Bryce Harper makes feelings clear on Nationals fans after getting booed in Phillies Opening Day win vs old team

Modified Mar 28, 2025 05:11 GMT

MLB: Spring Training-New York Yankees at Philadelphia Phillies - Source: Imagn — Bryce Harper makes feelings clear on Nationals fans after getting booed in Phillies Opening Day win vs old teamBryce Harper reflects on his relationship with Nationals fans after homering in Phillies' Opening Day win - Source: Imagn

Bryce Harper enjoyed a great run with the Washington Nationals before a bitter exit in the 2019 offseason. The Las Vegas native returned to his old stomping ground on Thursday and smashed a solo home run in the seventh inning as a hitter for the Philadelphia Phillies.

It was met with loud boos from Nats fans who still haven't forgiven Harper for leaving the team to sign a 13-year, $330 million contract with the Phillies in 2019.

After the game, Harper was asked if he felt surprised to continue receiving negative reception from fans after all these years. Despite loud boos, Harper feels he's mostly loved around this part of the country.

"I love my relationship with them a lot," Harper said. "You know, going through the tunnel and talking to everybody, they still tell me they love me. And all the workers in here as well. And they know who I am. They know exactly, you know, what type of person I am and player and all that kind of stuff. So, fans, it's part of it."

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Bryce Harper turns clutch after impressive outing from rival pitcher

When MacKenzie Gore was on the mound, the Phillies offense, consisting of Trea Turner, Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, went cold as the Nationals ace threw six shutout innings, allowing only one hit while registering 13 strikeouts.

Thanks to Phillies ace Zack Wheeler, who kept it close by allowing only one run, the Phillies were still in business when the club entered the seventh inning.

Harper sparked the offense first by tying the game with a solo bomb in center field. Schwarber backed him up with another solo shot to take a 2-1 lead in the game. The Phillies added another run in the top of the eighth inning, but National tied the game in their half of the inning. No runs were scored by either team in the ninth, requiring extra innings to extract a result.

After two easy outs to start the 10th inning, Bryce Harper grinded out a walk to keep the inning alive. It was followed by an RBI double from Alec Bohm on which Bryson Stott and Harper came around to score and give the team a pivotal two run lead.

JT Realmuto's RBI triple was the insurance Phillies were after to take the game home 7-3.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by Bhargav