Bryce Harper had message for Phillies after brutal collapse

Aug 5, 2019; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Philadelphia Phillies suffered as brutal of a loss as possible Thursday against the New York Mets, and Bryce Harper saw fit to rally his team after the collapse.

The Phillies gave up seven runs in the ninth inning of Thursday’s 8-7 loss to the Mets, which prompted Harper to call a players-only meeting after the game. Phillies players said Harper’s words lasted less than a minute, but were to the point.

“He basically said this doesn’t define us,” third baseman Alec Bohm said, via Alex Coffey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “Obviously, nobody wants that to happen. This sucks right now, but we can’t let it affect tomorrow, or the next day, or the next day. We play 162 games. If we waste a couple of games because we’re feeling bad about how Thursday went, that’s not a good recipe for success.

“It was one of those situations where we needed to hear something. I think we all needed to hear that,” Bohm added.

To say the Phillies were in need of a lift after a loss like that would be an understatement. Even the manager lost sleep over the game, so one can only imagine what the players were feeling.

The Phillies were rained out both Friday and Saturday, so we don’t know if Harper’s words helped or not. The Phillies are off to a disappointing 11-15 start, so if anything, they might appreciate having a couple days away from it all.