Bryce Harper endured a difficult first at-bat of Wednesday’s game against the San Francisco Giants, striking out swinging to Kyle Harrison in six pitches.
It certainly wasn’t the result Harper was looking for as he aimed to provide an early spark for the Philadelphia Phillies in the first inning, and he was irate upon returning to the dugout.
When Harper got back to the Phillies’ dugout, the 31-year-old unleashed his fury on his bat, smashing it to bits by repeatedly slamming it against the bench. Shrapnel from Harper’s bat could be seen flying around the dugout as he vented his frustrations on the very same bat he’d just failed to produce a hit with.
Bryce Harper was not happy after his first-inning strikeout 😬 pic.twitter.com/1Q0zVEp55f
Things didn’t get better from there, either.
Harper struck out again in his second at-bat of the game. And when he came up for a third time, tensions flared between the two teams.
Harrison threw two pitches up and in on Harper, one of which clunked off the knob of his bat, prompting some rage from Philadelphia’s dugout. Benches cleared as the two teams barked at one another before things eventually settled down.
The benches clear in San Francisco after two straight pitches are thrown near Bryce Harper. pic.twitter.com/rdBkdwPx8D
Harper then returned to the batter’s box and grounded out to shortstop for the final out of the fourth inning.
It was a frustrating start to Wednesday’s game for Harper, though his teammates helped pick up the slack offensively.
KARL RASMUSSEN
