Bryce Harper’s spring stats don’t lie as huge WBC, 2026 season looms
In the period after Philadelphia PhilliesComing off a 2025 MLB playoff exit at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers, President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski made a remark that angered Brice Harper. Dombrowski said Harper is no longer elite player and wondered if Harper still had it in him to be the star he once was.
At 33 years old, the aging curve does not bode well for the Phillies star. But Harper seems to have taken those comments to heart, preparing him for a big comeback season in 2026. The 33-year-old star’s early return to Spring Training they look good. He went 1-2 on Saturday, and his only hit was a cracker of a home run that he sent over the right field wall.
This is a continuation of his excellent spring so far; ESPN’s Jason Stark pointed out that Harper put six balls in play during spring training and five of them left the bat at 94 miles per hour or faster. Of those six balls in play, three went for extra bases and two were doubles.
Will Bryce have a big WBC? I’d bet on that.
He threw 6 balls in a game this spring. 5 of them left the bat at about 94 mph or faster. 3 of them were extra hits (two doubles and this homer).
Rob Thomson: Team USA “will get a really good player.” https://t.co/av76BSm4z9
— Jason Stark (@jaisonst) February 28, 2026
Harper has a good eye for the ball, and as one of Team USA’s ambassadors for the upcoming World Baseball Classic, he might just hit the spot at the right time.
Bryce Harper of the Phillies responds strongly to the doubt
Surrounding skepticism Harper’s elite status he wasn’t too baseless than Dombrovski, but he definitely didn’t have to say that in public. Regardless, Harper is showing, at least early in the spring, that at 33, some of his best baseball will still be ahead of him.
If last season was a down year (he had 27 home runs, 75 RBIs and an overall fVAR of 3.5), then it would be interesting to see what a comeback season from the Phillies star would look like.
2026-03-01 06:31:00
