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Once again, Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies’ season ends in disappointment despite cruising to an N.L. East division, the Phillies lasted one series in the playoffs. In four games, the New York Mets, divisional rivals, eliminated the Phillies in the N.L. Division Series.
Now 13 years into his MLB career, Harper is still without an elusive World Series ring. The two-time NL MVP thought to have his best chance this season. The Phillies stockpiled a payroll of nearly $250 million.
Yet the top of the Phillies’ order, including Harper with Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, and Nick Castellanos, couldn’t carry the team against the red-hot Mets.
Unlike Harper, Schwarber and Turner have had the experience of winning a World Series title. Schwarber with the Chicago Cubs in 2016, and Turner with Harper’s former team, the Washington Nationals, in 2019.
While with Washington, Harper and the Nationals couldn’t cash an improbable run into an N.L. East division title in 2012 (Harper’s rookie year) into a World Series title. For seven seasons, Harper came up short with Washington.
Harper won the 2012 N.L. Rookie of the Year and claimed his first NL MVP award in 2015. He was the face of the franchise. Yet, when he became a free agent in 2018, the Nationals and he couldn’t come to terms on a mega contract. Instead, Harper had to find what he was looking for financially with Philadelphia.
During his introduction to the Phillies fans, Harper had a slip of the tongue, saying he wants to “bring a title back to D.C.“
The misstep went viral in 2019. Little did Harper know he would bring a title to D.C. indirectly. In the first season without Harper, the Nationals finally got over the proverbial hump. They turned a 19-31 record into a World Series title with Harper’s replacement, a 20-year-old young phenom, Juan Soto.
What Harper was looking for by going to Philadelphia landed in Washington immediately after his departure.
Bryce Harper has chased the cloud hovering over him for the past six years. He won a second N.L. MVP in 2021, reached the World Series in 2022, and the NLCS in 2023. Yet, he still didn’t get to taste victory. His lone World Series appearance ended in a loss to the Houston Astros, the team the Nationals defeated in the 2019 World Series.
Harper batted .285/.373/.525 with 30 home runs, 42 doubles, and 87 RBIs in 145 games this season. In the NLDS, he went 4-of-12 at the plate with five strikeouts and one home run. He drove in six runs. However, his efforts couldn’t propel the Phillies.
A lot of players have great careers without winning a championship. However, Harper is chasing a legacy. Whether fair or not, his hefty $330 million, 13-year contract defines Harper’s career and the lack of a World Series title, especially since his former team won it all without him.
Hard to fathom the Phils having nothing to show for their last three seasons. Going in the wrong direction too.
— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) October 10, 2024
2022: Phillies lost in WS
2023: Phillies lost in NLCS
2024: Phillies lost in NLDS
I really thought this group was built for another NLCS appearance.
He’s still young, 31 years old, and seven years remaining on his contract. However, every year without a championship presumably eats at Harper. A player with a competitive nature understands the narrative that follows him. Wanting to win a World Series was why Harper is now with the Phillies.
Signing with the Phillies would only be considered a success if a World Series gets produced during his time with the team. After Wednesday’s season-ending defeat, the question surfaces: will Bryce Harper ever win a World Series title?
More must-reads:
- Mets fill need with trade for lefty Gregory Soto
- Trade rejection speaks volumes about Red Sox's Jarren Duran intentions
- The 'Multiple 100-RBI MLB seasons' quiz
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Trade rejection speaks volumes about Red Sox's Jarren Duran intentions
The Boston Red Sox appear to have no interest in trading outfielder Jarren Duran, at least not in the near future. Trade rumors have swirled around Duran for most of the season, especially after designated hitter Rafael Devers was traded to the Giants. However, Sean McAdam from MassLive reported that the Red Sox may wait until the offseason before moving on from the former All-Star. The decision to wait on Duran is not due to a lack of offers. McAdam also reported that the Padres made a significant offer for Duran involving pitcher Dylan Cease, catching prospect Ethan Salas and another unnamed prospect. That offer was quickly rejected. The Padres have long coveted Duran. McAdam had previously reported that the Padres have been "relentless" in their pursuit of the Red Sox outfielder. The reported trade offer including Salas, the Padres second-best prospect and the 21st-best prospect in baseball per MLB.com, illustrates how serious they are about acquiring Duran. Likewise, the Red Sox's refusal to entertain such an offer, even as a starting point for negotiations, speaks volumes about their interest in moving Duran. The Padres' offer would help solve several problems for the Red Sox in both the present and future. Moving Duran would help clear up the logjam in the outfield, while Cease and Salas would respectively improve the back of their rotation and provide a possible cornerstone behind the plate going forward. Duran is a valuable trade chip as he is under team control through 2028. He has also taken a step back in production from his stellar showing in 2024, posting a respectable .254/.321/.428 batting line in 459 plate appearances entering Friday, with nine homers and 25 doubles while stealing 16 bases. That production would be an upgrade for several teams looking to improve their outfield going forward. The question is whether or not the Red Sox will be realistic in their asking price for Duran. Considering how quickly the Padres' offer was reportedly rejected, that may not be the case.
