Bryce Harper wins 2021 NL Hank Aaron Award

Phillies right fielder Bryce Harper has been selected as the 2021 National League recipient of the Hank Aaron Award as voted on by fans and a panel of Hall of Fame players. This is Harper’s second career Hank Aaron Award, having previously won in 2015.

“Hank was one of the titans of this sport and one of the most honorable people to play this great game,” said Harper. “To win the award that bears his name for a second time is truly humbling and I am honored.”

Harper, 29, slashed .309/.429/.615 in 599 plate appearances over 141 games for the Phillies this season. With 101 runs, 100 walks, 42 doubles and 35 home runs, he became just the fourth outfielder in the history of Major League Baseball with 100 runs, 100 walks, 40 doubles and 35 home runs in a season, joining Babe Ruth, Barry Bonds and Stan Musial.

“Bryce is a baseball historian and a true student of the game,” said Phillies Managing Partner John Middleton. “It is undoubtedly an incredible honor for him to win the award that bears Hank Aaron’s name. I’m thrilled for Bryce as his extraordinary 2021 season continues to be recognized with awards, particularly one as special as this one.”

Harper led the majors in slugging percentage, OPS (1.044) and OPS+ (179) and he led the National League in doubles, extra-base hits (78) and Win Probability Added (4.74). Harper and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. were the only two players in MLB this season to post a .300/.400/.600 slash line as Harper became just the fourth Phillies player since 1900 to do so, joining Ryan Howard, Chuck Klein and Lefty O’Doul.

Awarded annually to the best overall offensive performer in each league, the award was introduced in 1999 to mark the 25th anniversary of Hank Aaron breaking Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record. Harper is the second Phillies player to ever win the Hank Aaron Award as he joins Ryan Howard who did so in 2006. He joins Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols and Giancarlo Stanton as the only four National League players to win the award multiple times.

In addition to the Hank Aaron Award, Harper is a National League MVP finalist, a NL Silver Slugger finalist and was selected by the Major League Baseball Players Association as NL Outstanding Player of the Year, as voted on by his fellow players. Harper was also named a 2021 Stan Musial Award winner by the St. Louis Sports Commission in celebration of the year’s greatest moments of sportsmanship and those in sports who embody class and character.