Coming off a bit of a down year in 2025, Philadelphia Phillies fans were keen to see how Bryce Harper would respond in 2026. Batting .264 with 20 home runs and 57 RBIs, the veteran first baseman has well and truly got back to his best this year.
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Buster Olney and Paul Hembekides had a chat about Harper‘s superb peformances this season. Hembekides broke down why he thinks Harper is an “elite” hitter, pointing out two notable metrics to drive his point home.
“He’s still an elite hitter. Bryce Harper, he’s an all-time great, and all-time greats find ways to remain so, even when the league thinks they’ve figured you out,” Hembekides said (Timestamp: 41:38). “His OPS on up-and-away fastballs last year was .626. It was the lowest mark in his career. He’s more than doubled that. His OPS up-and-away right now, on the heater, is 1.306.
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“Year over year, he’s turned a massive weakness into a massive strength. There’s one other component of Harper’s season that I think is just extraordinary. There are 159 hitters that have seen more four-seam fastballs in the strike zone than Harper. Yet, he ranks third in run value against that pitch.”
“He’s going to be making a speech at Cooperstown” – MLB analyst predicts Bryce Harper to make it into the Hall of Fame
In the same conversation, Hembekides also predicted Bryce Harper to make it into the Hall of Fame after he calls time on his career. He also went on to explain why he thinks so.
“You don’t reach the Hall of Fame by debuting at 19, winning an MVP at 22 or another later in your 20s,” Hembekides said (Timestamp: 43:15). You reach the Hall of Fame by doing this.
“By reinventing yourself when you have to, when the league requires to, and that’s why Harper’s going to be making a speech in Cooperstown five years after he hangs up the spikes.”
Harper‘s fantastic displays this season have earned him his ninth All-Star selection.
Edited by Raghav Mehta
