Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper received a cold reception from Washington Nationals fans during Thursday’s game at Nationals Park. The two-time NL MVP dealt with an aggressive crowd throughout the night but had the last laugh with a ninth-inning homer and a cold, single-finger gesture.
Harper faced accusations of vulgarity from some baseball fans because of the gesture, but he clarified in the postgame interview that it’s not the case. Unlike what many thought, he hadn’t raised the middle finger.
“Ring finger, though,” Harper replied to a reporter’s query about the matter. “So just make sure that’s out there.”
Though Harper has won many individual accolades, a World Series has eluded him. Many fans, especially Nationals supporters, often point out this fact to mock him. As such, his ring-finger gesture appears to be a playful, mocking gesture to the aggressive jeers.
Harper also spoke about the negative reception from the fans.
“I mean, they were doing the same thing to Trey (Turner), which is crazy,” Harper said. “They should probably know their history little bit with him winning the World Series, and it’s weird coming from a fan base obviously that I, you know, sweated for seven years.”
Harper and Turner were teammates on the Nationals from 2015 to 2018 before reuniting on the Phillies in 2023. After Harper left Washington, Turner won a World Series with the team in 2019.
Both players are now under massive contracts with Philadelphia. Harper signed a 13-year, $330 million contract in March 2019. Meanwhile, Turner signed an 11-year, $300 million contract in December 2022.
Bryce Harper Led From the Front in the Phillies’ 10-5 Comeback Win
The Philadelphia Phillies staged a spectacular 10-5 comeback win against the Washington Nationals on Thursday in their four-game series finale. Clutch performance from Bryce Harper powered the Phillies to the 3-1 series win.
The game initially looked out of reach for Philadelphia after Washington raced to a 5-0 lead by the third inning. After the Phillies clawed back to 5-2 by the sixth inning, Harper ignited the team’s offense in the seventh with a bases-loaded walk that paved the way for a three-run rally.
The two-time NL MVP saved his best performance in the ninth inning, thrashing Gus Varland for a two-run homer. An RBI double from JT Realmuto and a two-run dinger from Derek Hill ensured no comeback from the Nationals was possible.
Up next for Harper and the Phillies is an away series against the New York Mets, their divisional rivals, at Citi Field. Game 1 will commence at 7:10 p.m. ET on Friday.
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