Bryce Harper Dead? MLB Insider Roasted Over Embarrassing Social Media Gaffe

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JON VANKIN is a journalist and writer. He is the author of five nonfiction books and nine graphic novels. His writing has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Salon, the L.A. Weekly and dozens of other publications and he has received numerous awards and honors including three New England Press Association awards.

In connection with his work, Vankin has made numerous media appearances on such networks as CNN, CNBC, FOX, the BBC and the CBC as well as hundreds of radio stations and podcasts.

Vankin in his wide-ranging career has also served as an editor of comic books and newspapers. He is the editor of the NEW YORK TIMES #1 BESTSELLING graphic novel GET JIRO! by the late, great Anthony Bourdain. He co-wrote the hit Off Broadway musical FOREVER DUSTY, and served as a sportswriter and editor at The Daily Yomiuri, the English-language edition of Japan's largest newspaper, the Yomiuri Shimbun, in Tokyo.

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In the age of the internet, and even before, famous people have all too often lived through public reports of their own deaths. Sometimes those reports are deliberate hoaxes, but others — as happened to one of baseball's biggest superstars on Sunday — are simply careless mistakes.

Sunday's false death report came from one of MLB's most respected insider journalists, Bob Nightengale of USA Today, who took to his X (formerly Twitter) account with the intention of eulogizing a colleague, the award-winning San Diego Union-Tribune sports columnist Bryce Miller. Sadly, Miller passed away on Saturday following a two-year battle with bladder cancer at age 56.

Unfortunately, when Nightengale attempted to post his own tribute to Miller on his social media account, he mistakenly named the deceased person as "Bryce Harper."

Bryce Harper, subject of false death report
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 03: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts after hitting a single during the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on May 03, 2023 in... Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images

For the record, the 32-year-old Harper, a two-time National League MVP whose 13-year, $330 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies was the largest in U.S. sports history at the time he signed it in 2019, remains very much alive.

In fact, even as Nightengale was mistakenly posting his message, Harper was playing in his 13th spring training game of 2025. And while Harper lives, his bat on Sunday seemed a bit lifeless. The eight-time All-Star went 0-3 before being removed from the game.

More MLB: Tom Ricketts' Latest Bryce Harper Revelations Called 'Insult to Cubs Fans'

"Awful news: Bryce Harper, the talented and sharp-witted columnist for the San Diego Union-Tribune, has passed away at the age of 56 from bladder cancer," wrote Nightengale in his mistaken social media post.

Nightengale took just four minutes to fix the mistake, replacing Harper's name with Miller's. But four minutes on the internet is more than enough time for a mistake to be screen-captured and immortalized.

Four minutes is also plenty of time for other social media users to notice a gaffe, and roast the user who made the error.

Another commenter suggested that Nightengale "should not be employed," while still another recalled an error in a post by another MLB insider, Jon Heyman, in which he accidentally typed the name of Yankees' superstar Aaron Judge as "Arson Judge."

More MLB: Rays' Shane McClanahan Exits Spring Training Start With Apparent Arm Injury

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About the writer

JON VANKIN is a journalist and writer. He is the author of five nonfiction books and nine graphic novels. His writing has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Salon, the L.A. Weekly and dozens of other publications and he has received numerous awards and honors including three New England Press Association awards.

In connection with his work, Vankin has made numerous media appearances on such networks as CNN, CNBC, FOX, the BBC and the CBC as well as hundreds of radio stations and podcasts.

Vankin in his wide-ranging career has also served as an editor of comic books and newspapers. He is the editor of the NEW YORK TIMES #1 BESTSELLING graphic novel GET JIRO! by the late, great Anthony Bourdain. He co-wrote the hit Off Broadway musical FOREVER DUSTY, and served as a sportswriter and editor at The Daily Yomiuri, the English-language edition of Japan's largest newspaper, the Yomiuri Shimbun, in Tokyo.

Writers Page

JON VANKIN is a journalist and writer. He is the author of five nonfiction books and nine graphic novels. His ... Read more