NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: DIAMONDBACKS VS PHILLIES

October 16, 2023

Bryce Harper

Citizens Bank Park

Philadelphia Phillies

Pregame 1 Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We'll get started with Bryce Harper.

Q. You've been playing first base now for a few months in games. Curious whether you still kind of feel like a novice there or like it's been something you've been doing for a long time? Also, what your thoughts are on doing it beyond this year?

BRYCE HARPER: Yeah, definitely got to continue to grow over there. You know, working with Bobby, kind of learning on the fly. Kind of reminds me of when I got drafted. They were like, hey, you're going to go to the outfield and learn on the fly.

I feel good at first base. Working with Bobby every single day and getting me out there every day has been huge. Just trying to be really good over there for the guys in the infield.

We have a really good infield, so I want to help them out as much as possible over there. You know, I want to be as good as I can.

Of course, with Rhys possibly coming back, whatever that determines or whatever happens with that, I expect him to go back to first base and me go to the outfield and play out there in some capacity. But I don't mind giving them the option, even if he does come back, if Rhys needs a day off, or giving them the option to put me at first base and them knowing, hey, we can put him there at any point and he'll be fine.

Q. Just a follow-up on that, do you remember when you first broached this idea to play first base. You talked to Rob first? Dave? Teammates?

BRYCE HARPER: Is this because I brought my glove today (laughing)?

No. I mean, I think it was kind of like a revolving door over there at the time. We were trying to figure out what was going to happen and how I was going to come back and if I was going to come back at any capacity in the outfield or just DH. Knowing that we have so many options for DH and outfield, I just thought, hey, why not?

We have one of the best infield coaches in the game. I remember growing up playing all the way through college, third base and catching. So getting the dirt underneath my cleats again was always something I wanted to do.

But never really thought about it until, like I said, the revolving door kept going. I know having Alec Bohm play third base every day, that was a huge thing for me personally because I wanted him to be able to feel, hey, I'm going to be the third baseman. I'm going to hit fourth or fifth every single day. I wanted him to feel comfortable every day at third.

So I think just all-around being able to make everybody else feel comfortable around me. And I thought, hey, talk to Thomper and Dave and see what they say, and if they tell me to take a hike, I will. You know, stay where I'm at in my lane. They thought it was a good idea, and just been working ever since.

Q. Happy birthday. I guess you've got an October birthday, when you are playing baseball still on your birthday, that's always a good thing. What's your wish when you blow out the candles tonight?

BRYCE HARPER: I've always wanted to play on my birthday. Last year we had a day off because we clinched early, which was great. A Game 1 win would be awesome. That's what you want any time you're in your own ballpark and doing that.

I've always wanted to do this, so I'm excited to have the opportunity and the chance to do it.

Q. When you were with Washington, most of those years the Phillies were not all that competitive and Citizens Bank Park wasn't hopping like it does now. What did you see in those years in Philadelphia that you thought maybe you could help bring out? Because the atmosphere then is not what it's like now.

BRYCE HARPER: I think my first real -- I remember sitting -- I was in college. I was sitting in our clubhouse at CSN, and I was doing an interview for ESPN, and they asked me what was one of my favorite at-bats or one of my favorite memories of a baseball team, and I know the Yankees ended up winning in '09. I remember the two homers that Utley hit off of C.C. Sabathia, and that was one of my favorite things.

I was like a left-handed hitter, seeing that, and it's crazy to come back to that because I just thought about it when you said it. But I remember those times more than the times coming in here and playing against those teams.

It was kind of that tear-down after '09, 2010, '11, you know, '12 and then '13, '14 -- it was those tear-down years of Halladay and Cliff Lee and Utley and Howard. You saw all of that, but you remember those memories and how great the fan base is and how great Red October was at that time. That's all you wanted to get back to.

Then I ended up signing here and wanting that and being able to play with this fan base, with this team. There's nothing like Red October, and I'm glad it's back.

Q. From Arizona, Corbin Carroll, how well do you know him? What do you make of his game? And do you have any advice for him as coming on as a rookie on to the scene and making a splash?

BRYCE HARPER: I think he is from the Northwest from up in Seattle? He is a tremendous ballplayer. Really good lead-off guy. Going to be a great lead-off hitter for a long time.

