Bryce Harper has turned into Nostradamus.
The Philadelphia Phillies slugger predicted over a week ago that he would break out of his slump when he was hitting just .250 with a .766 OPS.
“I thought the last week has been good,” Harper told MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki earlier in the week. “I hit a couple balls really hard in Atlanta. I hit a couple balls [hard] this series as well. I think I’m on time. I think I’m not swinging at the slider as much as I did early in the year. I said to [hitting coach Kevin] Long about a week ago, ‘Give me 10 days and we’ll be good.’ So, we’re about on the seventh day right now. We’ll see.”
Harper’s timeline proved remarkably accurate. As Zolecki notes, on the ninth day of Harper’s projected timeline, the two-time National League MVP homered and walked. On the 10th day, Harper homered, singled, and walked. Then on the 12th day — Friday night — Harper blasted a 418-foot two-run shot into the second deck off former NL Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara during the Phillies’ 7-2 win over the Miami Marlins.
DOUBLE DECKER#RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/zjyKWztjuL
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) April 18, 2025
“I just thought, ‘[I’m] walking more,’” Harper said explained to Zolecki why he thought he was heating up. “When I walk more, I see more pitches, I feel better at the plate. I think when I walk, good things happen. I’m getting good pitches over the plate and not missing them.”
Harper has improved his average to .264 and OPS to .904. He’s now up to five home runs through 20 games to go along with a 156 OPS+.
