"It’s not fair to Bryce Harper... It's unacceptable": When Nationals ex-manager Matt Williams snapped back after ‘misinterpreted’ Minor League comment
There is no questioning that Bryce Harper is one of the best players of his generation. After entering Major League Baseball as one of the most hyped prospects in history, Harper has more than lived up to the expectations placed upon him. Despite not winning a World Series title yet, Harper has accomplished nearly everything an individual can on the field.
Even though Bryce Harper will likely find himself inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame when his career is over, it has not always been smooth sailing for the two-time MVP. This was clear during the 2014 season when a then 21-year-old Harper was struggling for the Washington Nationals, with some calling for the outfielder to be demoted to the minors.
This is something that then-Nationals manager Matt Williams addressed during a 2014 interview on 106.7 The Fan radio show. Williams was non-committal when first asked about the thought about demoting Harper to the Minor Leagues.
“I don’t think it’s stupid. Generally, if you have young players, that’s what you do. But this guy is a special young player. We all know that. It’s different," Williams said on the show.
Despire not initially ruling out the idea of demoting Harper, Williams would later shoot down the notion completely. In a press conference later the same day, Williams took a much different approach to the question.
“It [ticks] me off to even think about that somebody would take a comment I make on the radio and infer that I’m thinking one way or the other. It’s not fair to the kid. It’s not fair to the rest of the guys in that clubhouse to even think about sending Bryce Harper to the minor leagues, or to cause a stir. It’s unacceptable. It won’t happen," Williams said of his radio interview and demoting Harper.
Matt Williams may have defended keeping Bryce Harper on the Major League roster in 2014, however, his tenure with the Washington Nationals would not last much longer. At the end of the 2015 season, Williams was fired by the club after failing to reach the postseason altogether.
The Washington Nationals went on to win the World Series in their first season without Bryce Harper
Harper remained with the Washington Nationals for three more seasons after the club let go of Matt Williams, however, he was unable to acheive his goal of bringing a title to D.C. After the 2018 season, Harper hit unrestricted free agency, opting to sign a massive 13-year, $330 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies.
While Harper ultimately left to try his luck winning the Phillies, the Nationals wasted little time in reaching their goal. Thanks to stars such as Juan Soto and Stephen Strasburg, as well as unsung heroes such as Howie Kendrick, the Nationals were able to win the title in the first season without Harper, something that continues to follow him several years later.