Harper wants Phillies to stay focused: 'Division ain't close to being done'
Philadelphia Phillies star first baseman Bryce Harper wants his team to stay focused and keep their eye on the prize as the season winds down.
"This division ain't close to being done," Harper said following the Phillies' 10-1 loss to the last-place Miami Marlins on Sunday, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia.
"Obviously there are two good teams behind us. We're going to play the (New York) Mets a couple times. We've got to keep rolling. We can't really worry about the magic number or anything like that. The magic number is nothing to worry about when it's not under 10 games. We've got to keep going, keep grinding."
Harper's comments come after the Phillies split a four-game series against the Marlins and follow mediocre months in July and August, when Philadelphia posted a 25-27 record.
The Phillies hold a seven-game lead over both the Mets and Atlanta Braves following Sunday's games, but their advantage in the NL East has shrunk since the All-Star break due to a less productive pitching staff.
| 1st HALF ERA | 2nd HALF ERA | |
|---|---|---|
| Rotation | 3.22 | 4.31 |
| Bullpen | 3.79 | 4.23 |
Philadelphia has a tough schedule to close out the season, with seven games against the Mets, as well as three-game series against both the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs.
The Mets had won nine straight games and 10 of their last 12 contests before a loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.