One of Phillis’s 5-star players tried to shake off a slump by shaving his beard in San Diego. When asked about it, he simply said, “I mean, you guys know. Everybody knows.”
The message was clear: sometimes, a change can help reset things.
On that night, he debuted a new buzz cut before the Phillies’ 3-2 loss to the Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park. Whether it was another attempt to change his luck or just a desire for a fresh look, it came during a rough stretch. After a solid start to the season — hitting .272 with five homers, 14 RBIs, and a .910 OPS through April 20 — Harper’s production has dropped. Over his last 19 games, he’s batting just .189 with two home runs, eight RBIs, and a .615 OPS.
He went 0-for-3 with a walk Monday.
“He’s frustrated,” said Phillies manager Rob Thomson. “He holds himself to a high standard. Right now, it’s inconsistent. His balance is off, and pitchers are making it tough on him.”
Pitchers aren’t giving Harper much to work with. Heading into Monday, only 42.9% of the pitches he’d seen were in the strike zone — the lowest rate among 277 qualified MLB hitters. Monday was no different: just five of the 18 pitches he faced (27.8%) were in the zone, and several missed by a wide margin.
Fastballs are also down. Harper has seen just 45.4% fastballs this season, the fewest of his career. He saw only six (33%) on Monday.
His plate appearances: a swing and miss on a curveball in the first, a walk in the third, a groundout on a sinker in the fifth, and a strikeout looking at a slider in the seventh.
Still, there have been glimpses of life — multi-hit games on May 4 and 6, and a three-hit day including a homer last Saturday in Cleveland.
Teammate Kyle Schwarber offered perspective:
“When Bryce steps up, everyone expects something to happen — us, the fans, everyone. That kind of pressure can be tough. But baseball’s a long game. A cold week can be followed by a hot one. The important part is, he’s putting in the work. As long as he keeps going up there, there’s always a chance for something big.”
Even Schwarber has experienced his share of slumps — hitting just .194 over an 18-game stretch last month — but he’s found ways to stay productive, including reaching base safely in 47 straight games. That streak is the fourth-longest in Phillies history, behind only Mike Schmidt, Chuck Klein, and Bobby Abreu.
Schwarber extended that streak with a soft single to center in the sixth, then smartly advanced to third on Nick Castellanos’ bloop. He scored on a fielder’s choice to briefly tie the game.
The Cardinals regained the lead in the seventh on a Masyn Winn home run. Ryan Helsley closed it out in the ninth, striking out two and retiring Trea Turner to seal the win.
Harper, meanwhile, ended the game standing on deck.
Back in 2023, Harper went hitless the day he shaved his beard — but he doubled the next night and finished that final stretch of the season batting .294 with six homers, 17 RBIs, and a 1.085 OPS.
Said Schwarber, “Everyone in here believes in him. Every time he steps to the plate, we think something good’s going to happen.”
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