Dustin Rhodes Assigns Blame After Hulk Hogan’s Death
Following the shocking news of Hulk Hogan’s passing, wrestling legend Dustin Rhodes, known to millions as Goldust in WWE, took to social media to share a deeply personal and provocative reaction: “Hospitals truly kill people. I really do mean that.” Rhodes’ blunt statement stunned many fans, but those who know his story saw the pain behind the words. His father, the iconic Dusty Rhodes, passed away in 2015, aged 69, after a fall at home led to hospitalization for kidney failure. After his father's passing, Dustin shared a contemplative response on WWE's YouTube channel to discuss the legacy his father left behind. The news of Hogan's death comes just a month after reports suggested he was on his "deathbed" after undergoing a neck procedure back in May. Hogan's reps denied that was the case. In June, US Weekly reported that Hogan had also undergone a "pretty serious heart surgery and was doing well afterward." Dustin’s connection to his brother Cody Rhodes, now a top WWE superstar and face of the company’s next generation, is unbreakable. The Rhodes family legacy is deeply woven into the fabric of pro wrestling history, and seeing another legend like Hogan pass has clearly hit close to home. While Goldust and Hulk Hogan never had a headline-grabbing rivalry, they did share the ring once. It occurred in WCW in 2000 when Dustin Rhodes matched up against Hogan. Although their paths didn’t often cross in the squared circle, Hogan and the Rhodes family were part of the same larger-than-life era that helped define pro wrestling for decades and catapult the sport into society's zeitgeist. Rhodes’ comment about hospitals might not sit well with everyone, but it speaks to a raw and honest pain felt by someone who has seen too many legends, both personal and professional, fade away in similar fashion. The sport of wrestling has endured more than its fair share of lives cut short. As tributes continue to pour in for Hogan, Rhodes’ reaction serves as a powerful, if somber, reminder of the real human emotions behind the wrestling personas.
Early Themes of the 2025 Miami Dolphins Training Camp
Early Themes of the 2025 Miami Dolphins Training Camp Training camp kicked off this week in Miami Gardens, and the energy is electric. This is the beginning of the journey—and a long season ahead—for these players. It’s the time when optimism runs high, when every player on the field believes they have a shot to make an impact, and every fan believes this might just be the year. But as we all know, this part of the calendar doesn’t come without a price. Unfortunately, Day 1 brought some tough news. Cornerback Artie Burns and offensive lineman Byron Matos both went down with potentially season-ending injuries. It’s a brutal blow—especially to two position groups that already had question marks coming into camp. Burns was expected to compete for valuable snaps in a secondary trying to find its post-Ramsey identity. And Matos, a former basketball player turned promising developmental lineman, had been turning heads with his athleticism and work ethic. These are the gut-punch moments that make camp so bittersweet. You can feel the season coming into focus—but also see just how fragile it can be. Injuries like these don’t just hurt individual careers; they test the depth, chemistry, and resilience of a team. And while it’s heartbreaking for the guys who go down, these moments also open the door for someone else to step up. Because that’s what camp is all about—opportunity. Maybe it’s Cam Smith rising to the challenge in the DB room. Or maybe it’s Erik Ezukanma fighting for a role on the team. Whatever it may be, every rep matters now. Every play is a chance to prove you belong. But what I wanted to focus on most was a theme we’ve already seen emerge early on: accountability. Not only did players make it a point to sprint after practice today for all the mishaps and penalties, but we also heard that same message echoed in their words. Especially when Tua mentioned that Tyreek Hill is still working on regaining the respect and trust of his teammates, that shows this is serious to the team—and that no individual is more important than the whole. While some may see it as excessive or old news, I think it’s a great thing to hold each other accountable, both in the spotlight and on/off the field. If the team is serious about a culture change and putting football over ego, this is what we need: players and captains demanding more from one another. You also look at a player like Zach Sieler, who is a true professional through and through. While he could easily “hold in” and sit out drills to prove a point to the front office about his current contract, he’s instead out there with the team—especially the younger guys—showing them how to go about the game the right way. He’s setting a standard, and you know he’s going to hold his teammates to that same standard. Whether it all pans out in the end is another story—and of course, it’s still way too early to tell. But so far, these guys seem locked in. And more importantly, they’re practicing what they preach.
UDFA makes strong case for Chargers roster spot after training camp pick-six
The Los Angeles Chargers' 2025 training camp is heating up. In less than a week, the team will have its first action against another opponent when they meet the Detroit Lions in the Hall of Fame Game. That means in less than a week, players who may be on the fringe of making the roster will get a chance to show what they've got in the national spotlight. Every season, there are a group of players fighting for a job on every roster, the Chargers being no different. So, who is going to earn themselves a spot on the 2025 roster? Daniel Popper of The Athletic published an incredibly thorough, detailed practice report from the Chargers' seventh day of camp. In his report, Popper described the moment when undrafted free agent Nikko Reed made a statement with his pick-six on backup quarterback DJ. Uiagalelei. "Undrafted rookie cornerback Nikko Reed picked off Uiagalelei in 11-on-11 and returned the interception for a touchdown. Reed has been a mainstay on the second-team defense and appears on track to lock up a practice squad spot," wrote Popper. Chargers' defensive coordinator even told the media that Reed has a chance to make the roster. When the Chargers take the field against the Lions, it could be another moment for Reed to put himself ahead of the pack.
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