Bryce Harper, the first baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies, showcased his newfound “dad strength” in his comeback game after being on paternity leave. This happened on Thursday in Cincinnati. The San Diego Padres are eager for Manny Machado to do the same when they face off against Harper and the Phillies in a three-game series starting Friday night.
Machado missed a series in Colorado to welcome his first child on Tuesday morning. Although he could have played on Thursday, Padres manager Mike Shildt opted to wait until the team returned home.
Harper, whose wife gave birth to their third child earlier in the week, rejoined the Phillies on Thursday and made an impact by hitting a two-run homer off former Padres pitcher Nick Martinez. This helped the Phillies secure a 5-0 victory and split the four-game series with the Reds.
Speaking about his performance, Harper expressed his love for seizing such moments and capitalized on a changeup to hit the home run.
Zack Wheeler also played a pivotal role in the win by pitching six shutout innings, allowing only one hit and striking out eight. The Phillies’ strong pitching has been a consistent factor in their recent success, holding opponents to a .220 batting average.
Aaron Nola will take the mound for the Phillies in Friday night’s game, aiming to continue their strong pitching trend. Nola is coming off a solid performance against the Chicago White Sox and has had success against the Padres in the past.
Meanwhile, the Padres return home disappointed after losing a lead in the eighth inning against Colorado. Despite the setback, Manager Shildt remains confident in his team’s ability to compete at a high level.
In the series opener, the Padres will rely on right-hander Joe Musgrove, who is coming off a strong outing against Toronto. Musgrove has a favorable record against the Phillies and aims to continue his success.
The Padres are hopeful that rookie center fielder Jackson Merrill will be back in action for Friday’s game after being sidelined as a precaution due to a groin issue.