I love the way he plays. He plays hard. He plays it fast, and I like that. But he is just a really good player. I mean, he continues to be himself and just be Corbin. I think he is going to be really good.

Q. How do you feel you've done at first base? Do you feel you've acquitted yourself over there, and did anyone ever tell you stop going into the camera wells and things like that, or is that just part of your natural aggressiveness and that's the way you're going to play?

BRYCE HARPER: Like I said, I need to continue to progress and get better. You know, working daily with Dickie has been great, understanding I need to get out there every day and work with him. Try to get better over there.

But I just think the ability to just play in the position and just kind of letting the athleticism take over, not really worrying about anything else. Just trying to make the play and step on first base or pick when I need to and understand I have a really good second baseman over there too that's going to help me out.

Q. There's some big news internationally in baseball elsewhere today with baseball being back in the Olympics for 2028. I wonder -- obviously scheduling and it's a far bit of distance in the future -- but how important would it be for MLB players to be in the Olympics in the U.S.?

BRYCE HARPER: Yeah, my wife actually had a hair appointment this morning, and she texted me, Happy Birthday with that. She sent it at midnight last night. But she said, hey, I guess one of your birthday wishes forever got the Olympics back in 2028.

I will be old at that point, so I don't know if they're going to want me to be on the team, but it's always a dream. I mean, I think it's everybody's dream to be in the Olympics. Especially it coming here, being able to do that, I would hope that Major League Baseball -- and I don't know if they ever will or if they do or ownerships or anything like that -- you talk about growing the game, and that's the way you grow it at the highest peak. You let guys that are playing in the league take that break just like in the NHL and see what happens.

I mean, I think it would be really cool. I think it would be a lot of fun. I don't know if they'll ever go for it, but I would love to put USA on my chest and represent it at the highest level.

I know the WBC and everybody loves that, and it's great for the game, but it's not the Olympics. It's not what it's supposed to be. But, you know, it would be really cool.

Q. I know when you signed here I think John Middleton had said he wanted to spend and rebuild the Phillies back to where we want them to be. A lot of teams have tried that method. It hasn't always worked out. The guys that you have brought in seemed to have been a good fit and performance-wise are paying off. What is it about that group? Was it the character that's just as important as the talent of the guys coming?

BRYCE HARPER: I think Dave Dombrowski does a phenomenal job of bringing the right guys in. Everywhere he goes, he does well. I think being able to have Mr. Middleton let Dave do his job is huge, and that's the one thing about John and Dave and Sam Fuld and Thomper, everybody lets everybody do their jobs. That's the same thing with our team. If each individual guy does their job, you're going to win, and you're going to win at the highest level.

I think that's from all the way at the top all the way down to our bottom guys. I mean, if we continue to do that as an organization, I think we're going to do this for a long time.

Q. I'm wondering in your prep over the last few days what stands out about Zac Gallen tonight and then Merrill Kelly tomorrow night?

BRYCE HARPER: Yeah, Philadelphia boy. I know he is probably excited to get back in here and experience this as a player. I know he experienced it as a fan in '08, and '09. He probably remembers watching those games and stuff.

I have a lot of respect for him. He is really good at what he does. He tunnels really well. I don't know if you understand what that means, but he just -- he pitches really well. He understands his strengths. He understands what he needs to do out there, and he is going to pitch to those strengths no matter who is in the box. He has that mentality.

He is just another tough matchup for us. When you get into October baseball, you know you're going to have these matchups. I'm looking forward to it. I know he is too. It will be a lot of fun.

Q. J.T. said that looking at this Arizona team, they play a lot like you guys do. Do you see a lot of similarities between these two teams heading into this series?

BRYCE HARPER: Yeah, I just want to reiterate, too, everything starts over at this point. No matter what, you get into the playoffs or no matter how many wins you have, none of that matters. Then you get in -- and just like us, we got in last year, and we did our thing, and they're doing the same thing. They're a really good team. They're very well-coached. They play a fundamentally sound baseball game.

They run the bases hard. They play good defense. They hit well. They've got a lot of young guys over there mixed in with some veterans as well. I know Longoria has been playing good baseball.

They're a good team. We're looking forward to going out there and playing against a really good team, and a lot of young guys that are really good, and I'm looking forward to it.