October 13, 2023

Orion Kerkering sports 'Atta Boy Harper' shirt during Phillies' clubhouse celebration

"He wasn't supposed to hear it," but everyone in Philadelphia absolutely did.

By Nick Tricome
PhillyVoice Staff

The Phillies shut down the Braves, 3-1, at Citizens Bank Park Thursday night to clinch the NLDS and send the rival NL East champions home with a whimper.

And shortstop Orlando Arcia, after mocking Bryce Harper in the Atlanta clubhouse after their lone Game 2 win, ended up holding every L imaginable on the way to it.

From Harper's staredowns in Game 3:

pic.twitter.com/IhqnSmLr0Q
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) October 11, 2023

To a lesson in journalism:

On the Insiders on #NFLPlus, I had a take on the Bryce Harper situation with #Braves SS Orlando Arcia. pic.twitter.com/of27OF8q88
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 12, 2023

To the taunt getting thrown right back at him from the Philly crowd:

Phillies fans chanting "atta boy" with Orlando Arcia at the plate pic.twitter.com/Wto02LXP7y
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 13, 2023

And to top it all off, Orion Kerkering's shirt during the Phillies' clubhouse celebration, leaving no doubt that the entire team absolutely heard him.

Orion Kerkering’s friend made him a new shirt to wear tonight. pic.twitter.com/pP4fq4gWuo
— Matt Breen (@matt_breen) October 13, 2023

After getting embarrassed in Game 3, Arcia said through a translator that Harper was never supposed to hear his comments.

But it went way beyond that. Everyone in Philadelphia heard them, and then the Braves – a 104-win powerhouse during the regular season – went down quickly in turn.

They're not gonna be living that one down anytime soon.

Arcia, by the way, went 2-for-13 with four strikeouts in the series.

Atta boy.