The Philadelphia Phillies are facing scrutiny once again after another disappointing playoff exit, and this time the fallout included an unexpected revelation about their franchise cornerstone. During his end-of-season press conference, team president Dave Dombrowski made surprisingly candid remarks about Bryce Harper’s future. While acknowledging that Harper had a solid year, Dombrowski suggested that the slugger no longer looked like an “elite” player. He went on to say that it would be up to Harper to prove he could regain his former level of dominance—something far from guaranteed.
Given Dombrowski’s reputation for being deliberate with his words, many around the league saw those comments as carrying an intentional message. MLB insider Joel Sherman discussed the remarks on the Pinstripe Post podcast, saying, “Dombrowski’s been around way too long to have said that without some meaning behind it. I can’t help but wonder if it’s tied to the player being unhappy with his contract—maybe this was Dombrowski’s subtle way of firing back.”
Harper has previously expressed interest in an extension, even though he’s only entering the eighth season of his 13-year, $330 million deal. Sherman speculated that the tension between player and front office could spark something bigger. “Would I be 100% shocked if Bryce Harper got traded this offseason? No,” he said, hinting at a scenario few would have imagined.
While such a move would shake the foundation of the franchise, the combination of Dombrowski’s pointed remarks and the Phillies’ ongoing frustrations might just push the team to explore trade possibilities for their longtime superstar.