3 Bryce Harper bold predictions for 2026 season

The Philadelphia Phillies are looking to win the National League East once again and earn their first World Series victory since 2008. Philadelphia has consistently competed in recent years, but the ball club will need a big season from Bryce Harper in order to make a deep run in October. So, what should fans expect from Harper in 2026?

The left-handed slugger had a down year by his standards in 2025. In fact, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski even called Harper’s season not “elite.” Reports have said that Harper and Dombrowski have communicated since the comments were made after the 2025 campaign, but one has to imagine that the Phillies star will have added motivation nonetheless.

With all of that being said, let’s take a look at three predictions for Bryce Harper in 2026.

Bryce Harper records .900 OPS

Even in a down season for Harper last year, he still recorded a strong .844 OPS. He had a season that many players could only dream of having. Nevertheless, Harper surely expects more.

He most recently recorded a .900 OPS in 2023, but he was limited to just 126 games played that year. In 2024, Harper had an .898 OPS and finished sixth in National League MVP voting. The last time Harper had a .900 or better OPS while appearing in at least 140 games was in 2021, when he recorded a stellar 1.044 OPS en route to winning his second career MVP.

Sure, the 33-year-old may not have that kind of season in 2026, but look for Harper to at least finish the year with a .900 OPS.

Harper finishes within top 5 of NL MVP voting

If Harper hits 30-40 homers, finishes with a .900 or better OPS and simply impacts winning overall, he is going to become an MVP candidate once again. He did not receive a single MVP vote in 2025, but we are expecting a bounce back season from him in 2026.

Motivation aside, why is Harper on track for a big year? The underlying numbers suggest he can still be an MVP candidate.

In 2025, the first baseman ranked in the 79th percentile in average exit velocity, 77th percentile in barrel percentage and 77th percentile in hard-hit percentage. Those aren’t incredible marks, but they are steady and should lead to overall productive results. Additionally, Harper was only in the 14th percentile in squared-up percentage a season ago. If he can improve in that area just a bit, his overall numbers will return to form.

Harper understands what it takes to get on base. He ranked in the 88th percentile for walk percentage a season ago. While his whiff and chase percentage were near the bottom of the league, his overall strikeout percentage was a 20.9 mark — which was still below his career 21.6 strikeout percentage.

If Bryce Harper can stay healthy and play in 140 or more games, he should have a steady season that leads to strong all-around offensive numbers.

Phillies win the NL East

With Harper leading the way, the Phillies should be able to win the NL East once again.

The Washington Nationals are still rebuilding while the Miami Marlins are in an uncertain position. The Atlanta Braves have already been decimated by injury concerns. In all reality, the New York Mets seem like the only true challenger for the Phillies in the division at the moment.

New York had a strong offseason. Losing Pete Alonso was far from ideal, but the Mets added players such as Freddy Peralta and Bo Bichette. The division should be competitive, but a bounce back year from Bryce Harper should give the Phillies enough momentum to capture the division title.

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