The Philadelphia Phillies know Bryce Harper will be, once again, the key to their season.
Yes, the team brought in some excellent offensive pieces to complement a good rotation, such as Nick Castellanos and Kyle Schwarber, but they will likely go as far as Harper takes them.
The 2021 NL MVP is ready for the challenge.
If you had any doubts about his readiness, well, go take a look at his spring training stats.
Harper hit .400 (14-for-35) with a .432 OBP and a 1.575 OPS in the 2022 edition of spring training.
Oh, and he hit eight (!) home runs and drove in 14 runs for the Phillies.
The reigning MVP is, evidently, ready to defend his crown.
Here is his seventh round-tripper of the month:
Bryce Harper with his 7th Bomb of the Spring!! pic.twitter.com/99WPdpXn4r
— Brodes Media (@BrodesMedia) April 6, 2022
And here is his eighth, both in Wednesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays:
8 HRs in Spring Training. Bryce Harper is ready 😤
His O/U for HRs this season: 𝟑𝟓.𝟓. Can he do it? (via @MLB)pic.twitter.com/gtvbA5Tl5R
— Buzzer (@buzzer) April 6, 2022
Harper Is Ready To Start Raking In The 2022 Regular Season
His left-handed swing is locked and loaded to start the season on Friday.
He had a stellar year in 2021, slashing .309/.429/.615 with a 1.044 OPS in 141 games.
As far as totals go, he was also extremely impressive, scoring 101 runs and hitting 42 doubles, a triple, and 35 home runs.
He also had 84 RBI and walked 100 times.
He slightly bested Juan Soto in the MVP race, and should have more competition this year.
The slugger, however, appears hungrier than ever, and seems determined to get his Phillies into the playoffs.
Will he be able to achieve that, knowing that the National League got even more competitive?
The Atlanta Braves (reigning World Series champions) and New York Mets invested a lot of resources in the NL East alone, and other teams got stronger, too.
Only time will tell if the Phillies will make it into October, but he seems poised for a historic season.
NEXT: Phillies Legend Jimmy Rollins Back With A New Role