Bryce Harper is the unanimous NL MVP (9/25/21)

The Phillies have won four straight and are 8–2 over their last ten games, but they still trail the Atlanta Braves by 1.5 games for first place in the NL East, so there’s no guarantee that they will make the playoffs.

There is one guarantee for this team, and it’s that Bryce Harper will take away the 2021 NL MVP award.

Harper has put the team on his back offensively, and he is the sole reason why the Phillies playoff hopes are still alive this deep into the season.

Over his last thirty games, he has complied ten home runs, 29 RBI’s (Runs Batted In), an OBP (On Base Percentage) of .552, and a slugging percentage of 816.

Career-wise, the only other season where he had a higher OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging), slugging percentage, and OBP was back in 2015 when he won his first MVP award. He is currently averaging the third-highest BA (Batting Average) of his career at .312.

No one in the league has a higher OPS than Harper. He’s second in slugging percentage and OBP. He has the seventh-highest batting average and is third in walks, so even when he’s not getting hits, he still manages to get on base. Harper is tied for third with J.D Martinez of the Red Sox in doubles.

Defensively, Harper is one of the best right-fielders in the game. Among all of the league’s right fielders, he is third in field percentage, seventh in putouts, and third in outs assisted.

Bryce has the tenth highest RF (Range Factor). He has only committed a grand total of one error for the whole season, and yes that is a pretty irrelevant stat considering players who play the outfield don’t typically force errors, but considering that seven other right fielders play just as much as he does that have committed more errors than Harper is a pretty impressive stat in and of itself.

Expect Harper to bring home some more hardware, and hopefully, his case for MVP will be further depended on if the Phillies break their lengthy ten-year playoff drought.