Bryce Harper Reacts to Dombrowski’s Comments
Bryce Harper expressed that he was “really hurt” by remarks made by Phillies president of baseball operations, Dave Dombrowski, who questioned Harper’s ability to return to an elite level.
In an article released on Saturday, Harper shared with The Athletic that he remains “fully committed to my team,” even as trade talks linger. “I tried everything to avoid this,” he mentioned. “That’s all I heard in Washington, D.C. [with the Nationals]. I hated that. It makes me uncomfortable.”
Dombrowski told Jon Heyman that the Phillies have no plans to trade Harper. However, Harper noted that he hasn’t heard from either Dombrowski or managing partner John Middleton since the Phillies’ recent loss to the Dodgers in the National League Division Series.
Reports indicated that Harper was “upset” about the whole situation, and his subsequent comments seem to reflect that sentiment. This past season, he had a batting average of .261 and an OPS of .844, marking the lowest statistics he’s had since 2019 and 2016. While Dombrowski affirmed Harper would remain an All-Star, he expressed uncertainty about Harper regaining his prior MVP-level performance.
“Can he get to the next level again? I really don’t know the answer to that,” Dombrowski stated. “And really, it’s up to him to decide that more than anything. At the end of the day, I don’t think he’s happy with his year, and again, it hasn’t been a bad year.” He noted that when you think of Bryce Harper, you expect to think of an elite player, among the top 10 in baseball—but this season, he just didn’t feel like he belonged in that category, even though he is still a very good player.
Harper, who joined the Phillies from the Nationals after the 2018 season, has six years and about $153 million left on his 13-year contract. This year, he missed 30 games due to a wrist injury.
“Every player gets injured,” Harper told The Athletic. “I hurt my wrist this year and missed a month. Obviously, my numbers for the year aren’t what I wanted. It’s disappointing to hear people question my contribution to the team. I love Philadelphia so much that thought really hurt me.”
Despite being encouraged to consider other options, Harper has no opt-out clause in his contract and wishes to stay in Philadelphia. However, Dombrowski’s comments added an unexpected twist to what is already shaping up to be a crucial offseason for the Phillies. Although they’ve reached the postseason multiple times, they haven’t secured a World Series title since 2008.
With free agency looming for players like Kyle Schwarber and JT Realmuto, Dombrowski appeared to be questioning what version of Harper the team could expect in the upcoming year.
