Washington Nationals: Bryce Harper should be benched for a week
Washington Nationals superstar Bryce Harper has fallen into a horrific slump. Now, he needs to take a week off.
After owning the best record in the league throughout May, the Washington Nationals have fallen into a collective slump. They are 5-7 to begin June and have lost series to the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays, both of whom are below .500.
Pitching has led the way for the Nats all year, which has remained true in June. Unfortunately, the offense has disappeared. The Nats have failed to score in three of their last five games and have somehow managed to make Derek Holland and Marco Estrada look like Cy Young candidates.
The Nats’ offensive struggles cannot be entirely placed on one man, but there are a few exceptional culprits. Among those is Bryce Harper.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
Throughout June, Harper has hit .163 with seven hits (six singles) and 20 strikeouts. Those are unacceptable stats for anyone, but especially a supposed superstar.
Harper has proven to be a streaky hitter, and does fall into slumps from time to time, but he has never hit this poorly. His average has fallen to .221, well off his career mark of .280. He has looked completely lost in all facets of the game. Something has to be wrong.
Perhaps the pressure of being in a contract year is getting to Harper. After all, he is expected to sign the most lucrative contract ever this offseason. Perhaps he is playing through an injury. 2016 was the last time he fell into such a significant slump, when he was believed to be playing hurt.
Whatever is going on, the Nats must do everything they can to address it and help Harper return to normal. To begin, they should bench him for a week and allow him to reset. This would not be the first time the Nats tried this, as Dusty Baker benched Harper for a few games in 2016.
Right now, Harper is not contributing at all. He is completely lost at the plate, he is a slightly above average baserunner if he reaches base, and he is a good, not great, defender. Without his bat, nothing jumps off the page.
Despite being a generational talent, Harper is currently the Nats’ weakest outfielder. 19-year-old Juan Soto has taken the league by storm, Adam Eaton has impressed in his return from the disabled list, and Michael Taylor has gotten hot as of late, not to mention Brian Goodwin, who is a solid fourth outfielder.
If there was ever a time that the Nats did not need Harper, it would be now. They must take advantage of this and allow him to reset.
It is conceivable that Harper is playing hurt. He was hit by a two pitches on Tuesday against the Yankees and was forced to leave the game. Everyone is playing through something, but Harper may be in exceptional pain.
Regardless of what is going on with Harper, he is a detriment to the team. Saturday’s game in Toronto is a perfect example, when he struck out looking twice, both times as the potential tying run with two outs. That is inexcusable, especially from the three-hole hitter.
Next: Shohei Ohtani should undergo Tommy John
Whether you love or hate Bryce Harper, you must admit that he is among the most talented players in the game. He may not be playing well now, but a week-long break could help him right the ship. Some may consider it extreme, but the Washington Nationals would be wise to give it a shot.