Nationals fans taunted Bryce Harper. The Phillies star had an emphatic answer
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Bryce Harper hit a homer amid profane chants from Nationals fans. Jamie Sabau / Getty Images
By Spencer NusbaumJune 25, 2026 Updated June 26, 2026 8:37 am EDTWASHINGTON — With the Washington Nationals’ season sputtering, a horde of shirtless fans chanted a certain four-letter word followed by the name of the Philadelphia Phillies megastar Thursday night.
Gus Varland left a thigh-high changeup over the plate to the first superstar who ever put on a Nationals jersey. Bryce Harper sent it the other way, into the seats, for a two-run homer. The blast created a two-run lead that became a five-run lead in an eventual 10-5 Phillies victory. As he rounded first base and again as he crossed home, Harper extended a finger — he said it was obviously his ring finger — toward the section that sent the chants his way.
And, yes, he heard the profanity.
“Obviously, everybody heard it,” Harper said. “I heard it the other night. I mean, they were doing the same thing to Trea (Turner). Which is crazy, because they should probably know their history a little bit with him winning a World Series here. But it’s part of it. … I love playing here.”
Harper noted this was hardly a novel development.
“Everywhere I go, I get booed,” he said. “I love it. It’s all part of it. It’s weird coming from a fan base that I sweated for for seven years. But there’s a lot of people around here that enjoy me. … There’s a lot of people in that organization I respect and a lot of workers around the park I respect.”
9TH INNING MAGIC! pic.twitter.com/CZIIRY50pK
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) June 26, 2026
The Nationals, meanwhile, didn’t seem to take Harper’s celebration personally.
“Yeah, I mean that’s not directed towards us, obviously,” outfielder Jacob Young said. “That’s their thing. Whatever he’s got going on over there, he’s got going on there. But that’s not our thing. We knew it’s not directed towards us.”
The Nationals have bigger concerns. Unlike the two nights that came before this one, the ninth-inning collapse seemed certain. Even more so, as Harper stepped to the plate with his name after an expletive. Even more so, with Varland teetering on the mound. Even more so, with everything else that had followed over these last three days.
The Nationals’ season is in peril.
On Tuesday, the Nationals led 5-0, which was then 8-6 when the Phillies were down to their last strike, and couldn’t close it.
On Wednesday, they led 2-0, which became 4-3 with the Phillies down to their last strike, and they couldn’t close it.
On Thursday? Same story. Their 5-0 lead dissipated. When the ninth inning began, it was a 5-5 game. The season is not lost. But the goodwill they earned during the first three months might be.
Jun 26, 2026Bryce Harper told Scott Franzke and Kevin Stocker on the Phillies Radio Network that he was flashing his ring finger to the Nationals fans. He wanted to make that clear. @SportsRadioWIP @KYWNewsradio
— Dave Uram (@MrUram) June 26, 2026
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
