NL DIVISION SERIES: PHILLIES VS BRAVES

October 11, 2023

Bryce Harper

Citizens Bank Park

Philadelphia Phillies

Postgame 3 Press Conference

Phillies 10 - Braves 2

Q. Bryce, how much motivation did the comment from the Braves shortstop give you going into the game?

BRYCE HARPER: No, I mean, it's a super competitive game that we play, and you know, from both sides of the ball. And I enjoy commentary and things. And like I said, you know, I listen to WIP, and you hear a lot of stuff on there as well at times. And I just enjoy it.

It's a reason why we play this game. And there's nothing like it. Everybody's competitive that we play against, and I just really enjoy those moments and the opportunity to play this game and have those moments.

Q. Was there any motivation?

BRYCE HARPER: I mean, anytime anybody says something, right? I mean that's what it's all about.

Q. Did you enjoy staring him down?

BRYCE HARPER: Yeah, I mean I stared right at him.

Q. Bryce, just wondering, I know you're an Ohio State football fan, but you did wear Coach Prime, and I had a comment earlier this season about respect and whatnot. Was that outfit on purpose?

BRYCE HARPER: No, really, I went into my closet, and I wore the AI won the other day from the same company. And they sent me this one. And I was driving to the field, and I went oh, no. He actually played for Atlanta. (Laughs). Maybe I should turn around and go take this shirt off.

But then I was just like, man, I'm a big fan of Prime and what he's doing to Colorado. Of course I'm a Buckeye fan through and through until I die. But just the way he goes about it, his interviews, his charisma, him being able to coach his kids, and he's all about family. And I just -- it was crazy because I walked in, and I was sitting there and then Caste walked in, and I went, oh, dang, you're wearing the same Prime stuff and then it just kind of rolled from there. But, no, there was nothing behind it or anything like that.

Q. Bryce, the two homers for RBI in a game as important as this one kind of a swing game for this team, how much do you cherish being in those moments and just being able to come through when you do?

BRYCE HARPER: Yeah, it's a really good team over there, one of the best in baseball. Elder had a great year. We knew we needed to get in there and get it going early. Knowles is ones of the best in the game in these moments and in these opportunities as well. And there's nothing like it.

You know, being able to watch him and compete with him. So we knew that we needed to score runs early and get it going, and we have such a great fanbase that is loud, and it's hard to come in here and play. And like I said, it's a really good team over there. So to be able to jump on them early and stay on it was big for us.

Q. Bryce, like you said, Nola is one of the best in the game. What were you thinking when you saw that ovation he got? How much do you think that meant to him and just why you guys trust him so much in these moments?

BRYCE HARPER: Yeah, I mean anytime that him and Wills go out there, I mean we have all the faith in their abilities to win us games, single handedly win us games, of course.

He did such a good job for us tonight, going out there, keeping them off balance, throwing big pitches when he needed to. They scored one early, and we kind of came right back and Caste hit the homer, and then myself as well. And just kind of -- it kind of snowballed from there, and I thought we had a great opportunity to keep on it and kind of just leave that no doubt mentality.

Q. Bryce, what's the mentality now with you guys having this talented Braves team on the brink?

BRYCE HARPER: Just keep playing our game. We know they're really good, and they're not going to fall down or die or anything like that. They're a really, really good organization, a really good team, and we've seen that all year from them. But we have a crowd that's 45 strong, and we're very excited to go into tomorrow and play a great game.

Q. Speaking of that crowd, you guys know you're facing Strider tomorrow. Did you hear the crowd chant, we want Strider and what did you think of that?

BRYCE HARPER: Strider is tough, man. He's one of the best in baseball. Possible Cy Young this year. I don't know if I've ever said that about a pitcher or anything like that.

But that's what makes our fans the best in the world. And we'll go out there and play our game and understand that we just gotta play our game and not worry about anything else.

Q. Did you say anything to him when you rounded second base?

BRYCE HARPER: No, I would never.

Q. And what was the reaction of your teammates after the -- especially the first home run, were they -- Topper said it was kind of like Rhys last year.

BRYCE HARPER: Yeah. I don't know. I wasn't really paying attention to any of that. I was just excited to be able to get around the bases, and that was a big homer for our whole team to get in front and get that going.

I think the reaction was just, everybody was just excited to get the lead and stay with the lead.

Q. And Rob also said that you thought -- he thought that you wanted redemption from the base running miscue the other night, that you wanted to correct that. That might have been motivation for you. Was it?

BRYCE HARPER: No. Me, personally, I don't think it was a miscue. But I took a chance, and Michael Harris made an incredible play. If that hits off the wall or he bobbles it or anything, I score. So I personally don't think -- I'm not going to change the way I play because of a moment or situation.

Q. Bryce, how do you explain the correlation between this ballpark and your offense and the playoffs, what happens?

BRYCE HARPER: It's our fans. I mean, there's nothing like it. I mean we come out of that tunnel ready to go, and I just laugh and I smile because it's so much fun pandering. Right?

Everybody talks about it. That's what everybody thinks I do or whatever. I love this place. Flat out, I love this place. There's nothing like coming into the Bank and playing in front of these fans. Blue collar mentality, tough, fighting every single day. I get chills, man. I get so fired up. Man, I love this place!

