed from winning World Series MVP against the New York Yankees. During the regular season, however, Harper was clearly better.

Harper eclipsed Freeman in numerous statistical categories, finishing with 30 home runs, 42 doubles, 87 RBI and a .285/.373/.525 batting line. He placed sixth in the NL MVP vote and earned his first career Silver Slugger as a first baseman.

Meanwhile, Freeman tallied 22 homers, 35 doubles, 89 RBI and a .282/.378/.476 batting line. He finished 17th in the NL MVP race and has not won a Silver Slugger since 2021.

Freeman's OPS dropped 122 points from 2023 to 2024, indicating the 35-year-old may be in decline.

Harper, on the other hand, enjoyed his best season since winning his second MVP award in 2021 and appears poised for a strong 2025.

While both sluggers played nearly the same number of games last year, Freeman has durability on his side. He hasn't missed more than 15 games in a season since 2017, whereas Harper hasn't missed fewer than 15 games since 2019.

At 32, Harper is three years younger than Freeman and seems poised to outproduce him again in 2025. Harper will need to stay on the field and avoid injuries, however, which is something he's often struggled with throughout his career.

Regardless of which former MVP is better right now, both will likely make the Hall of Fame someday if they stay productive for a few more seasons.


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Tyler Maher
TYLER MAHER

Tyler is a writer for Sports Illustrated's Inside the Phillies. He grew up in Massachusetts and is a huge Boston sports fan, especially the Red Sox. He went to Tufts University and played club baseball for the Jumbos. Since graduating, he has worked for MLB.com, The Game Day, FanDuel and Forbes. When he's not writing about baseball, he enjoys running, traveling, and playing fetch with his golden retriever.