Bryce Harper frequently exhausts Phillies challenge opportunities in the first inning
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 10, 2026, 2:28 AM
Last updated Sep 10, 2026
Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Bryce Harper has established a high rate of unsuccessful umpire challenges during the first inning of games. According to data provided by Matt Gelbasing of the MLB's Automated Ball-Strike challenge system, Harper has challenged 14 pitches in the first inning, losing nine of those reviews. This tendency creates a tactical disadvantage, as teams are limited to two incorrect challenges per game. By exhausting these opportunities early in low-leverage situations, Harper potentially leaves the club without options for critical late-game calls. While his success rate improves outside of the first inning, his opening-frame usage far exceeds the frequency of challenge attempts by 18 other MLB teams combined.
- •Bryce Harper has lost nine of his 14 first-inning challenge attempts.
- •His first-inning challenge volume currently exceeds the total challenge usage of 18 MLB teams.
- •Teams are restricted to two incorrect challenges per contest under the current system.
- •Harper maintains a 16-15 challenge record this season when excluding first-inning attempts.
- 2:28 AMYahoo Sports — Phillies’ Bryce Harper Keeps Making Weirdest Mistake
"Bryce Harper wants to be a tone setter for the Philadelphia Phillies.The way he’s going about doing that, though, is actually coming pretty close to being a total failure.The root of Harper’s problem is the new ABS challenge system which allows hitters to contest calls made by the home plate umpire in an effort to […] The post Phillies’ Bryce Harper Keeps Making Weirdest Mistake appeared first on HEAVY.
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