I signed here for a reason, to do everything I could to bring back a trophy to this town, to Mr. Middleton, to this organization. I got chills thinking about it, because that's what it's all about. I absolutely love this place.

I love every single person in this organization, fighting, clawing every single day to get back to that moment. There were so many good times in '07, '08, '09, 2010, '11. And I want to get back to that moment into the postseason and playing in front of these fans and Red October.

I could go on and on, man. There's nothing like playing here, and Garrett Stubbs said it best, man. If you don't like it, you can get out, because we don't want you here, and we want to be able to come in each night and play our game, and they are with us in this every single step of the way.

Q. Bryce, just kind of along those lines about how much you've enjoyed playing here, these playoff moments that you've been able to stack over the last year, just how does it measure up to what you would have envisioned as a little kid coming up in playoff games, big spots in front of your own fans and being able to come through?

BRYCE HARPER: LA was talking to me after the game, right, and just asking me moments, opportunities, things like that. I'm so thankful that I'm able to play this game. I'm so thankful to be able to have these moments and these opportunities. And there's nothing like it.

There's nothing like growing up and playing the game of baseball. When I was 10 years old, 11 years old, I played in so many big tournaments and big lights. And I mean, you guys couldn't imagine the pressure of the situations or going to JUCO early and having everybody in the world relying on you to be the number one pick. That was hard.

You know, 17 years old, 16 years old, trying to be the number one pick, knowing that if you're not, you're a failure. So that's pressure, you know. Trying to make all the money you can to get your family out of an area or set them up for life, that's pressure. This is all cake, man. This is so much fun.

This is what it's all about, just coming in here and playing the game that I love, and man, it's not pressure anymore when you're just playing and having fun. Those moments are -- all the pressure is gone. You know, you're just coming in here and playing the game and being the number one pick, trying to do that every step of the way.

I remember telling my dad when I was 11 years old, I'm going to be the number one pick, and that's it. And from that moment on, it's like, okay, here's the pressure, here's the you gotta be this, you gotta be that. But this is all just so much fun. I'm so grateful to be here, so grateful to play this game and have that opportunity to play. And I wouldn't be here without my good Lord willing. Right? He puts me in this moment and this spot, and I'm just so thankful for that.

Q. You talk about appreciation for the history of this game. You and Castellanos tonight, two home runs. Only four sets of teammates have done that in a postseason. Gehrig and Ruth are among them. What does it mean to you to be on that list, one? And two, just this lineup, how dangerous is it? It seems like any guy can do that?

BRYCE HARPER: Anytime you're on that list of those guys, that's pretty cool. But we got a long ways to go before we're those guys. I got a lot of respect for the history of the game. And without those guys playing before us, we wouldn't be here.

But, yeah, really cool for our team and stuff like that. But the moments and stuff, I feel like this is why our team is built this way, because each guy, like you said, on any given night, can do that.

And it's so much fun to be able to do that. If one guy is not going, the next guy is going to go. If that guy isn't going to go, the next guy is going to go. There's no moment too big for anybody in this clubhouse.

I think we have so much -- God, what's the word? We have the ability to rely on our young guys, to be able to not fear that they're in the game, or in those moments or those situations. And I think that's really cool, seeing them grow and seeing them play, Stotter, Marsh, Bohmer, Rojas. I mean, it's so much fun to be able to watch those guys play and us to be able to rely on those guys to do that in those moments.

Q. Harper, Thomson and Brian said you are a Hall-of-Famer. I just want to know what are your thoughts about it. And you hit two home runs tonight. Where do you put the game in your career?

BRYCE HARPER: I don't even want worry about the Hall of Fame, man. I'm trying to win a championship, and I got a long ways to go before I'm even thought about for that. I got a long ways. I want to play until I'm into my mid 40s, early 40s. You guys know that. So I got a long ways until that happens.

But anytime you're able to go out there and put runs on the board for your team and win the game, that's what it's all about.

Q. Bryce, I mean, sports is littered with athletes who had massive expectations and didn't live up to them at various levels. Outside of your natural talent, what do you feel are the biggest reasons that you've been able to live up and exceed the pressure put on you everywhere you've been?

BRYCE HARPER: I got a long ways to go for that too, man. I still each day coming in here trying to get better, each off season, grinding to get better, trying to be the best player I can and understand that this game isn't the only thing in my life.

When I walk out those doors, I want to be the best dad I can, you know, to Krew and Brooklyn, man. They make me smile. They make me laugh. There's nothing like it. 0 for 4, 4 for 4, Krew is going to want me to put him to bed at night, and he's going to laugh and smile, and he's going to tell me, Dad, you didn't play very well tonight. You know, so it is what it is.

But it's such a great game that we play. Like I said, I'm so thankful to play this game and have these moments and have these opportunities and play for such a great organization, and there's nothing like it.

Q. Bryce, how were made aware of Arcia's comment? Did you read it on your phone? Did somebody point it out to you? Did you hear somebody talking about it?

BRYCE HARPER: Yeah, just my teammates. That's about it. They just kind of told me, and they looked at me, and they were like, what are you going to do?