Latest news with #BryceHarper
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bryce Harper gave Red Sox star rookie Roman Anthony an ‘Oh, wow!' moment
CHICAGO — Two-time National League MVP Bryce Harper gave Roman Anthony a pat on the back and asked how he was doing. Anthony had just drawn a six-pitch walk during a Grapefruit League game against the Phillies in Clearwater, Fla., on Feb. 28. Baseball America's No. 1 prospect jogged to first base where the former Baseball America No. 1 prospect introduced himself during a pause in the game while the Phillies changed pitchers a couple batters later. 'He just congratulated me, told me he was excited for me and excited to kind of see how everything pans out,' Anthony said before Boston's loss against the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Saturday. 'I think for me, that was one of the first guys I was like, 'Oh, wow! That's Bryce Harper.' So it was cool.' Anthony and the Red Sox will play a three-game series in Philadelphia against Harper and the Phillies on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Anthony has drawn comparisons to Harper, who held the title of Baseball America's No. 1 prospect entering both 2011 and '12. Anthony and Harper are built similarly. They both have sweet left-handed swings, post high walk rates, generate eye-popping exit velocities and hit long home runs. Harper hit a home run measured at 570 feet by his coaches, per ESPN, as a freshman in high school. His longest MLB home run tracked by Statcast has traveled 473 feet. Anthony blasted a 497-foot, 115.6 mph grand slam for Triple-A Worcester on June 7, two days before Boston promoted him. 'You hear a lot of comparisons and I think those can be dangerous .... when people kind of put expectations on you or compare you to a guy or expect you to live up to a multiple-time MVP guy like that,' the 21-year-old Anthony said. 'Obviously those are the goals I set for myself. And yeah, I believe that I'm capable of doing things that are great things in this league.' Anthony is well aware comparisons get 'thrown around quite a bit' but he's never focused on player comps and outside expectations. 'I just try to get the max potential out of myself every single day. And whatever happens, happens,' Anthony said. Anthony was two weeks away from his 8th birthday when Harper, then 19, made his highly-anticipated MLB debut for the Washington Nationals on April 28, 2012, against the Los Angeles Dodgers in front of 54,242 fans at Dodger Stadium. Sports Illustrated put Harper on its magazine cover when he was just 16 years old, proclaiming him 'Baseball's chosen one' and the 'most exciting prodigy since LeBron.' Anthony's MLB debut didn't receive quite the same hype as Harper's — but it was still up there. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal wrote the morning after Anthony's 497-foot homer that he shouldn't spend one more day in the minors. Later that day, Red Sox manager Alex Cora got peppered with questions about when Anthony might be called up. Reporters and fans also closely monitored Worcester's lineup daily for weeks to see if Anthony was playing. On June 6, he wasn't in the lineup for the first time in 33 games, causing a stir on social media before the WooSox sent out a statement confirming it was only a day off for him and he wasn't being promoted. Anthony said he didn't get caught up in all the hype and excitement. 'I don't have Twitter,' he said. 'I stay off all that. I don't really like to look at social media a bunch for that reason. I think there's just a lot of outside noise and a lot of unnecessary things that you see as a player outside of what you need to see inside the clubhouse and what you need to do.' Anthony has Instagram. But he has only nine posts — seven of them relating to baseball. He said 'everyone's different.' 'But for me, I learned at a young age in my early career that I don't need all those platforms,' he said. 'I don't need to do all that. I need to just show up every day and do what I can do and control what I can control, every day.' Anthony said that he likes to 'just unplug and disconnect' when he leaves the ballpark for the day. 'I know you get to a point, though, where it's hard to kind of avoid that,' he acknowledged. Anthony is looking forward to watching (and meeting) other top players throughout the league as well. 'I was a huge (Christian) Yelich fan growing up so definitely him,' Anthony said. Anthony will have to wait until next year when the Brewers visit Fenway Park. The Red Sox and Brewers met in Milwaukee on May 26-28 when Anthony was still in Triple A. It was their only meeting this season. 'I think every team we go to, you can pick out a guy who's been around for a while, has a lot of knowledge,' Anthony said. 'That's cool to just kind of pick their brains and introduce yourself. So I've gotten to do that with a few guys already. So I think you always, just as a player, look forward to making those relationships with other guys and learning from other people.' Anthony is consistently batting in the middle of Boston's batting order. He has hit .353 with a .429 on-base percentage, .515 slugging percentage and .943 OPS in his last 18 games (77 plate appearances). He also already has five defensive runs saved in 146 ⅓ innings in right field. It's important to Anthony that he contributes both offensively and defensively. He gives a lot of credit to Red Sox outfield coordinator Kyle Hudson, pointing out he didn't play much right field in the minors. Hudson has helped prepare him to do it. Only 29 of Anthony's 204 minor league starts in the outfield came in right. 