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The heavy secret behind Phillies star Bryce Harper’s cycle, follow-up masterpiece
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- The heavy secret behind Phillies star Bryce Harper’s cycle, follow-up masterpiece
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Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Bryce Harper has been on a tear over his last two games. Turns out the hidden secret has simply been a heavier bat.
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Harper has been using a 35-ounce bat through the Phillies' last two wins. While he isn't committed to staying at that weight all season, he has certainly noticed the difference, via Paul Casella of MLB.com.
"I don't know if that's the reason why, to tell you the truth," Harper said of the heavier bat. "I'm not sure. I felt good swinging it, so I'm gonna go until I can't with it, right?"
"Obviously, there's gonna be days where I feel good and I feel like I can swing a heavier bat," he continued. "And then there's gonna be other days where I probably can't swing a heavy bat like that. So I'll pick and choose weight-wise."
On Saturday, Harper hit the 11th cycle in Phillies history . One day later, he almost matched the feat. In a 6-2 win over the New York Mets , the first baseman went 3-for-4 with a home run. He was just a triple shy from back-to-back cycles.
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Through his first 77 games in 2026, Harper is now hitting .266 with 17 home runs and 44 RBIs. He ranks second on the team in home runs and RBIs behind just Kyle Schwarber .
Harper's cycle or near-cycle streak will eventually end, but the Phillies are still expecting him to be a clear leader in the lineup. Their two-straight wins have moved Philadelphia to a respectable 42-35 record. If Harper stays hot, that record should only improve.
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