NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: PHILLIES VS PADRES

October 18, 2022

Bryce Harper

Petco Park

Philadelphia Phillies

Postgame 1 Press Conference

Phillies 2, Padres 0

Q. Bryce, your reaction to how far Schwarber hit the ball.

BRYCE HARPER: Yeah. It was far.

Q. In addition to getting the extra run, did that boost the team momentum-wise or give the team even more life at that point?

BRYCE HARPER: Yeah, that's a really good team over there, right. So I think as many runs as you can score in any situation, it's huge for your team. I thought Wheels was just throwing the ball really well, so I thought if we got a couple more, we could shut the door and go up 1-0.

I thought that was really big by Schwarber hitting that bomb, going up 2-0, and then Wheels doing what he did and Seranthony coming in and doing what he did and Alvarado, they were both lights out, so it was a lot of fun.

Q. Bryce, what did the Kyle Schwarber home run sound like and look like?

BRYCE HARPER: Yeah, I thought it got pretty small pretty fast, right. I've never seen a ball go up in that section of Petco Park.

Just very impressive. Just wow.

Q. Zack said he doesn't often see things like that even in batting practice. Given the power that Kyle has, even when he's struggling like he was 1 for 20, do you always feel like that swing is in there and he can take a ball and do that with it?

BRYCE HARPER: Yeah, even when he's struggling with it, he's going bad or anything like that or he's up and down, you always know that he's one swing away, one swing away from hitting a double or one swing away from hitting a homer like that or putting us ahead or just having a really good at-bat.

I think he's had some pretty good at-bats, just hasn't rolled his way. I thought he had really good at-bats today altogether, and hopefully he takes that into tomorrow.

Q. You've been with Zack now for three years here. Can you describe the confidence level when you know he's taking the mound? How much do you guys feel like it's a win?

BRYCE HARPER: Yeah, it's baseball, right, so anything can happen. Anytime a pitcher goes out there, he could be the best pitcher in baseball and anything can happen.

But you're uber confident going to the field that day just knowing that Wheels is going to be on the mound or Nola, same thing. Facing him when he was with the Mets and knowing how good he was, he just continues to get better.

I think as a player, I want him to keep pitching for as long as he can because he's very impressive. He works hard. He goes about it the right way. He loves this game. He loves competing. He gets really locked in to what he does, and he just wants to get substantially better.

And I think you guys saw that tonight. That's a really good team over there, and he really did a great job keeping them off balance and pitching to his strengths, and just thought he was really, really good tonight.

Q. Given what you know about Zack, you must have been pretty pumped a few years ago when they signed him. What was your reaction when you found out they had signed him, and did you envision this kind of setup where you have two aces who can shut down any lineup the way you have?

BRYCE HARPER: Yeah, anytime you have a one-two punch like that, especially in the postseason, you see it with a lot of teams that are really good that end up kind of going really far in the postseason, you have that one-two punch and then you have that third guy.

And we've been able to do that. I think anytime those guys take the mound for us, we have all the confidence in the world that they're going to get the job done.

Going back to when we signed him, it was kind of like, finally, let's go. This is awesome, this is incredible. He's very, very good. Like I said, he just keeps continually getting better each year. It's just been a lot of fun to watch.

Q. Zack was saying how he tries to keep his emotions in check, but today it got a little crazier early on maybe before first pitches, butterflies are going. You talk about being a slow heartbeat guy, but I am wondering how have you been able to keep your emotions in check, first NLCS?

BRYCE HARPER: No, it's great. I love this. Like I just really enjoy this situation. I really enjoy coming to ballparks that are hostile. I don't know, I just really enjoy it. I really do.

I mean, growing up, I played in a lot of hostile environments, as well, and I know it's not the Big Leagues, but at the same time when you're 11 years old and you're playing in front of 5,000 people, that's a lot. I'm not saying that's bigger than this or anything, but it kind of gets you prepared.

A lot of these guys, even Manny or Nicky or -- we all played USA baseball, too, so we went into a lot of hostile environments when we were younger at ages 16, 17, trying to win a gold medal.

I love it. I live for this moment. I live for these opportunities to be here. It's just a lot of fun for all of us to have that opportunity.

I think we're all grateful for that opportunity. I think playing in front of a fan base like this that loves their team is a lot of fun, and I'm excited to get out there tomorrow and do the same thing.

Q. Can we talk about your home run for a second? Did you think it was out? You hit it pretty high. I don't know what you thought.

BRYCE HARPER: Yeah, I wasn't sure. I thought I barrelled a couple tonight that had an opportunity. But I think that one, it was just enough. I think -- it's funny thinking about it because Matt Williams used to say it's not how far, it's how many. That was just enough.

Q. You're clearly still swinging the bat well this postseason. That out to end the first inning, can you take solace in that, that you barreled up another ball, or do you get frustrated because of the end result?

BRYCE HARPER: No, not frustrated. Of course you want to get that knock right there in the first inning, go ahead 1-0. That would be huge for us.

But Cronenworth made a great play. That's why he's there, and that's why he's really good. Got to tip my cap.

Q. How big is it to come in here? I know you've done it in the playoffs so far, but to come in here and win this first game of this series?

BRYCE HARPER: Yeah, it's huge. Anytime you go up 1-0, you kind of take home field advantage away from them, it is always big for you. That's what we kind of talk about, just coming in, no matter where we were at playing, just trying to win games, no matter what, at all costs.

I thought that was a big win today going up 1-0 against a really good San Diego team. We're looking forward to tomorrow. It's going to be a good game.

I think Nola is going and Snell, as well. We're excited to get going, excited for the opportunity again, and take it one out at a time, play 27 of them and see where we're at.

Q. I know you follow the game a great deal. You were too young when this happened, but have you ever seen the famous Bonds home run in the 2002 series? Tim Salmon is mouthing: I've never seen a ball hit that far in my life. I was thinking of that when Kyle hit his home run --

BRYCE HARPER: Was that the Gagne one? Percival, that's right.

Q. Amazing home run. What was going through your mind? Did you think that yourself, something like that?

BRYCE HARPER: Yeah, it was just really far. That's it. Plain as simple, it was just really far.