Bryce Harper Sends Message, Powers Phillies To World Series

The Philadelphia Phillies are headed to the World Series.

Philadelphia knocked off the San Diego Padres on Sunday, 4-3, to clinch the National League pennant and punch its ticket to the World Series, doing so behind the bat of 2021 NL MVP Bryce Harper.

Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning, playing in what could have been their final home game of the season, the Phillies sent Harper to the plate with a runner on first base. As he has so many times before, Harper delivered, and he did so in dramatic fashion. The 30-year-old lined a Robert Suarez fastball into the left-field seats for a go-ahead home run, sending Philadelphia into a frenzy. As he crossed the plate, Harper made sure to make a statement.

“I’m that guy,” Harper said.

Voters for the NL Championship Series MVP award seemed to be convinced, as Harper took home the award following his series-winning home run. He also made sure to remind the crowd at Citizens Bank Park that the Phillies weren’t done just yet.

The Phillies’ 4-1 series win will propel them to their first World Series appearance since 2009. They will take on either the Houston Astros or New York Yankees, who are using an interesting tactic to help inspire them to a 3-0 series comeback.