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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JUNE 20: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts after hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park on June 20, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Bryce Harper has accomplished almost everything in a Philadelphia Phillies uniform. He added one more feat against the New York Mets, completing the cycle in just four at-bats with a triple in the fifth inning.
Harper opened up his night with a first-inning home run against Freddy Peralta. He completed the cycle with a double, single, then triple. Both the single and double came in the third inning.
By getting it done in the fifth inning, Harper has completed the second-fastest cycle in MLB history. The fastest was done by Mike Lansing, who did it in four innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 18, 2000.
Harper became the 11th Phillies hitter to hit for the cycle, per MLB. The last Phillies player to hit for the cycle is Weston Wilson. Wilson accomplished the feat on August 15, 2024, against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. Harper’s teammate, J.T. Realmuto, also hit for the cycle on June 12, 2023, against the Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
Through his first four at-bats of the night, Harper is slashing .260/.368/508 with 16 home runs and a 139 wRC+ in 2026.
Bryce Harper Adds Another Impressive Achievement to Hall of Fame Career
The cycle is just the latest achievement in what will likely be a Hall of Fame career. Harper enters this game with an average WAR total of 56.7, with another 4.5 seasons on his contract. Assuming his career doesn’t suffer any brutal decline, he has a strong case of getting inducted.
For his career, Harper has played 1860 games, collected 1865 hits, and slugged 378 home runs entering this contest. At the end of his career, the former No. 1 overall pick in 2010 might total over 2500 games, 2500 hits, and 500 home runs. Add in a .274/.390/.596 slash in the postseason, and it’s obvious why he’s being talked about in such a way.
Looking at his achievements, Harper has two National League MVP Awards (2015 and 2021), eight All-Star selections, four Silver Sluggers, and an NLCS MVP (2022). The only thing really missing is a World Series championship. Getting that would pretty much cement his Hall of Fame candidacy.
The Phillies certainly hope they can get that one last achievement. They’re 40-35 this season and lead the Mets 13-1 at the time of Harper’s cycle. Since Harper’s last MVP, they’ve won a pennant in 2022 and were a game away from another in 2023.
Harper will likely enter the Hall of Fame as a member of the Phillies.
Possible Problems With Cycle?
The triple could be under further scrutiny if they look at the replay. Bryce Harper was rounding second as the throw from the outfield reached the cutoff man. He moved on to third as the relay went to home plate.
Sometimes, that play gets scored as a double, and moving up to third on the throw. The official scorer has the final discretion before the end of the game to make any changes. But considering the home venue and the moment, it seems unlikely that Harper’s achievement gets retroactively taken away.
After the game, a player or team could request that a play be reviewed. The window to appeal a decision is 72 hours. Considering the circumstances, it’s very unlikely that either team will submit an appeal.
Michael McDermott Michael McDermott covers MLB for Heavy Sports. He’s previously published content for SB Nation, Sports Illustrated, and FanSided in 11 seasons. Covered the Arizona Diamondbacks as an on-site reporter for the 2022-2024 seasons and the Arizona Fall League for 2022-2025. More about Michael McDermott
