RADIO
Bryce Harper Could be a Prime Buy-Low Candidate for Second Half
Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper came into this week's All-Star break in a cold spell at the plate, and he didn't make it past the first round in Monday night's Home Run Derby in his home digs at Citizens Bank Park. Harper's fantasy managers could be souring on him going into the second half, which could present the perfect buy-low opportunity. In his first 11 games in July, the 33-year-old former two-time MVP and nine-time All-Star went 6-for-40 (.150) with three doubles, three RBI, three runs scored, eight walks, and 14 strikeouts in 48 plate appearances to drop his season line to .260/.365/.497. However, Harper still has an .862 OPS with 20 home runs, 57 RBI, 59 runs scored, and five stolen bases in his 342 at-bats in 2026 in his 15th big-league season (eighth in Philly). He also has a .278 expected batting average and the eighth-best xwOBA (.391), suggesting we haven't seen the best of Harper yet this year. Harper currently is ranked in the 76th percentile in hard-hit rate, the 72nd percentile in barrel rate, the 93rd percentile in xSLG, and the 97th percentile in xwOBA, so we're not completely sold that his cold spell in July is a sign of an offensive decline to close out 2026.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
