DYK: Harper’s stunning 6-walk performance

Bryce Harper’s 42 home runs were the main headline-grabber during his 2015 unanimous National League Most Valuable Player Award-winning season. But just behind the power numbers was his .460 on-base percentage — the best in baseball — that proved he is way more than a swing-for-the-fences-type player.

On Sunday afternoon at Wrigley Field, Harper proved once again that he’s as adept at anyone at getting on base. Harper picked up his pink Mother’s Day bat and strode to the plate seven times, then proceeded to stride leisurely to first base each time. It was all in a day in which Harper became the first player in modern Major League baseball history to have seven plate appearances in a game without recording a single official at-bat as part of the Nationals’ 4-3 loss in 13 innings to the Cubs.

Harper drew six walks — three of them intentional — and was also hit by a pitch. Here are some other facts and figures to know from his truly unique day at the plate:

• With those six walks, Harper tied Jeff Bagwell (1999), Andre Thornton (’84) and Jimmie Foxx (’38) for the most in a single game. Bagwell needed eight plate appearances to reach six walks for the Astros in a 16-inning contest, Thornton also needed eight over 16 frames for the Indians and Foxx remarkably walked in all six of his plate appearances for the Red Sox in a nine-inning affair against the St. Louis Browns.

• Harper saw 27 pitches in his seven plate …

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