Bryce Harper participated in the Home Run Derby at his home park on Monday night, and things really could not have gone much better. Harper reached the finals of the competition and then beat Kyle Schwarber in thrilling fashion with a walk-off home run in bonus time.
Although Harper is one of the best power hitters and most popular players in the game, it was only his second time participating in the derby. It took the competition being at his home park for him to enter. And now that he’s won it, he sounds unlikely to do it again.
Bryce Harper on winning the home run derby: “I don’t have to do it ever again.”
— Jorge Castillo (@jorgecastillo) July 17, 2018
Harper expressing it as a “have to” shows you how some players feel about the derby; they look at it as a task or chore rather than a fun event. But now that he’s won it at Nationals Park, there’s really not much more he can do. He can go out on top.
