In a moment reminiscent of last October’s National League Division Series clash between the two teams, Atlanta Braves infielder Orlando Arcia appeared to stare down Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper as he rounded first base after hitting a home run in the bottom of the fourth inning on Wednesday. This incident recalled Harper’s previous response to a reported comment from Arcia about a baserunning mistake Harper made last October, which led Harper to twice stare down Arcia during a two-homer game.
When asked about Arcia’s stare, Harper told reporters he hadn’t noticed it and didn’t care, as reported by Matt Gelb of The Athletic. “No,” Harper said. “I didn’t. I don’t care. I couldn’t care less. I already did it.” Arcia, through his interpreter, declined to confirm whether he was staring at Harper as he rounded the bases, saying, “I was just enjoying my home run,” according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. However, given the intense Phillies-Braves rivalry and the history between Arcia and Harper dating back to last year’s NLDS, when Philadelphia eliminated Atlanta for the second consecutive postseason, the optics of the moment are hard to ignore.
“We won.”
Rob Thomson when asked about Orlando Arcia staring Bryce Harper down.
(via @PhilsTailgate) pic.twitter.com/sU9rNUIN2Z
— Crossing Broad (@CrossingBroad) August 22, 2024
What happened between Bryce Harper and Orlando Arcia?
After winning the first game of the series, Harper and the Phillies had a chance to take a two-game lead in Atlanta. They were down by a run when outfielder Nick Castellanos came to the plate with Harper on first and one out. Castellanos hit a deep drive to right-center field, which appeared to be an extra-base hit. Harper clearly thought so, as he raced towards third base. However, Braves outfielder Michael Harris II caught the ball, and Harper, unable to return to first in time, was doubled off to end the game. After the game, Arcia reportedly laughed and shouted “Atta boy Harper,” seemingly mocking the Phillies star for the mistake.
Before Game 3, Harper, clearly motivated by the comment, walked into Citizens Bank Park wearing a Deion Sanders shirt. The two-time NL MVP then hit two home runs, staring down Arcia at shortstop as he rounded second base each time. The Phillies went on to win Game 3 in a 10-2 blowout. After the game, Harper admitted he stared down Arcia and said he enjoyed the “commentary.” In response, Arcia and the Braves criticized the media for making the comment public, realizing they had given Harper and the Phillies a competitive edge. The Phillies ultimately won the series and even made T-shirts commemorating the moment. Fast forward to Wednesday’s game, which Philadelphia won in comeback fashion, and it’s evident that some tension still lingers between the two teams. Phillies manager Rob Thomson, when asked about Arcia’s stare, simply called it “gamesmanship.”
“I heard about that,” Thomson stated. “Yes, that’s gamesmanship. But we prevailed.” This post was originally published on www.si.com as Bryce Harper Dismissed Orlando Arcia’s Stare Following Phillies’ Victory Over Braves.
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