A Warning for What’s to Come with the Atlanta Braves 

What a time to be alive, Phillies fans! There’s nothing like postseason baseball, especially if you’re a part of this ravenous fan base. After crushing game three of the NLDS series and taking a 2-1 lead against the Atlanta Braves, boy, that Red October feeling sure is settling in!

Now, if you haven’t heard of the news between Orlando Arcia, the Braves short-stop and Bryce Harper, current first baseman of the Phillies, I am seriously questioning your loyalty as a fan. I’m just joking (or maybe not)! But seriously, the media is going stir crazy over the tension that lies between these two players in this series. 

Although I’m sure Atlanta Braves fans will criticize me for rehashing this event, what unreluctant Phillies fan am I to keep my mouth shut? I don’t think so! So, let’s take a look back at what happened on Monday night at Truist Park, specifically that of the ninth inning. 

Losing their lead in the 8th inning, Nick Castellanos steps up to the plate with one out on the board and a runner, Bryce Harper, on first. Although hitting deep into right-centerfield, Michael Harris II who is centerfielder for the Braves, makes an unbelievable catch. In rounding second, Harris sends the ball in which makes Harper double-back and return to first, only to be caught in a double-play. 

Boy, was that painful to write! But if you really “wanted” to review this play and analyze its rundown, check out this capture provided by ESPN. Since that is out of the way, do you know what’s really frustrating about this game? It isn’t necessarily Harper’s base running, but rather what happened afterwards. In referencing FanNation, it is reported on account of Jake Mintz from Fox Sports, that Orlando Arcia was repeatedly cackling, “ha-ha, atta-boy, Harper”. 

Before receiving heat from some Braves fans, I’ll address the obvious- sometimes we let hubris and winning get to our heads, it happens. But, I wonder if Arcia knew of the absolute monster he was messing with. I mean, come on! It’s BRYCE HARPER. What were you thinking, Arcia? 

After that defeat on Monday, I can only imagine the bus ride home for Harper, sitting quiet and boiling over Arcia’s comment, ready to crush every word that has left this dude’s mouth. As the Philadelphia Phillies returned home for their game on Wednesday, the ball club arrived with an attitude of revenge. I’m not talking about anyone in particular, Bryce Harper. 

At Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday night, the stadium was painted in red as Phillies fans anxiously awaited cheering on Bryce Harper by mocking Arcia’s “atta boy” comment. And let me tell you, did the ball club deliver- crushing the Atlanta Braves 10-2 with one game left to spare in clinching the division series. 

I guess Arcia was never told, “Don’t poke the bear.” And I’m sure he regrets not learning this lesson after the dish that Harper served last night. 

Let’s set the scene- bottom of the third inning, two outs on the board with two men on base. Guess what Bryce Harper decides to do? He crushes a three-run home run into deep right field. You might ask, “How can this get any better?” Check out this clip provided by MLB.com.

Did you see that? Rewind the clip at least ten seconds. As Harper is rounding the bases after that moonshot of a home run, he passes by Arcia at second, turns his head, and shares this long, cold stare. Listen, if I were in Arcia’s position last night, I would have been shaking in my cleats. Here is the image of this prized moment: 

Presented as a post-game interview on ESPN, a reporter asks Bryce Harper to share his motivation for staring down Arcia. To ease some of the tension, Harper admits, “I just enjoy it. It’s a part of the reason why we play this game and there’s nothing like it.”

At the end of the clip, the reporter humorously questions Harper as to whether he enjoyed staring down Arcia. His comment was priceless, “Yeah. I mean, I stared right at ‘em.”

In typical Bryce Harper fashion, do you think he stopped there? Of course not! 

By the bottom of the fifth inning, the Phillies were leading game 3 by five runs. With a lob of a pitch by former-Phillie, Brad Hand, Harper destroys the ball and sends it into the bushes out in center field. Nice attempt at catching Harris, but better luck next time! And in rounding the bases a second time, another stare down occurs. Seriously, how can you hate Bryce? 

While heading towards home plate, it’s only right for Harper to do what’s just- send a little chill down the spines of Braves fans with his cut-throat hand motion. 

Exhausting nearly all of their pitching staff, the Atlanta Braves lose yet another game to the Philadelphia Phillies in this NLDS series. Ending the third game of the series with a score of 10-2, the Phillies anxiously await game four as a ticket to ride deeper into the postseason, inches closer and closer. 

Now, here’s a quick question for you, Braves fans- what do you think would have happened, if Arcia kept his mouth shut? Honestly, I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way as a Phillies fan. Keep the comments coming, Braves! It’s only helping our cause! 

In addressing this comment, the Atlanta Braves clubhouse seems to dismiss Arcia’s remark as being taken out of context. Here’s what Braves catcher, Travis d’Arnaud had to say post-game: “And when things get out, which I’m sure other teams say things as well, it’s not a good feeling.” 

When Orlando Arcia was bombarded with questions by reporters about this event, he seemed unbothered with how largely it has blown up. As a reporter asks if he intended for this comment to make its way back to Harper, Arcia admits through his translator that “He wasn’t supposed to hear it. That’s why we celebrate. That’s why we were talking in the clubhouse.” 

It’s only up from here, Phillies fans! As for you Braves, I wouldn’t be too worried about Arcia’s comment, but rather the heat that will be placed on Spencer Strider tonight. Let me close this article on a picture captured by Teddy Bailey on X. 

Kaitlyn Cross is a fourth-year English student minoring in Creative Writing and Marketing/Management. She is currently working with Tri-Lite for an internship.