Phillies’ Bryce Harper Sends 4-Word Giants Manager Message As Criticism Mounts

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Manager Tony Vitello #23 of the San Francisco Giants looks on before the game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on March 30, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)

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The Philadelphia Phillies have the chance to take their third series in a row as they face a rubber match with the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday.

No matter how that game goes, though, the team can be encouraged by a breakout performance from franchise slugger Bryce Harper at the Giants’ home stadium in the series opener.

“The last time Bryce Harper played at Oracle Park, he told everybody that he’s still ‘one of the best in baseball,’” Todd Zolecki wrote for MLB.com. “He looked like that guy again on Monday.”

As Harper seeks to erase any doubt about his ability to return to his elite levels of production after a relatively down year at the plate last season, he went three-for-four with two doubles and three RBI in the Phillies’ Monday victory over the Giants.

It was his best game of the season so far and one that fans hope can ignite a positive stretch at the plate. And it was a performance that added to a regrettable start to the season for the Giants, who have faced some criticism under rookie skipper Tony Vitello.

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“Vitello was always going to get criticized for any tiny wobble this season,” Tim Kawakami wrote for The San Francisco Standard. “A 3-8 start is just turning up the flame to full blast, even if there aren’t many specific managerial decisions anybody can really point to so far.”

Though he seems capable of making in-game adjustments and decisions, Vitello has been criticized for acknowledging three clubhouse incidents within the team’s first 10 games, belaboring his exit from the University of Tennessee and more in off-field comments. And the criticisms are unlikely to stop until the Giants produce some better results on the diamond.

But even as Harper looks to keep the Giants’ rookie manager from securing any more wins, he offered the beleaguered skipper some encouragement in the press.

“He loves his team,” Harper said before the Phillies’ series with the Giants began on Monday, according to The Mercury News’ Justice Delos Santos. “He has his team’s back, and I think that was one thing that I always wanted to watch more and more because he let his guys be themselves.”

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Harper, who makes his offseason home in Knoxville, Tennessee, met Vitello in 2023 and the two have acknowledged their friendship on social media since then.

Harper noted that, even though Vitello brings some great qualities to his first season with the Giants, he is likely to go through some struggles this season.

“Everybody goes through ups and downs in the season or learns new things,” Harper said. “He’s got a lot of people around him now. He doesn’t have to be coach, GM, (name, image and likeness) — all that stuff. All he has to do is be a manager, and he’s got a great staff over there.”

This article was originally published on Forbes.com