Most MLB fans are aware Bryce Harper didn’t have his best year in 2025. It was in no way a poor season, but it wasn’t the Harper standard of excellence fans at CBP have come to expect. After the Phils were bounced by the Dodgers in the NLDS, team president Dave Dombrowski created some discord when he questioned if Harper could return to an elite level. The face of the red pinstripes was not happy about this public comment.
How Can Bryce Harper be Elite Again?
Well, the answer is a resounding yes. Entering his age-33 season, Bryce can certainly return to that elite pantheon. And … he doesn’t have to improve in 100 different ways to do it. If Bryce Harper can boost his numbers in just a few vital categories, he will become elite again in the eyes of the Phillies’ brass and the fanbase.
Stay Healthy
Recently, this two-time NL MVP has played significantly less than the 162-game schedule: 99 games in 2022, 126 games in 2023, and 132 games in 2025. If you’re not on the field for big chunks of the year, it is very hard to be elite. By simply being healthy and playing between 150-155 games, Harper’s numbers will certainly get a boost.
Recently, this two-time NL MVP has played significantly less than the 162-game schedule: 99 games in 2022, 126 games in 2023, and 132 games in 2025. If you’re not on the field for big chunks of the year, it is very hard to be elite. By simply being healthy and playing between 150-155 games, Harper’s numbers will certainly get a boost.
On-Base Percentage
If you’ve read previous articles of mine, you know I have a crush on OBP just like the one I have had for Cameron Diaz since The Mask. When Bryce Harper is at his best, he is getting on base at any extremely high rate. In fact, five times in his career, The Showman has had a .400+ OBP with a high of .460 way back in his first MVP season of 2015. .460 may be asking a bit much, but Harper had a .401 OBP as recently as 2023. That is easily an attainable number for one of the best masters of the strike zone over the last two decades. Last year he dropped to .357 in OBP, his lowest since 2014. Cutting down on his K’s would also help him in this category.
Walks
Yes, this directly relates to the previous stat, but Bryce is elite when he walks 100+ times in a season. He has done that four times in his career, but the last time was in 2021. In 2025, Harper’s BB% was 12.1. If he gets that number above 16 %, that would be pretty elite. Maybe some strategically devised lineups by Rob Thomson can help his first baseman with this stat. Bryce Harper has been a perennial top-10 guy in walks throughout his MLB career, and he can be again.
Runs Scored
Last season, the top overall pick of the 2010 draft scored 72 runs. That resulted in the second-lowest run scoring rate of his career (25%). With his ability to get on base and nab extra bases, he should score in the 100-run range. He has done that three times in his career, and two of those years resulted in MVPs. The more runs you score, the more your team wins. Bryce Harper has been elite as a run scorer. Can that happen in 2026?
The 2026 Prediction for Bryce Harper
You may have noticed that some key stats like home runs, RBIs, batting average, and slugging % were not mentioned. That is because a healthy Bryce Harper is typically very consistent in those areas. The stats stated above are the places where the 2022 NLCS MVP can regain his elite standing. There is no doubt that this Phillie is very motivated by his boss’s comments, so the likelihood, at least in this writer’s eyes, is that Bryce Harper will return to being an elite player in 2026 with a top-five NL MVP finish, a WAR of 6+, 100 walks, 100 runs scored, and a .400+ OBP. Maybe another magical moment will happen to cap an elite season?
Main Photo Credits: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images