Philadelphia Phillies Right Fielder Bryce Harper Wins 2021 NL MVP
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Awards season has treated Bryce Harper kindly and it concluded Thursday night with the Philadelphia Phillies right fielder taking home baseball's most prestigious award.
Harper on Thursday won the National League MVP for the second time in his career while becoming the first Phillie to win the award since Jimmy Rollins in 2007.
Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto and San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. were the other finalists for NL MVP. Harper received 17 first-place votes, compared to Soto's six and Tatis's two. Harper had 348 total points, Soto 274 and Tatis 244.
"To be able to win this award again means so much to me personally," Harper said. "I take pride in giving my all every time I'm on the field and playing the game the right way. I have great teammates and an incredible fan base who pushed me all season and helped bring this award back home to the great city of Philadelphia."
This comes after he previously won the 2021 Most Outstanding Player in the Players Choice Awards, the Hank Aaron Award winner and an NL Silver Slugger Award.
The 29-year-old Harper led the majors in OPS (1.044), OPS+ (179) and slugging percentage (.615) and the National League in doubles (a career-high 42), extra-base hits (78) and Win Probability Added (4.74).
Harper's .429 on-base percentage was second in the majors behind his former Washington Nationals teammate, Soto. He also became the fourth active player to slug his 250th career home run before his 29th birthday, joining Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera and Mike Trout.
Harper finished hitting .309/.429/.615 with 35 home runs, 84 RBIs, 100 walks and 101 runs. He had a 5.9 bWAR and a 6.6 fWAR.
Harper joined Vladimir Guerrero Jr. as the only two players in the majors this season to hit .300/.400/.600 and just the fourth Phillie to do so since 1900. Ryan Howard, Chuck Klein and Lefty O'Doul also have done it.
"What Bryce did this season was extraordinary," Phillies managing partner John Middleton said. "With this award he joins a fraternity of some of the greatest players to ever wear a Phillies uniform. I am so happy for Bryce that his historic 2021 season is being recognized with numerous honors and the pinnacle of them all, the Most Valuable Player Award."
He's the sixth Phillie to win the MVP in franchise history and first since Rollins. Other Phils MVPs include Chuck Klein (1932), Jim Konstanty (1950), Mike Schmidt (1980, 1981 and 1986) and Howard (2006).
Harper joins Ernie Banks, Johnny Bench, Barry Bonds, Joe DiMaggio, Jimmie Foxx, Juan Gonzalez, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Dale Murphy, Stan Musial, Hal Newhouser, Albert Pujols, Frank Thomas and Mike Trout as the only players in MLB history to win multiple MVP awards before turning 29.
