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Aside from his phenomenal ability with the bat, Bryce Harper is also one of the most tenacious runners on the basepaths. But the Philadelphia Phillies superstar was left flabbergasted after being gunned down by an outstanding throw from Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages on Tuesday night.
A video clip of that excellent fielding play was posted by Talkin' Baseball on Instagram.
The Dodgers were hosting the Phillies for the second encounter after the home team won the opening clash of their three-game series.
On Tuesday, the Phillies were leading 4-1 in the top of the seventh inning when J.T. Realmuto came up to the plate. Alec Bohm was standing on first base and Bryce Harper on second, while reliever Brent Honeywell was on the mound for the Dodgers.
Honeywell delivered a fastball low and in on the strike zone, and Realmuto made decent contact on the pitch, but it only turned out to be a routine flyball for Andy Pages at right field. He made the catch easily, but Harper immediately rushed out from second base to try and convert it into a sacrifice fly.
Despite having hamstring issues this season, Bryce Harper is no slouch, and he has excellent judgment on the basepaths. He seemed to have timed his run to perfection, as he made a head-first slide. But Andy Pages proved equal to the challenge, as he launched a quick and accurate throw to Cavan Biggio at third base to complete the double play.
Harper looked stunned by the excellent play from Pages, although it seemed as though he had touched third base right before the tag was applied. The Phillies challenged the decision, but the video umpires in New York felt the footage was not conclusive enough to overturn the verdict.
It didn't prove to be of any major consequence, though, as the Dodgers were easily beaten 6-2 on the night.
Bryce Harper and the Phillies look to break out of their slump
The Philadelphia Phillies held the best record in the MLB for a good chunk of the season but they lost this badge following their slump over the past few weeks. Despite its win on Tuesday evening, the Phillies are 7-12 since the All-Star break.
Meanwhile, Bryce Harper has also suffered a big dip in form after emerging as a leading contender for the National League MVP earlier on in the season. He has been off-color since returning from a hastring issue last month, batting under .200 with an OPS below .700 since July 9.
Despite their subpar performances, they hold the best record in the NL. Nevertheless, Bryce Harper and the Phillies will be quite keen to get out of their rut as soon as possible and put on a strong run before they reach the postseason.
