On Wednesday, the Nationals defeated the visiting Phillies one day after eliminating those same Phillies from postseason contention. That means the Nats on Thursday will go for the rare five-game sweep.
Star outfielder Bryce Harper of course now plays for the Phillies after spending the entirety of his pre-2019 career with the Nationals. That Harper left Washington in favor of a $330 million free-agent contract with a division rival still doesn't sit well with some Nats fans, and they let him hear about it on Wednesday. To hear Harper tell it, the heckling went too far. Via the Associated Press, here's what Harper said:
"They were fine all game, talking about myself and things like that," Harper said. "I get it everywhere I go. That's nothing new.
"But the last two innings, it's just not right. It's not right."
Harper did not specify what Nationals fans said to him in those last two innings, but the implication is that it went beyond the usual heckling. Harper went on to draw contrasts with Philly fans:
"I've got 60,000 fans up in Philly that appreciate me as a player, appreciate me as an individual and my family," Harper said. "I owe a lot to those people up there in Philly, because they show up for me every single night and they're there to cheer us on and boo us and keep us going as a team and as individuals, as well."
Harper was originally drafted by the Nationals with the top overall pick of the 2010 draft. After arriving in the majors in 2012, Harper spent the next seven seasons in a Nationals uniform before leaving for Phillies this past offseason.
In his first season in Philly, Harper, 26, has batted .260/.375/.507 (125 OPS+) with 34 home runs in 153 games. His Phillies, however, have presently lost five straight and are .500 for the season.
