PHOENIX, ARIZONA – AUGUST 11: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies adjusts his helmet in the dugout during the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on August 11, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
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Philadelphia Phillies superstar Bryce Harper is headed back to one of baseball’s biggest stages for the first time in nearly a decade, giving Phillies fans another marquee moment during All-Star festivities at Citizens Bank Park.
The eight-time All-Star won the 2018 Home Run Derby while representing the Washington Nationals, creating one of the signature moments of his career. Now, with the event returning to Philadelphia, Harper has decided to compete once again, though one important detail surrounding his participation surprised many fans.
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Harper won’t be relying on his father to throw to him during the event, as he did when he won it in 2018. Instead, he’ll receive help from a member of one of the Phillies’ biggest National League rivals.
“He said he had fielded offers from several people to throw to him, including a few former teammates,” MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki reported. “Harper will speak on Friday in Detroit about the Derby, but he has chosen (Los Angeles) Dodgers third-base coach Dino Ebel to throw to him.”
The decision provides an unexpected Dodgers connection ahead of one of the season’s showcase events. Ebel has long been regarded as one of baseball’s most respected coaches and has worked with numerous elite hitters during his tenure in Los Angeles. He also threw to Harper’s teammate, Kyle Schwarber, when he won a first-ever swingoff after last year’s All-Star game.
Harper had previously suggested he might skip the event if he could not find someone acceptable to throw to him.
“Harper said Sunday morning he wasn’t sure if he would compete,” Zolecki added. “Harper’s father, Ron, threw to him in 2018. But Harper’s father hasn’t thrown in a few years, and Harper said he needs to trust his pitcher if he’s going to compete.”
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Harper’s return comes nearly eight years after his dramatic derby championship in Washington, which remains one of the event’s most memorable finishes.
“The last time Bryce Harper competed in a Home Run Derby, he launched 45 homers into the D.C. night,” Johnny Flores Jr. and Charlotte Varnes recalled for The Athletic. “He was a member of the hometown Washington Nationals at the time and beat out his future teammate, Kyle Schwarber, to win the event at Nationals Park in 2018. Eight years later, Harper is returning to the Derby field. This time, he will compete as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies, who are hosting the Derby on Monday as part of the All-Star festivities at Citizens Bank Park.”
The Phillies star has continued building his Hall of Fame resume since that derby victory, and his return gives hometown fans another chance to watch one of baseball’s premier power hitters compete under the spotlight.
With Citizens Bank Park expected to provide a hitter-friendly backdrop, Harper’s decision to enlist Ebel as his derby pitcher could prove to be one of the more intriguing storylines of All-Star Week. The pairing also serves as a rare moment of cooperation between Phillies and Dodgers personnel before the clubs resume competing for National League supremacy later this season.