Phillies slugger Bryce Harper was ejected Sunday after charging the Rockies dugout. Check out Bryce Harper fight today in this article.
Bryce Harper : Fight today | Ejected from game
One of the most heavily touted draft players in recent history, Harper has been cited as a “five-tool player.”
He left Las Vegas High School after his sophomore year so that he could attend the College of Southern Nevada, where he won the 2010 Golden Spikes Award.
The Nationals selected Harper as the first overall pick in the 2010 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut with the Nationals on April 28, 2012, at 19 years old.
Harper was selected for the 2012 All-Star Game, becoming the youngest position player to play in an All-Star Game.
Harper won the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year Award in 2012 and tied for the NL lead in home runs in 2015.
Bryce Harper fight today
Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper was ejected from Sunday’s game against Colorado after charging at the Rockies’ dugout following the last out of the top of the seventh inning, setting off an altercation that cleared both teams’ benches and bullpens.
Harper appeared to respond to Colorado reliever Jake Bird, who clapped a hand against his glove and said something toward the Philadelphia dugout.
Harper was initially restrained by Rockies catcher Elias Díaz, then Phillies third base coach Dusty Wathan prevented the two-time NL MVP from entering a group of players and coaches gathered near the first-base line.
“I get a little emotional on the mound sometimes,” said Bird, who added his comments toward the dugout weren’t directed at anyone in particular. “It’s a good team. It was a big moment. I got a little emotional out there. They took exception to it.”
“He’s a great player,” Bird said of Harper. “He plays with emotion. I love that he plays with emotion. He’s a player I look up to.”
Thomson had been thrown out the previous inning after arguing with plate umpire Ryan Wills over a called third strike on Kyle Schwarber.
“You never want to see your star players get thrown out of a game, but he’s protecting his teammates,” Thomson said of Harper. “That’s what this group does. They protect each other, they fight for each other and I’m proud of them for it. He’s an emotional guy and he was sticking up for his teammates.”
Harper returned to the NL champion Phillies on May 2 after recovering from Tommy John surgery. Bird was also ejected.
Ejected from game
Philadelphia sports fans saw the 76ers and Phillies lose Sunday. Somehow, the Phillies’ 4-0 loss to the Colorado Rockies seemed more explosive than the Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics.
Both teams’ benches cleared in the top of the seventh inning at Coors Field due to a conflict surrounding Rockies pitcher Jake Bird and Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper. They were both ejected.
Chaos ensued when Bird retired Phillies’ Bryson Stott in the top of the seventh. He appeared to clap his glove, laugh and yell in the direction of the Phillies dugout before walking off the field.
Harper didn’t take Bird’s taunting lightly and charged him as players from both teams ran toward the impending confrontation.
Before the fracas, Bird walked two before getting a double play and a flyout to end the inning. Phillies left fielder Kyle Schwarber appeared in one shot to take issue with Bird’s response to the flyout being caught. That didn’t stop Bird, who even apparently stuck his tongue out.
It’s possible Bird was clapping at a Philadelphia fan sitting in the stands and not Harper, a perennial All-Star. Either way, he was seen motioning toward Harper to come on with it.
Harper was stopped by Rockies catcher Elias Diaz at one point. Diaz was also close when Rockies pitcher Ryan Feltner was hit by a 92.7 mph liner during the Rockies’ loss to the Phillies Saturday.
The bench-clearing skirmish wasn’t the only passionate moment of Sunday’s game, as Phillies manager Rob Thomson was ejected for arguing a call on Schwarber’s strikeout in the sixth inning.