Oakland A’s fans show appreciation for Bryce Harper’s support

OAKLAND, Calif. — Bryce Harper gets booed on the road as much as any player in baseball. It isn’t only in Washington or New York, either. Some of the worst invective comes in San Francisco. After a decade of jeers, he has come to expect it.

Imagine Harper’s surprise, then, to find a fan club in Oakland.

“They had a sign out there in right field that said, ‘Bryce is right,’” he said, laughing Sunday before the Phillies wrapped up a three-game series against the Athletics. “I thought that was funny.”

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The source of Oakland’s newfound Harper love: his comments to reporters last week that “it’s just not right” that Athletics owner John Fisher is on the verge of being allowed by Major League Baseball to relocate the team to Las Vegas, which happens to be Harper’s hometown.

It’s all but a done deal now. Last week, the Nevada state legislature approved a $380 million public spending bill to build a ballpark on the Las Vegas strip. The bill is expected to be approved by Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, and MLB owners are expected to unanimously approve the A’s move.

When the Phillies next play the A’s on the road in 2025, the games will almost certainly be in Vegas.

“It’s crazy to think this will be the last time when we come back to Oakland and play,” said Harper, out of the lineup Sunday because the Phillies wanted to give him back-to-back days off before the Braves and Mets visit Citizens Bank Park this week. “But what are you going to do?”

The whole thing has caused Harper to take stock over the last few days of the A’s 55-year history in Oakland.

Harper, a fan of baseball history, noted the retired numbers on the tarp that covers the upper deck to honor Reggie Jackson (No. 9), Rickey Henderson (No. 24), Dennis Eckersley (No. 43), Rollie Fingers and Dave Stewart (No. 34), and Catfish Hunter (No. 27). He also pointed out the pictures of A’s legends in the ramp that leads from the visiting clubhouse to the dugout.

“There were some really, really good players, man, for a long time,” Harper said. “Just the history and everything about this place. They were part of some rivalries and really good games, winning teams.”

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Before a game the other day, the clubhouse manager asked Harper to name his favorite A’s player.

“Eric Chavez,” Harper said, barely hesitating, referring to the six-time Gold Glove third baseman of the “Moneyball A’s” in the early 2000s. “He was my guy. I wore white cleats growing up a lot — white Pumas because Johnny Damon had the Pumas in center field.”

Harper would prefer to see the A’s remain in Oakland and for Las Vegas to get an expansion team. After all, he said, Las Vegans like shiny, new things, like the NHL’s Golden Knights (founded in 2017) or extravagant hotels that line the strip.

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And Harper would know. His father, Ron, helped tie the rebar that formed the foundation of many of those resorts. Harper wore custom tan-and-black cleats this weekend that were meant to resemble construction boots to pay tribute to his dad for Father’s Day.

But while Harper’s support for Oakland to keep its team won’t matter much in the end, the fans here appreciated his support — and even cheered some for him Friday night and Saturday.

“I think they agree with what I was saying,” Harper said. “I feel bad for them.”

One day after taking a line drive off the palm of his pitching hand, fifth-starter wannabe Cristopher Sánchez reported reduced swelling and increased mobility. The Phillies remain optimistic that the left-hander will be ready to pitch this week against the Mets.

“He’s sore, but they’ll work that out,” Thomson said. “He’s going to be fine.”

The Phillies could take advantage of a day off Monday to delay Sánchez’s next start to Saturday. But Thomson said he would rather give every starter an extra day of rest. Zack Wheeler would have to pitch on normal rest to give Sánchez more time.

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Sánchez, called up last week to audition for the wide-open No. 5 starter spot, held the A’s to one hit in four scoreless innings Saturday before getting KO’d by Esteury Ruiz’s comebacker. X-rays were negative.

“We want to give [Wheeler] an extra day, as well,” Thomson said. “Now, if we have to because [Sánchez] is still sore, we could do it. But we’re not planning on doing it.”

Nick Castellanos (stomach virus) was out of the lineup for a second consecutive game. He did rejoin the team after staying back at the hotel Saturday. ... First base coach Paco Figueroa is expected to get consideration for the University of Miami’s coaching vacancy. Figueroa, 40, grew up in Miami and played for the Hurricanes. He has coached first base for the Phillies since 2019. ... Ranger Suárez (1-2, 3.82 ERA) is scheduled to start Tuesday night against Braves right-hander Spencer Strider (7-2, 4.12).

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