Bryce Harper made his Philadelphia Phillies debut on Thursday, and he wasted no time getting to know the fans out in right field.
He was the prized free agent in Major League Baseball this offseason, and in his Philadelphia Phillies debut, he took a second to show love to the fans of his new team. Bryce Harper made his Phillies debut against the Atlanta Braves inside Citizens Bank Park on Thursday, and it did not take long for him to get acquainted with the fans out in right field.
This offseason, Harper signed on with the Phillies with a new 13-year contract, making him the highest-paid player in baseball at the time. While his contract has been trumped by Mike Trout as recently as last week, that does not dim the fact that he will be the face of the Phillies organization for the next decade and then some.
Prior to arriving in Philadelphia, Harper played his entire Major League career with division rival Washington, who he will get to see a ton of this season. Philadelphia made more moves than just Harper this offseason, but he was by far the biggest splash, and the Philly faithful are going to absolutely love him.
Take a look for yourself as Harper endears himself to the Philly faithful out in right field.
In addition to Harper, Philadelphia added veteran Andrew McCutchen, who promptly homered in his first at bat with the team. Catcher J.T. Realmuto was also brought over to Philadelphia, as the team traded with division rival Miami, who have no intention of putting together a competitive team on the field any time soon.
Philadelphia has a legitimate shot to make it to the playoffs this season, something the organization has not done since the 2011 campaign. Guys like Harper, McCutchen, and Realmuto have the ability to turn this franchise around in a hurry, and after winning 80 or more games for the first time since 2012 last season, the future is now for the Phillies.