NL DIVISION SERIES: DODGERS VS PHILLIES

October 7, 2025

Bryce Harper

Dodger Stadium

Philadelphia Phillies

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. Could you maybe describe the mood of you guys on the cross country flight, what the chatter was like with facing the 0-2 deficit and between the guys?

BRYCE HARPER: Played a lot of cards. That was fun. Obviously, we didn't think about the game or anything like that. Just got rest quick last night, got on the flight this morning and try to get here and get to the workout. So glad it's sunny and 80 degrees in LA.

Q. You guys haven't hit a home run in these first two playoff games and didn't hit a home run in the last two ones last year -- it was a different postseason. Why has it been so hard to get slug from this lineup, and how much more difficult does it make when you aren't hitting the ball over the wall?

BRYCE HARPER: We talked about that a little bit. I think both teams, it's kind of weird and crazy to see there's only been one homer hit in the first two games obviously.

Pitching has been good on both sides of the ball. I think there's been maybe two guys that have kind of played well on both sides.

It's always tough in the postseason, man. You get into it, you're excited, you're ready to go. And then you run into a juggernaut of pitching. That's our team and that's their team as well.

I think it's two really good match-ups, first two match-ups, two of the better ones in baseball all through. I expect tomorrow night to be the same thing. Obviously we need to do a better job of hopefully hitting the long ball or just making things happen any way, any how we can. Just gotta be better tomorrow.

Q. I'm curious your mindset as an athlete, knowing it's an elimination game, do you go into that game knowing that and keeping that in the back of your head, or do you have to treat it like it's another day? As you prepare, when you're at the plate, what is that mindset like? Do you acknowledge it or is it just another game?

BRYCE HARPER: You acknowledge it, obviously. I think I said it yesterday. It's first of three. So we win tomorrow, win the next one. We get back home.

So I think -- gotta go 1-0 tomorrow. Obviously that's a really good team over there, and they're wanting to do it at home, things like that. Just gotta play our game and go figure it out.

Q. You've seen some pitches. You've drawn a walk. How do you feel like things are going up there for you, just generally speaking? Results aside, are you pleased with the process?

BRYCE HARPER: Obviously I've missed some pitches over the last couple of days. Missed a change-up from Sheehan in that 1-2 count. Missed a couple pitches from Ohtani. I've missed some pitches -- obviously expanded a little bit. I think that third at-bat against Snell I expanded a little bit.

But I think, all in all, not where I want to be obviously in the results, but feeling good.

Q. After an at-bat like that against Snell in the sixth, do you think about that a bit after the game? Is that something you were thinking about even today, or do you just kind of get rid of that right away?

BRYCE HARPER: No, I think the postseason you've got to flush as quick as possible because any at-bat can change the course of a game or change the course of a series. So anytime you go up there and you get out, you've got to flush it as quick as possible because that at-bat has no merit on what your next one's going to be.

So you've just got to go up there try to get the pitches you can -- and you guys have seen me -- I don't let an at-bat like that affect me in a way, especially this time of year. You can't let that happen. Just gotta let the game come to you a little bit and go from there.

Q. With Nola, he's been around a long time obviously, longest tenured Philly. Season hasn't gone the way he wanted. But how much confidence do you have in the veteran guy like that on the mound in tomorrow's game?

BRYCE HARPER: I thought he looked great the other day in the innersquad. He was up to 94. Curveball looked good, change-up looked good and Good sinker.

Obviously he's going to have a leash on him I would imagine, with Ranger behind him, if I had to guess. I don't know what their plans are or anything like that, but if I had to guess that's kind of what it would look like. But you never know. Hopefully he goes nine shutty and call it a day.

Q. This might be a stretch but you made your debut here 13 years ago. Do you get reflective when you come here? And just coming here, still chasing the ultimate goal that you wanted in Major League Baseball. Does that happen at all when you come here?

