Washington Nationals slugger Bryce Harper may skip the 2015 Home Run Derby because his pitcher for the event is currently on the disabled list.
That pitcher would be Harper’s father.
Ron Harper, Bryce’s old man, pitched to his son in the 2013 Home Run Derby. Ron recently underwent rotator cuff surgery to repair an injury he sustained while snowboarding.
“I probably won’t be able to do it this year, because he’s my guy,” Harper said of the Home Run Derby, per C. Trent Rosencrans of the Philadelphia Enquirer.
Bryce is currently tied for the MLB lead with 18 home runs.
There’s no question Ron would have loved to pitch to Bryce again at the event, especially because it is taking place at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. The elder Harper grew up a Reds fan.
“It was weird because he’s from Vegas, and the Dodgers at that time were the big rivalry, but my dad always liked the Reds,” Bryce explained. “I think my first Little League team was the Reds. My dad was a huge fan of them. (I’d watch the Big Red Machine on) ESPN Classic, of course. My dad taught me about the Big Red Machine and all those guys. And then there’s Barry Larkin – I could go on and on. I know a lot about the Reds’ history because of my dad. It’s fun to talk to him about it.”
Whether you love Harper or hate him because of incidents like this, he would undoubtedly make the Home Run Derby more interesting to watch. Perhaps he’ll find a viable – even if not comparable – replacement for his dad.
