Bryce Harper makes feelings known on Dodgers becoming 'Evil Empire' Yankees

The Philadelphia Phillies will be counted among the top contenders for the National League pennant with Bryce Harper being the heartbeat of the team. However, the bookmakers have placed the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets above them in the betting odds, with both teams spending heavily in the free agent market during the offseason.

Bryce Harper commended the Los Angeles Dodgers for building a superstar-laden roster akin to the New York Yankees teams of the late 1990s that was dubbed the 'Evil Empire' by rival fans. The two-time MVP feels the New York Mets have also adopted the same method, but he understands from experience that the strongest rosters on paper do not always turn into winning teams on the field.

Sports columnist David Murphy of The Inquirer recently spoke with Bryce Harper at the Philadelphia Phillies spring training camp in Clearwater, Florida.

"Obviously, the Dodgers have done a great job building that team,” he said. “They’ve got depth in all the places they need to have depth in. They’re the Los Angeles Dodgers. You expect them to go out and do those things just like the Yankees did in the 2000s. It’s what kind of team they are. They get guys that defer money and do things the right way. It’s a great team over there. Obviously, the Mets are doing the same thing."

"I thought in 2015, the Nationals were one of the best teams in baseball, especially when we signed Max [Scherzer], and it didn’t go as well as we thought," he added. "I’m not saying that’s going to happen to the Dodgers or anything else, but you still have to play the game. It’s a funny game we play. You can be the best team in baseball, the hottest team in baseball, and you get to the postseason and fall on your face."

Bryce Harper had spent the first seven years of his career with the Washington Nationals before joining the Philadelphia Phillies on a 13-year, $330 million contract in 2019.

We have a really good opportunity: Bryce Harper on Phillies' chances of winning the NL pennant

Bryce Harper finished in sixth place for the NL MVP race last year (Image Source: IMAGN)

Despite claiming the National League East division title comfortably last year, the Philadelphia Phillies were upset by a surging New York Mets team in the Division Series. Bryce Harper shed light on his hopes for the 2025 campaign after suffering postseason heartbreak in the past two seasons.

"We obviously lost some guys and kind of rounded off the edges, I would say,” Harper said. “I thought we got some pretty good upside guys. If they pitch to their ability or play to their ability, they’re going to be really good for us. We have a really good opportunity. Obviously, we have the guys in this clubhouse to do that.

"If we just do our job and play the game the right way and play to our ability, we’ll be where we need to be by season’s end," he added.

The Philadelphia Phillies had made a surprising run to win the NL pennant in 2022 before losing the World Series against the Houston Astros.