The Philadelphia Phillies and the San Diego Padres are set to play for the right to advance to the World Series.
Bryce Harper, with six extra-base hits in six playoff games so far, is leading the Phillies while Manny Machado and his two-way prowess is an asset for the Padres.
The two players are multiple All-Star selections with several individual accolades: MVP awards, Gold Gloves, Silver Sluggers, and more.
Neither of them has won a World Series title, though.
Their paths crossed a lot of time ago, back when they hadn’t been drafted.
This picture is the perfect proof.
“What a photo: Manny Machado and Bryce Harper as onetime @USABaseball teammates. Machado and Harper won gold at the 2009 Pan Am tournament with an 18U National Team that included Nick Castellanos, Kevin Gausman, Robbie Ray, and Jameson Taillon,” MLB insider Jon Morosi tweeted.}
What a photo: Manny Machado and Bryce Harper as onetime @USABaseball teammates.
Machado and Harper won gold at the 2009 Pan Am tournament with an 18U National Team that included Nick Castellanos, Kevin Gausman, Robbie Ray, and Jameson Taillon. @MLBNetwork @MLBPipeline @MLB https://t.co/VJTHczXpsV
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) October 18, 2022
Look at those young faces!
Two Stars Meet Again
Judging by those names, you could say that was a very talented team, full of current major leaguers.
A year later, in the 2010 MLB Draft, the Washington Nationals selected Bryce Harper with the first overall pick.
Machado? He was taken just two picks later, third overall, by the Baltimore Orioles.
Sandwiched between them was right-handed pitcher Jameson Taillon, by the Pittsburgh Pirates, who was in play to start Game 5 of the ALDS for the New York Yankees before the team opted to go with Nestor Cortes.
That draft also yielded All-Stars like Drew Pomeranz, Chris Sale, Matt Harvey, Yasmani Grandal, and Mike Foltynewicz.
Now, Harper and Machado meet again as the leaders of their respective teams.
One of them will be going to his first Fall Classic.
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