Bryce Harper recently broke down why the New York Mets have fallen off so hard, saying out loud what a lot of people are already thinking: losing Pete Alonso and other key players completely torpedoed the team’s future. The 2026 season has spiraled into a nightmare, one so bad they even had to fire manager Carlos Mendoza.
Speaking on a podcast with Mookie Betts, Harper admitted the Mets used to be a legit threat to the Phillies back when Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo were in the lineup. But once they packed their bags, Harper and Philly stopped seeing New York as a dangerous opponent, especially with how this 2026 season is unfolding.
Without trying to throw shade, Harper’s take points to a clear reality: the team’s downfall stems directly from losing those core guys. According to him, when they left, they took a chunk of the Mets’ identity with them, a point plenty of analysts have brought up while blasting the New York front office for its recent roster moves.
Who is Philadelphia’s biggest rival right now?
Before bringing up the Mets, Harper noted that the Phillies have had some grueling battles with the Atlanta Braves, making them Philly’s toughest on-field opponent at the moment. Still, Harper acknowledged that Atlanta isn’t quite a traditional rival in the classic sense, a title that historically belongs to New York.
With the Mets in total freefall, Philadelphia and the rest of the division are obviously reaping the benefits. But teams better stay on their toes: New York could pull off a turn-around at any moment, if not now, then certainly by next season.
Who has the upper hand in the Mets–Phillies series?
Philadelphia holds the all-time edge with a 567–539 record over New York, including a 566–536 lead in regular-season matchups. However, the Mets own the postseason advantage with a 3–1 series lead, courtesy of their 2024 NLDS victory. New York also holds the most recent blow-out win between the two, a 24–4 rout in 2018, though it still falls short of the Phillies’ franchise-record 26–7 beatdown of the Mets back in 1985.