'I played a lot of left and a lot of center,' he said. 'Obviously things just kind of happen the way they do. And when I got called up, it was to play right (with Wilyer Abreu on the IL). So it can change fast. And for me, it was just, 'All right. Now let's do everything we can to maximize everything I can in right field and be ready.'' Anthony takes reps at all three outfield positions during batting practice before games. 'It's just a matter of showing up and staying consistent with Huddy and staying consistent with our guys here and doing everything I can,' Anthony said. A Rookie of the Year win (or top three finish) is not out of the question for Anthony if he has a big second half that results in a playoff berth for Boston. Gary Sanchez finished second for 2016 AL Rookie of the Year after the Yankees called him up that Aug. 3. He compiled a 3.0 bWAR in just 53 games. Anthony has a 1.2 bWAR in just 33 games. He already has the fourth best AL Rookie of the Year odds (+2000) behind Athletics' Jacob Wilson (+120), Astros' Cam Smith (+180) and Athletics' Nick Kurtz (+350), per DraftKings. 'It's not something that I wake up in the morning and I say, 'Hey, I have to win it,'' he said. 'I don't set any expectations on myself. 'I try to come here and learn every day,' he added. 'And I think if I just continue to do everything I can to help myself succeed and help this team win, stuff like that comes with it. So obviously something like that would be exciting and awesome. But at the same time, I think as a player, if you're constantly waking up saying, 'I've gotta do this' or 'I've gotta do that' or 'I've gotta hit a home run today' or 'I've gotta get a hit' — things like that don't just happen." More Red Sox coverage MLB insider identifies Red Sox biggest needs ahead of trade deadline Red Sox reactions: Alex Bregman delivers pinch-hit 3-run HR in comeback win Ex-Red Sox pitcher retires after attempting MLB comeback Giants exec preaches patience amid Rafael Devers slump Red Sox at 53-47 for 3rd straight year reminds Alex Cora of ex-A's slugger Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
'I can't see him in any other uniform' — Bryce Harper on Kyle Schwarber
The former MVP says Kyle Schwarber is one of the best teammates he's ever had, as he continued to praise Schwarber's leadership after Saturday night's win over the Angels. 'I can't see him in any other uniform' — Bryce Harper on Kyle Schwarber originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Is the Phillies' Championship Window Closing? Gabe Lacques on Their 2025 Strategy
Are the Philadelphia Phillies' championship hopes fading? Join Gabe Lacques from USA Today as he dives into the Phillies' 2025 season outlook, their "pedal to the metal" approach, and the critical roles of Zach Wheeler, Kyle Schwarber, and Bryce Harper. With the Mets hot on their heels, we explore their trade deadline strategy and whether their dominant rotation can keep them in the NL East race. Subscribe for more MLB insights
New York Post
13 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Fuming Bryce Harper dismissively waves off umpire after brutal strike three call in Phillies loss
Bryce Harper managed to avoid getting ejected Sunday despite so openly shading home plate umpire Steven Jaschinski over a strike three call. Perhaps even Jaschinski knew he had messed up. Harper dramatically waved off Jaschinski after he was rung up in the bottom of the eighth inning of the Phillies' 8-2 home loss to the Angels after a called strike three that was very clearly high above the strike zone. 4 Bryce Harper (3) of the Phillies waves off home plate umpire Steven Jaschinski after a strike three call in the eighth inning on July 20, 2025. X/NBC Sports Philadelphia 4 Bryce Harper (3) of the Phillies waves off home plate umpire Steven Jaschinski a second time after a strike three call in the eighth inning on July 20, 2025. X/NBC Sports Philadelphia The first baseman began putting his bat down, expecting to be awarded a walk, when Jaschinski called strike three. Harper incredulously threw both his arms up and then waved Jaschinski off with his right hand. He then waved him off a second time as he began to walk back toward the Phillies' dugout. It was the second badly missed call of the at-bat, as Jaschinski called strike one on a fastball that was also high out of the zone when Harper was up 3-0. 4 The called strike one and three on Bryce Harper in the eighth inning were clearly high out of the strike zone. Harper then fouled off the next two pitches before striking out on a changeup. Jaschinski reportedly made his MLB umpiring debut in May. It was a rough day at the office for Harper, who went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts as Philly dropped two of three at home to the Angels. The Phillies remain half a game ahead of the Mets atop the NL East after the Amazin's dropped two of three to the Reds at home over the weekend. 4 Bryce Harper (3) of the Phillies waves off home plate umpire Steven Jaschinski after a strike three call in the eighth inning on July 20, 2025. Getty Images The Red Sox visit the Phillies for three games starting Monday night, while the Mets welcome the Angels to Citi Field. Philly will visit the Mets Aug. 25-27.
