Washington Nationals: Bryce Harper, Hunter Strickland Fight on Memorial Day

Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper and San Francisco Giants reliever Hunter Strickland came to blows on Memorial Day at AT&T Park. 

Baseball fights are usually more sizzle than steak, but this one will give us enough to chew on for quite awhile, as Bryce Harper and Hunter Strickland came to blows on national television.

Down two runs with two outs in the 8th inning, after retiring Trea Turner and Jayson Werth, Strickland stared at his Washington Nationals nemesis Bryce Harper digging into the batter’s box. This would be the last time things were civil on the field for quite awhile.

In what can only be described as an incredibly self-serving and stupid maneuver, Strickland rocketed a 98-mph fastball at Bryce Harper’s hip, making contact on the first pitch.

Breakdown of the fight

The pitch connected, Harper was immediately displeased, and after motioning with his bat broke into a full sprint towards the Giants fireballer, pausing only briefly to take off his helmet and crow-hop to get a few extra miles an hour on the protective device he clearly intended to hurl back at the aggressor.

Harper missed hilariously wide with his own projectile, and walked straight into a right hand from Strickland. Not to be out-done, Harper launched his own fist at Strickland, only to miss and falter slightly as his feet reached the incline of the pitching mound. 

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Undeterred, Bryce Harper gathered and fired another right hand at Hunter Strickland, this one appearing to make contact with both the player’s head and his Memorial Day Commemorative Cap from New Era–available now for $39.99 at your team’s store and the MLB Shop, support the troops by buying consumer goods, kids–the bill of which bent considerably in absorbing the blow.

It’s hard to call this fight for either player, to be honest. Strickland landed the cleanest blow to be sure, but it was an open-handed, slap-like gesture. Harper at least hit Strickland with a fist to the face, but it is impossible to say how much force was absorbed by that $40 masterpiece of monetization. It seems safe calling this a draw.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, however, is unlikely to see it this way. Hunter Strickland can kiss the Giants goodbye for a week, at least. As for Bryce Harper, he is likely gone for a lot longer, depending on how Manfred views Harper’s attempt at using his helmet as a weapon–we won’t ask for the moment why Strickland won’t be punished as harshly for using the baseball as a weapon, one with more energy and precision.

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Prima facie, I’d venture a guess that Harper is suspended for 15 games, which he will appeal, and it will be knocked down to 10, resulting in a two-week vacation. Today’s was the first of a three game set in San Francisco. However, the Washington Nationals and San Francisco Giants will meet again later in the summer, beginning on Friday, August 11th. That’s plenty of time for this baseball beef to marinate.