Bryce Harper turned a 35-ounce bat into a two-game surge for the Phillies, hitting his 11th career cycle on Saturday and nearly doing it again a day later in a 6-2 win over the Mets.
Bryce Harper didn’t blame the results on a grand new routine. He just kept swinging a heavier bat, and the numbers followed.
Over the Phillies’ last two wins, Harper has been using a 35-ounce bat. He isn’t promising it stays that way all season. but he’s noticed what the weight does during his swings. “I don’t know if that’s the reason why, to tell you the truth,” Harper said, speaking about the heavier bat. “I’m not sure. I felt good swinging it. so I’m gonna go until I can’t with it. right?” He added. “Obviously. there’s gonna be days where I feel good and I feel like I can swing a heavier bat. ” before acknowledging the tradeoff. “And then there’s gonna be other days where I probably can’t swing a heavy bat like that. So I’ll pick and choose weight-wise.”.
Saturday, that approach paid off in a way Phillies fans won’t forget soon. Harper hit the 11th cycle in Phillies history. One day later, the story almost rewrote itself.
In a 6-2 win over the New York Mets, Harper went 3-for-4 with a home run. He was only a triple shy of back-to-back cycles, turning a solid day into the kind of near-miss that makes the next game feel inevitable.
The production has been loud even beyond the spectacle. Through his first 77 games in 2026, Harper is hitting .266 with 17 home runs and 44 RBIs. He ranks second on the Phillies in both home runs and RBIs behind Kyle Schwarber.
Harper’s cycle streak—whether he reaches another or not—will eventually end. Still, the Phillies are clearly riding the momentum with him, and the standings show it. Philadelphia’s two-straight wins have moved the team to a 42-35 record. If Harper keeps playing like the lineup’s steady engine, that number has a chance to keep climbing.
Bryce Harper Philadelphia Phillies New York Mets cycle 35-ounce bat Kyle Schwarber 2026 MLB
35-ounce bat?? that’s like cheating with a turbo bat lol
So he hits a cycle and then almost does it again and everyone’s acting like it’s a science experiment. Mets pitching was just off I think. But yeah heavier bat = more power, right?
I read this like he changed his batting stance with the bat weight, not the bat itself. Like if he’s swinging a “heavier bat” but it’s only two games, that seems random. Also .266 feels low for all that hype? Idk I’m confused.
Every time Harper does something cool the headline makes it sound like a secret Philly formula. Next it’ll be like “special bat weight leads to playoffs” and then he’ll go cold for a week like always. But 42-35 record sounds good, so I’ll take it. Also Schwarber being ahead in RBIs?? seems backwards to me, but ok.