Bryce Harper would have been watching the Philadelphia Phillies from home in any other year in National League history.
The Phillies star is battling a torn UCL and is unable to play in the outfield. Normally, he would have undergone surgery back in May or June, being lost for the rest of the year as the Phillies would hope that he would be healthy for spring training.
Philadelphia Phillies getting help from rule change this season
But that is not the case this season. The universal designated hitter has come to major league baseball, saving Harper’s season. Along the way, that rule change may have altered the course of Phillies’ history.
It is fair to say that Harper is why the Phillies were able to slide into the postseason as the sixth seed. He posted a 145 OPS+ with 18 homers and 28 doubles in his 426 plate appearances, excellent numbers even after he missed two months due to a fractured thumb.
As strong as those numbers are, Harper has shined in the postseason. He has belted six homers and six doubles, his power surge helping the Phillies make the World Series far more competitive than anyone would have expected. Harper was the NLCS MVP this year, a key part in propelling the Phillies this far.
And it never would have happened in any other year. The Phillies would have lost their best hitter and one of the leaders in their clubhouse, a void that they would not have been able to fill. It would have been another disappointing season instead of one that finds them two wins away from a championship. They can thank the universal DH for that.
Bryce Harper has been the key to the Philadelphia Phillies’ postseason success. They can thank the universal DH for even being in this spot in the first place.