Heat Check: Bryce Harper is the hottest hitter in Major League Baseball
The Phillies offense has been red hot on their current road trip, improving to 5-1 after last night’s 8-3 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Today, they will look to complete the four-game sweep of the Dodgers with Aaron Nola on the mound.
Over the past three games in Los Angeles, the Phillies have scored 29 runs on 37 hits. They have a team total of 18 extra-base hits and eight home runs against one of the best pitching staffs in Major League Baseball. Entering the series with the Phillies, the Dodgers pitching staff held a 2.26 ERA and only allowed more than five runs once this season.
That obviously changed, with the Phillies putting up 9, 12, and 8 runs throughout the first three games of the series. The bats have come alive for the Phillies on their West Coast trip and there’s plenty of credit to go around, but lets take a moment and talk about Bryce Harper.
Bryce Harper MLB Rankings
- Extra-Base Hits (1st)
- Total Bases (1st)
- Runs Scored (1st)
- Doubles (T-1st)
Thank God for the Universal DH. Harper, who has been limited to the designated hitter spot with a small tear in his UCL has been nothing short of tremendous at the plate while being unable to play in the field.
Harper is 17-for-36, batting .472 with five home runs, seven doubles, 12 RBI, and 11 runs scored over his last nine games. He has a major league-leading 24 extra-base hits on the season, five more than anyone else in the entire league.
Looking at the Dodgers series alone, over the last three games, Harper has seven extra-base hits, most ever by a visiting player in a three-game stretch at Dodger stadium. Last night, Harper continued his hot streak, going 3-for-4 at the plate with a home run, double, three RBI, and two runs scored.
Bryce Harper 3-Run HR vs Dodgers
Harper now OUT until Wednesday
Unfortunately for the Phillies, Harper will receive a PRP injection today and will subsequently miss the game this afternoon and possibly Tuesday at home against the San Diego Padres.
The Platelet-Rich Plasma therapy is a process by in which the patients blood is spun in a centrifuge collecting plasma which is then injected back into the injured tendon.
The Phillies are back to .500 at 17-17 and look to make a statement this afternoon as they attempt to complete the four-game sweep of the Dodgers. Aaron Nola will be on the mound.
Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports
