It’s safe to say that Bryce Harper has looked sharp during his brief rehab assignment with the Triple-A farm team of the Philadelphia Phillies, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. In his first two games against the Gwinnett Stripers, the Triple-A farm team of the Atlanta Braves, Harper is 5-for-8 with two doubles, two home runs, and six RBI.
In those two games, Harper has logged a two-homer game that paced Lehigh Valley to a 10-5 win on Tuesday night, and followed that with a walk-off double on Wednesday night that gave the IronPigs the 6-5 victory.
M. V. 3. 🤟
— Lehigh Valley IronPigs (@IronPigs) August 25, 2022
🎙️: @PatMcCarthy_ #OinkOn pic.twitter.com/NMNAVUGsGD
Put all of Harper’s stats together during the first two games and you will see a slash line of .625/.700/1.625. An OPS of 2.325? It’s easy to see why the Philadelphia Phillies could well bring Harper back to MLB sooner than was originally thought. The 29-year-old Harper has not had at -bat for the Phillies since June 25 when he was hit by a 97 mph fastball and suffered a fractured thumb.
But Bryce Harper isn’t the only one winning during his rehab stint as the Triple-A team for the Atlanta Braves is having some fun on social media with the reigning MVP’s appearance as well
The social media team for the Stripers has been racking up some wins of their own while Harper has been raking. On Tuesday, after the game where Harper smacked two home runs and drove in four, @GoStripers decided to go with the obvious takes.
Phillies prospect Bryce Harper goes deep to cut the Stripers lead 3-1. Admittedly, he looks like one to watch in the future.
— Gwinnett Stripers (@GoStripers) August 23, 2022
Harper homers again to extend our deficit to 9-5.
— Gwinnett Stripers (@GoStripers) August 24, 2022
Listen, if you only count the at-bats by people with less than two National League MVPs, we would be tied.
Life's about perspective.
And that walk-off double on Wednesday? Yep, there was some social media commentary from the Stripers as well.
Phillies prospect Bryce Harper walks it off to end the game. This guy has a bright future ahead of him if he keeps this up.
— Gwinnett Stripers (@GoStripers) August 25, 2022
Final: Stripers 5, IronPigs 6
Philadelphia enters Thursday’s action 9.5 games back of the New York Mets (and 8.0 games behind the Braves) in the National League East, but 2.0 games ahead of the San Diego Padres for the final NL Wild Card spot. Harper’s return will certainly be a boost for the Phillies and a sigh of relief for the Stripers and other teams in the International League.