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Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper, after a tumultuous offseason, has proven the doubters wrong to start the 2026 season.

After a slow start, the two-time MVP has been back to his superstar self. Harper is slashing .274/.362/.526 through 53 games.

While the defense certainly hasn’t been there (-8 Outs Above Average per Baseball Savant), his bat has been hot with his power increasing. This includes seven home runs in his past 30 games.

Due to this, fans and media have been speculating on whether he would participate in this year’s Home Run Derby. Harper has participated twice in the event, in 2013 and 2018, with the Washington Nationals.

Harper spoke with Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer to clear the air about this.

What Did Philadelphia Phillies Star Bryce Harper Have to Say?

When asked about this, Harper had one other goal in mind.

“I won’t do [the Derby] if I’m not an All-Star,” Harper said. “I just want to be an All-Star, first and foremost. And I want to be healthy. I’m going to take health into consideration, big time, because I feel great right now, and I don’t want to screw that up. So we’ll see.”

Harper should be an All-Star due in large part to his recent bump in production and the relative lack of quality first basemen in the National League.

Health, on the other hand, has been a bigger concern for the 33-year-old. Harper has not played 150 or more games since 2019, the first year of his 13-year Philadelphia contract.

With the All-Star Game being played in Philadelphia, there is an extra incentive for Harper to get there.

When it comes to the Home Run Derby, likely, Harper won’t be the only Phillies player invited.

Kyle Schwarber has been mashing this year, being the first to hit 20 home runs in 2026.

While it is rare to see two players from the same team in the Derby, at least one of them will be in it.

Is Harper’s Production Sustainable?

But will Harper even get to the All-Star Game?

It’s likely, as his offense is sustainable.

His xwOBA is .405, in the 97th percentile. His expected batting average is .295, which means if anything, he’s getting unlucky with balls in play.

This lines up with his expected slugging at .567, in the 97th percentile.

However, his hard-hit rate and average exit velocity are below average.

Harper is coming off a good 2025 season, but was below expectations for the eight-time All-Star.

With an .844 OPS in 132 games, Harper disappointed some in the Phillies organization. This included the Phillies’ president of baseball operations, Dave Dombrowski.

During the offseason, Dombrowski called Harper “not elite”. This led to Harper mocking Dombrowski on social media, wearing a shirt with “not elite” on it.

He is proving Dombrowski and the doubters wrong in his 15th season.

As long as Harper can keep his strong level of production going, he should make the All-Star Game, and then the Home Run Derby is up to him.