Phillies Slugger Named Midseason NL MVP by MLB Insider

The Philadelphia Phillies’ first baseman is playing some of his best baseball since he arrived in town in 2019.

Jun 27, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) hits an RBI double against the Miami Marlins in the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. / Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce Harper may be on the 10-day injured list, but one baseball insider believes the 31-year-old slugger has already done enough to be considered a top candidate for NL MVP.

On Sunday USA Today’s Bob Nightengale named Harper his midseason NL MVP, part of his midseason awards piece.

Harper has put together an exceptional season through 76 games as he’s slashed .303/.399/.582/.981 with 20 doubles, 20 home runs and 58 RBI.

This is Harper’s first fully healthy season since 2021, when he played 141 games and slashed .309/.429/.615/1.044 with an MLB-high 42 doubles, 35 home runs and 84 RBI. That happened to be his second NL MVP season. He won the award with Washington in 2015.

Between 2021 and this season, Harper suffered a wrist injury and a UCL tear in 2022 that limited him to a designated hitter role and 99 games as he helped the Phillies reach the World Series.

Last season Harper didn’t start playing until May and didn’t play in the field until after the All-Star break as he made an in-season transition to playing first base with former Phillies star Rhys Hoskins out for the season. Harper still played 126 games and nearly batted .300 with 21 home runs and 72 RBI.

He’s on pace to blow those numbers out of the water, assuming his hamstring injury is as minor as team officials have noted.

Nightengale pointed out that it’s Harper’s consistency across the board that, in his eyes, makes him the NL MVP to this point.

“He doesn’t lead the league in any offensive categories, but everywhere you look, he ranks in the top five, including batting average (.303), homers (20), RBI (58), on-base percentage (.399), slugging percentage (.582,) and OPS (.981),” he wrote.

Harper is already heading to the All-Star Game as the NL’s top vote-getter and starting first baseman. The game, set for July 16 in Arlington, Texas, would be his first All-Star Game since 2022 and the eighth of his career.

Meanwhile, he has fueled the Phillies’ rise to the top of the NL. The Phillies have the league’s best record and have a seven-game lead on the Atlanta Braves in the NL East. Philadelphia has been able to avoid significant season-ending injuries to this point, while the Braves have lost pitcher Spencer Strider and reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. for the season.

Harper is waiting to find out how much company he’ll have in Arlington.  

Six other Phillies are finalists to be All-Star Game starters, along with Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, Alec Bohm, J.T. Realmuto, Brandon Marsh and Nick Castellanos. Voting opens on Sunday and continues through Wednesday, with the starters to be announced on Wednesday night.