Will Bryce Harper overlook past if Phillies want to make this trade?

That incident also led to a NSFW critique of the Rockies organization from Harper.

After the game, Harper had some not-so-subtle comments about Bird, telling reporters, “He kind of just did what he did and after that he kind of flew away and just like went into the dugout.”

A request to talk to Harper about that incident earlier this season when Philadelphia came to Coors Field was denied by Phillies media relations.

The altercation with the Phillies in 2023 affected Bird for some time as he told me for an article for The Denver Gazette.

“In ’23, I was having a really good stretch where I was doing the emotion stuff a lot going in there,” Bird said. “And then that game, that event, happened. I think after that, I started thinking about it a little more, where I don't want to show up people or get them angry, so I stopped doing it. Maybe that was part of the reason I wasn’t quite as sharp moving forward.

“I talked about it with people in my family and we discussed how I can be smart about it. I can’t show guys up or be a jerk about it, but that’s also how I compete. So I have to be myself and I can’t hold back.”

However, Bird has put that viral moment behind him and focused on his mindset this year, saying he is “staying confident and aggressive in the zone and trusting my stuff.”

That change is working as Bird has been the most consistent reliever for the Rockies this season and become one of the most discussed names out of the bullpen for any MLB team heading into the July 31 trade deadline.

Even with Colorado’s past reluctance to make deadline deals, it seems that Bird (and his team control through the 2028 season) could well be on the move this year. But will the Phillies be interested in a player that riled up one of their biggest superstars just two years ago?

With Harper still in search of his first World Series ring, any addition to the Phillies that will make the franchise stronger for an October run would likely be welcomed. However, if Philadelphia and Colorado can make a deal that involves Bird, expect plenty of questions to be asked about just how quickly Harper and the Phillies can forget the past in the midst of a postseason run.