Fast starts

Bryce Harper, then all of 19 years old, homers in the first inning off Kyle Kendrick in the Washington Nationals’ 8-4 victory 12 years ago today at Philadelphia for his 20th home run of the 2012 season – joining onetime Boston Red Sox outfielder Tony Conigliaro as the only teenagers in major league history to hit at least 20 homers in a season.

Six years later in 2018, another teenager, Nationals left fielder Juan Soto – Harper’s teammate that season in Washington – becomes the third to accomplish that feat.