Harper Sends a Message Following Dombrowski’s Remarks

After the Philadelphia Phillies were eliminated from the postseason, a comment made by President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski seemed to catch Bryce Harper’s attention. Dombrowski noted that Harper didn’t quite have the standout season fans have come to expect from him.

And he had a point. In 2025, Harper recorded a .261 batting average with an OPS of .844, both figures falling short of his usual statistics. In his MVP-winning seasons, his batting average exceeded .300, and his OPS was over 1.000.

Shortly after Dombrowski’s comments, Harper voiced his dissatisfaction. The two are reported to have had a private discussion about it. However, Harper seems to have more to say, perhaps in a more public way.

Recently, in a recent TikTok, Harper shared a photo of himself in a batting cage while wearing a shirt that declared “NOT ELITE.”

Just a week after the Phillies lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers, which led to the Dodgers claiming their second consecutive World Series title, Harper turned 33. Over the past decade, the Phillies have consistently made it into the playoffs but have struggled to achieve ultimate success.

Dombrowski acknowledged that Harper remains an All-Star-level player but raised questions about whether he can return to an elite status. He compared Harper to other players, like Freddie Freeman, noting that while Freeman is still good, he may not be at the same elite level anymore. Dombrowski expressed uncertainty about Harper’s future performance, stating, “It’s really about him determining it at this point.” He underscored that though Harper’s past season wasn’t bad, expectations remain high—the way people perceive Harper is often at that elite tier.

This season, Harper participated in 132 games before being sidelined with a wrist injury. He inked a hefty 13-year, $330 million contract with the Phillies before the 2019 season.