BRYCE HARPER: Not really, I love playing here. I love being in LA. I love the West Coast, always have. Obviously when you're growing up, Dodgers, the Dodgers were the Dodgers. My dad hated the Dodgers because he was a Big Red Machine fan. But I loved them.

It's a good baseball team. It's a lot of fun to watch. They do a great job over there, obviously. They're the team to beat year in, year out. So we just, like I said, it's always fun for me to come out here. I enjoy it. I've got a lot of family and friends out this way.

I love playing at Dodgers, always have. The ball flies here. It wasn't always like that, but it does now. It's a lot of fun coming here and playing.

Q. You're facing Yamamoto tomorrow and obviously you faced him before. What do you remember and what's going to be your plan tomorrow?

BRYCE HARPER: I didn't even know when I faced him. I can't remember. As I said on the plane today, I had no idea. I can't remember that far back. I'm sorry.

Q. You talked about you can flush it and all, and that's what you have to do. Rob said last night there's some guys trying too hard. Do you sense some pressing going on around team because of the situation?

BRYCE HARPER: I don't. I really don't. Obviously we want to go up there, we want to hit, we want to bang the best way we can.

I really think you can say that about both teams right now. Obviously they've got runs on the board. They've done a great job of doing that in big spots or situations. And we haven't done it with guys in scoring position, myself included.

We've got to do that tomorrow night and figure out what we need to do as a team to get ahead.

Q. Just to follow up, is it good maybe to get a change of venue right now? Some of the guys were talking last night about the euphoria that is at Citizens Bank Park. But at sometimes it comes back against you. Is it good to get away maybe at this point?

BRYCE HARPER: I don't feel that way. I love playing at the Bank. I love our fans. I boo myself when I get out. I'm the same way.

I trust in what they do. They show up for us every day, day in and day out. So if we deserve to be booed, if we deserve to -- they spend their hard-earned dollar to come watch us play; they expect greatness out of us and I expect greatness out of myself and my teammates as well.

If they believe that, I don't know what's going through their head or mindset. We've got some of the best fans in baseball, and they make me play better. So I enjoy it.

I will probably get booed tomorrow night, too. So it's kind of the same thing. It's, like, what are we talking about? Same stuff.

Q. Last night Trea said that he doesn't feel like you you guys beat yourselves in these two games. Past failures, maybe that was a different philosophy. Do you kind of buy into what he's saying as well?

BRYCE HARPER: I just don't buy into the past failures of series. I really don't. I mean the last two years we got beat plain and simple. It's a better team that series. The Mets were a better team that series. Arizona obviously, we beat ourselves a couple times when we were in Arizona. And they came out to Philly and beat us. That's kind of the way the game works.

Right now we've got to go 1-0. Each day you've got to go 1-0. I've seen it multiple times in multiple series in multiple sports. It happened.

Obviously that's a great team over there and they'll do everything they can in their power to win and win at home. But just gotta go 1-0 and have some fun tomorrow night, smile, laugh, enjoy the moment.

I think that's the biggest thing, too, man, is enjoying the moment because not every year you can play in the postseason. Obviously our biggest goal and ultimate goal is to win a World Series every time you get to Spring Training, just like any other team.

It's still got to be the same mindset, same ultimate goal of doing that.

Facing a tough pitcher obviously tomorrow night. And we're looking forward to it. And what an opportunity to come in here, Dodger Stadium, and play a game.

Q. On personal note for you, how has the last week been for you. Kayla had the baby a few days ago. How have you been dealing with all that at home and also the postseason?

BRYCE HARPER: I've got an incredible wife, man. She pushed that thing out in three pushes and 30 seconds. She's an absolute monster doing it. (Laughter).

Women, man, what a breed. I'm serious, it's an incredible thing. Being able to hold your son for the first time is something that, it's one of the greatest moments of my life.

I love my family. I love my kids. I love (indiscernible) baseball. But at the end of the day my family means the most to me. I definitely miss them right now.