After Bryce Harper chose not to run out a flyout late in his 2015 National League MVP season with the Washington Nationals, teammate Jonathan Papelbon confronted the rising star in the dugout.
Tempers rose and things escalated quickly, as Papelbon charged towards Harper and choked the 22-year-old.
Seven years later, Papelbon recently reflected on the altercation and discussed Harper's growth on Audacy's Baseball Isn't Boring, a podcast hosted by Rob Bradford on the Audacy Podcast Network.
“When I watch Bryce Harper right now I see a new-and-improved leader that I did not see when I played," Papelbon told Bradford. "If you pay attention to what Dusty Baker said in his interview about him, he said ‘You know, I had my time, he was young, we had a lot of run-ins, and he’s thanked me for those run-ins.’ … I think that run-ins and intensity, it’s all a part of baseball.”
Baker, the Astros manager, managed Harper in Washington in 2016 and 2017.
Papelbon went on to explain why he thinks the run-in that he engaged in with Harper is something he believes the Phillies' two-time MVP would be grateful for to this day.
“I think everything’s come to a culmination for him now and I’d bet you he would be thankful for our run-in just like I am," Papelbon said. "I’m thankful because you learn and you grow and you become a man and you figure things out in life. People want to get their panties in a wad about it, but it’s a part of life. It happens on and off the field. I think he’s in a good spot, man… I feel like he has finally hit that culmination in his career.”
Papelbon also shared that things are cool between him and Harper, and he would enjoy a friendly meeting with the Phillies designated hitter, if they were to cross paths.
“If I was to see him at a field today, I’d go up and say hey, chat with him, catch up with him, see how everything is, for sure," Papelbon said. "I don’t have that kind of animosity with him anymore, no.”
Papelbon is proud of his former teammate, who helped lead the Phillies to the World Series earlier this fall.
“It’s a whole process. Honestly, I could really say, man, I’m proud of his development. I’m proud to say I played with this guy. We had a run-in, big deal.”
Bradford's entire conversation with Papelbon can be listened to in its entirety below.
For more from Jack Vita, follow him on Twitter @JackVitaShow, and subscribe to his podcast, the Jack Vita Show, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Facebook, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and wherever podcasts are found.
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