Is Bryce Harper still elite? Go ask Team Venezuela.
Harper showed he can still be clutch as the Phillies first baseman, batting second for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, slammed a two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the eighth Tuesday night to erase a 2-0 deficit in the championship game against Venezuela.
Venezuela still won, scoring in the ninth for the 3-2 win, but not before Harper – a two-time National League MVP who's down 2025 season and poor playoff performance against the Dodgers raised questions if he's still an elite – showed what he can do.
With Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. on first and Team USA trailing from the fourth inning on, Harper tattooed a 1-0 pitch from Venezuelan right-hander Andrés Machado way deep to right – a majestic 432-foot blast – to tie the game for the Americans, a truly grand moment for both Team USA and for the struggling Harper.
BRYCE HARPER TIES THE GAME FOR TEAM USA! pic.twitter.com/zRVBaURBTm
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 18, 2026
Harper had been hitting struggling throughout the two-week tournament and was batting just under .200 with just one RBI headed into the title game against Venezuela.
Unfortunately for Team USA, the emotion from Harper's blast didn't carry over. Aaron Judge struck out to end the eight and Venezuela went back ahead in the top of the ninth, 3-2, on an RBI double by MLB slugger Eugenio Suárez, who will play for the Reds this season.
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