WATCH: Phillies superstar Bryce Harper launches first home run of year vs. Reds
And just like that, Bryce Harper has added to his home run total. The Philadelphia Phillies superstar launched his first home run (and hit) of the 2024 campaign, something he will undoubtedly be looking to repeat many more times this season.
"Bryce Harper’s first home run of the season!" - @TalkinBaseball_
It has been a rough start to the season for Bryce Harper, who had not recorded a hit before Tuesday night's game. In the first 3 games for the Philadelphia Phillies, Harper had been held hitless while also racking up 5 strikeouts and 2 walks. Tuesday's home run could very well be the opening of the floodgates for the two-time MVP.
After opening the 2023 season on the IL as he recovered from Tommy John Surgery, Bryce Harper made a shockingly quick return to the lineup. The 7-time All-Star was able to appear in 126 games with the Phillies, posting a .293 batting average with 21 home runs and 72 RBIs.
Harper and the Phillies are looking to continue their push for the club's first World Series title since 2008. The Phils were the 2022 runner-up for the title, ultimately falling to the Houston Astros. They were close to another World Series appearance last season, dropping Game 7 of the NLCS to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
"Cannot overreact but the Phillies starting the year 1-3 is awful" - @StateOfPhanatic
If the Philadelphia Phillies are going to make another deep run for the title, they will need Bryce Harper and the rest of the club's bats to heat up. Although it is early in the year, these games can be the difference in the playoff picture, so the 1-3 Phillies will need to pick things up.
Bryce Harper is not the only member of the Phillies off to a slow start
Entering Tuesday's action against the Cincinnati Reds, it was not only Harper who hs needed to turn things around at the plate. Prior to the matchup, Nick Castellanos had only recorded 3 hits and Trea Turner had only recorded 4 hits. If the trio can continue to heat up at the plate, the Phillies will undoubtedly find themselves as one of the top clubs in the National League yet again.
"Of course @JoeGiglioSports will solely focus on Rojas as the reason why the Phillies are 1-3 but that’s the farthest thing from the truth. The reason the Phillies are 1-3 is because Harper, Turner, Castellanos, Merrifield aren’t hitting & aren’t hitting with RISP #RingTheBell" - @ITABaseballPod