PHILADELPHIA – In a bid to break out of a slump, Phillies star Bryce Harper arrived at Citizens Bank Park on Monday with a fresh buzz cut. The new look, reminiscent of a similar beard shave during a past September downturn, might have been another attempt to shake things up.
However, the change in hairstyle didn’t change his fortunes at the plate. Harper went 0-for-3 with a walk in the Phillies’ 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.
“He’s frustrated,” said Phillies manager Rob Thomson. “He expects himself to produce. Right now, it’s off and on. The balance is a little bit off, and they’re pitching him tough.”
Harper has struggled in recent weeks. After batting .272 with five home runs and a .910 OPS in his first 22 games through April 20, his numbers have dropped sharply. Over his last 19 games, he’s hitting just .189 with two home runs, eight RBIs, and a .615 OPS.
Pitchers have been cautious with Harper this season. Before Monday’s game, he had seen pitches in the strike zone only 42.9% of the time — the lowest rate among 277 qualified hitters in Major League Baseball. That trend continued against the Cardinals, as just five of the 18 pitches he saw (27.8%) were in the zone.
Opposing pitchers have also cut back on throwing fastballs to Harper. He’s seen just 45.4% fastballs this season, a career low. On Monday, only six of the 18 pitches he faced (33%) were fastballs.
In his four plate appearances Monday, Harper struck out on a curveball in the first inning, walked in the third, grounded out on a sinker in the fifth, and struck out looking at a slider in the seventh.
Still, there have been glimpses of improvement. Harper recorded multi-hit games on May 4 and 6, including a home run, and collected three hits — one a homer — in Saturday’s win in Cleveland.
Whether the new haircut will mark a turning point remains to be seen. For now, Harper and the Phillies are still searching for answers.
