One of the greatest showmen in Major League Baseball will have his talents on full display during the 96th All-Star Game.

Philadelphia Phillies' first baseman Bryce Harper was heading toward being a snub for the All-Star team, but that won't happen as commissioner Rob Manfred intervened. According to Jeff Kerr of 97.3 ESPN, Manfred opted to use his "legend pick" on Harper, who has been producing at an All-Star level this season. 

It's worth noting that Manfred's selection of Harper comes almost a year after the two had a heated exchange in the Phillies clubhouse, which ended with Harper cursing out the commissioner. This move might mean there are no hard feelings, at least on Manfred's side.

Something to note about Harper's almost snubbing: he was snubbed from the All-Star team in 2021 and went on to win the National League MVP award.

"Harper is one of only a handful of players not to make an All-Star team, then win his league’s MVP Award in the same year," Todd Zolecki of MLB.com wrote. "Harper missed the 2021 NL All-Star Game, but had a monstrous second half to win his second MVP, finishing ahead of Juan Soto and Fernando Tatis Jr. Other All-Star-snubs-to-MVPs in the same season: Jimmy Rollins in 2007."

Bryce Harper is having an All-Star-type season and could be a starter

Though the two-time MVP was not named a starter, which went to Freddie Freeman of the Dodgers, Harper has done well enough to start over Freeman or Matt Olson of the Atlanta Braves. The now nine-time All-Star is sixth in the National League in OPS (.903), tied for fifth in home runs (20) and fifth in walks (54). 

Freeman does lead Harper in batting average (.294 to .274) and on-base percentage (.387 to .374), but Harper has bested Freeman in RBI (57 to 49) and slugging percentage (.529 to .508). 

The Phillies may have two participants in the Home Run Derby

With the Home Run Derby scheduled for July 13, the Phillies could see both their stars, Harper and Kyle Schwarber, participate. Schwarber is a lock, given he was the one who won it all for the NL in the swing off last season, but Harper is not sure if he will or not. 

“I'm still not sure,” Harper said to Zolecki last Thursday. “I want to be healthy, obviously. I want to play every game in the first half. I haven’t done that for a long time. So, we’ll see. The last time I did it, I won. I said I'd never do it again. So, we'll see how I'm feeling.

“I don't really have anybody to throw to me as well. My dad hasn't thrown in a long time, so I don't really want to do it without him. It’s more for me and him, but we'll see. Obviously, I know the fans want me to do it, so I'll take that into account, but we'll see how much pump, I guess, I have behind me going out there and doing it.”

One thing we won't have to wait and see about is Harper's participation in the All-Star Game itself the night after the Derby.