Bryce Harper hit two home runs over 440 feet during the Philadelphia Phillies’ 12-7 win against the Seattle Mariners on Monday night at Citizens Bank Park. The first homer, in the sixth inning, traveled a Statcast-projected 440 feet. Harper then hit another in the seventh inning that went 448 feet. According to Statcast data, he is the only player in Major League Baseball this season with multiple 440-foot home runs in a single game and is the first Phillies player to do so since tracking began in 2015.
“I think the last 30 games have been really good,” Harper said. “Been hitting for power, been hitting the best I can. … But big night for the whole offense.”
The Phillies collected a season-high 21 hits during the game, with every starter recording at least one hit before the third inning. This marks the first time since September 28, 1963, that every Phillies starter had a hit so early in a game, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
Ranger Suárez started for Philadelphia and pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and striking out ten without issuing a walk. He had entered the game with an ERA of 6.59 over his previous five starts but delivered what manager Rob Thomson called his best start in some time.
“He was really good, really good,” Thomson said. “That was his best start in a while.”
The team played shortly after learning that Zack Wheeler underwent a successful thrombolysis procedure to remove a blood clot from his right upper extremity earlier that day. The Phillies have not determined when or if Wheeler will return this season.
“Obviously, we don’t know how long he will be out and, personally, I just want him to recover as quickly and as good as he can,” Suárez said via an interpreter. “Coming into the stadium today, maybe that’s what we’re all thinking as a starting staff: We lost a great pitcher, we lost a great player and we just have to perform as best as we can so we can try to fill those shoes.”
Trea Turner contributed by hitting his first home run of the season at Citizens Bank Park—a three-run shot—and recorded his 1,500th career hit while going four-for-six with five RBIs.
“When you lose a player of that caliber, it’s definitely going to hurt a little bit,” Turner said about Wheeler’s absence. “We don’t have to rely on one person. We can all step up a little bit. We can all play a little better defense, we can all pitch a little better, we can all hit a little better. Play as a team and I think if we all pick up a little bit of slack, we can get the job done. But we’re going to miss him.”
J.T. Realmuto also homered for Philadelphia—his first since July 25—and Nick Castellanos registered his second consecutive multihit game after struggling offensively over his previous eight games.
Harper noted that despite concerns about Wheeler’s health being on everyone’s mind, players are focused on performing well and advancing deep into postseason play.
“It’s something that’s hard to put in the back of your mind and not think about,” Harper said. “But obviously Zack wants us to go out there and play our game and be good and get deep into the playoffs and win a World Series.
“That’s the goal and he wants us to do that.”
