Bryce Harper burst onto the MLB scene with superstar potential, and over 13 seasons, he’s backed it up—two MVPs, an NL Championship, and a reputation as one of the game’s fiercest competitors. But despite his $330 million contract and personal accolades, there’s still one thing missing. A World Series ring.

As the Phillies gear up for 2025, could this be the year Harper finally gets his crowning achievement?

Harper’s hunger for a title has only intensified with time. As Ken Rosenthal reminded in a recent Foul Territory post, when the Nationals lost the 2012 NLDS to the Cardinals, a 19-year-old Harper confidently told reporters, “I’ll be doing this for the next 15 years.” He assumed, like many young stars, that championships were inevitable. But baseball has a way of humbling even its brightest talents. Now 32, Harper has seen how fleeting opportunities can be. He came close in 2022, leading Philadelphia to the World Series before falling short against Houston.

With the Phillies maintaining a championship-caliber roster but facing impending roster changes, Harper understands that 2025 might be his best—if not his last—real shot at a title in Philadelphia. The Phillies have maintained a championship-caliber roster, but impending free agency for key players like Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola means this might be their best shot before significant roster changes occur.

Since joining the Phillies in 2019, Harper has truly lived up to his word by becoming the beloved core of Philadelphia’s baseball scene. By 2024, he made a shift to playing base, bringing a layer to his game while still maintaining exceptional performance at bat with a solid stat line of .293/.401/.540 alongside 31 home runs and driving in 103 runs.

But as history has shown, personal excellence only goes so far—championships define legacies.

Baseball history is littered with great players who never won a title. Cal Ripken Jr. captured his lone championship early in his career, then spent the next 16 seasons chasing another. Ken Griffey Jr. never played in a World Series. Harper doesn’t want to join that list.

A stacked NL field makes the road tougher for Phillies

The race for the National League championship in 2025 is shaping up to be fierce, with Bryce Harper and the Phillies facing competition ahead of them. The Dodgers are looking stronger than ever after securing Roki Sasaki and Shohei Ohtani to their roster, making them one of the top contenders aiming for the World Series title. On the other hand, the Atlanta Braves are back with Ronald Acuna Jr., ready to take on any pitching challenge with their formidable lineup following a disappointing postseason in 2024. The New York Mets have also made a statement by adding Juan Soto and showing their determination for top-tier competition, putting Philadelphia up against another strong opponent.

Beyond those three in the league stand teams like the Brewers and Cubs, who are steadily strengthening their squads for the season. Additionally, the Diamondbacks have emerged as a threat after their impressive performances in postseason games. While the Phillies boast a core lineup of players, excelling in such a league requires not just greatness but sheer dominance on the field.

The Phillies have a championship-caliber roster, but in this NL gauntlet, great won’t cut it—they need to be dominant.

Harper has faced pressure before, but in 2025, the margin for error is razor-thin. The clock is ticking. Can he and the Phillies rise to the occasion before their window slams shut?