CBS News
a day ago
- Sport
- CBS News
"Just kinda staying ready": Otto Kemp talks about opportunity to move to third base, get back in batting lineup
Otto Kemp walks into the Phillies' clubhouse with the same approach that has gotten him to this stage of his career. No longer is Kemp the undrafted player from Division II Point Loma Nazarene University, the underdog who played his way to the major leagues. Kemp has been with the Phillies for over a month. He's earned his keep. "We're getting there, [but] I feel like it's gone well," Kemp said. "I feel like we've been taking some pretty good strides." Kemp has been all over the field in his first 28 games in the major leagues, playing 15 games at first base, nine in left field, and four at third base. The Phillies have liked Kemp's position versatility and his ability to adjust to all over the diamond. That's also resulted in Kemp becoming more of a utility player recently, especially with Bryce Harper coming back into the lineup. Kemp has started just four games in July compared to 20 in June, as the Phillies had nowhere to give him regular at-bats with Harper at first, Alec Bohm at third, and Max Kepler getting the at-bats in left field against right-handed pitchers. "It's a little different," Kemp admitted. "Naturally, there's a little bit of a rhythm that you get into when you're playing every day, but I also think you can hold onto that as long as you don't hold off the gas. As long as you're staying ready and making up for those game reps that you're not getting over those couple days while you're sitting out. It's been important for me to stay on top of things." As Kemp was adjusting to the super-utility role, Alec Bohm landed on the injured list with a broken rib and could be out several weeks. The third baseman opening will go to Kemp, an opportunity for him to prove to the Phillies he can be a regular in a veteran-laden lineup. "I've liked his at-bats the whole time," said Phillies manager Rob Thomson. "He works the at-bat, stays within the zone for the most part, and uses the entire field. That's my definition of a pretty good hitter." Kemp has proven his value to the Phillies when called upon. The Phillies are 15-11 in his starts as Kemp has gotten his feet wet with a 250 average and a .671 OPS. The power numbers haven't been there (just one home run compared to 14 in Triple-A Lehigh Valley), as Kemp has been settling into major league pitching. "It's just kind of finding my rhythm again and getting back into the rhythm," Kemp said. "We're focusing more on quality at bats, and I feel like that's a good thing to focus on — and I've been accomplishing that. I think we're getting there." The everyday opportunities are what Kemp has been working toward, even if he knew his role when Harper returned. His day-to-day approach hasn't changed. "I think it's mostly just staying ready," Kemp said. "It's working on stuff you're not feeling necessarily comfortable with, or hammering down what you do feel comfortable with and taking that into the game. "Over the last couple weeks, it's been kinda spotty where you might play two in a row, then have three off, or whatever that may be. Just trying to stay ready, so you don't have to get ready." Kemp has been comfortable in Citizens Bank Park, hitting .333 with a .780 OPS in home games, compared to .159 with a .555 OPS on the road. The average has improved from .246 in June to .261 in July, even with fewer at-bats. The biggest adjustment Kemp has noticed in his six-plus weeks in the majors? The fastball velocity has significantly increased. "There are guys here that have really good heaters," Kemp said. "That's what good hitting heaps off of. If you can hit that, you can hit all the other stuff. That's been the biggest adjustment." The Phillies are going to have to rely on Kemp to man third base over the next few weeks, or left field when a left-handed pitcher is at the plate. Regardless of the position, the at-bats are coming Kemp's way. Until the trade deadline passes and a set position is more transparent, Kemp is available wherever the Phillies need him. This is his chance to help the team win games. "I feel like all these coaches have been really helpful with everything I need from position to position," Kemp said. "We've been staying on top of everything. Even though I was in left, I was still staying sharp at third and the infield and vice versa. "Just kinda staying ready at all those positions and waiting for whatever they need me."
