On the surface, the idea of the Philadelphia Phillies exploring a trade centered on Bryce Harper does not appear to make much sense. Beyond the impressive accomplishments Harper has delivered during his time in Philadelphia, he is widely adored by the fan base. Even though his 2025 campaign might be considered a down year by his own standards, it is still worth noting that he produced a 129 OPS plus and hit 27 home runs. Those numbers alone show that there was a strong case that he remained a very effective player.
Still, following David Dombrowski’s comments suggesting Harper did not play to expectations in 2025, some observers have begun to wonder whether the Phillies might at least consider the possibility of moving on from him.
The headline idea remains clear: it would never truly make sense to trade Bryce Harper. Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report echoed that sentiment, explaining that although there could theoretically be potential destinations, including the Boston Red Sox, Harper is ultimately projected to remain with Philadelphia.
Rymer wrote, “Harper has six years and 153.2 million dollars remaining on his 13 year, 330 million dollar contract. It isn’t too much for a two time MVP and eight time All Star, but it might be the most he’d get if he were a free agent this winter…” He continued, “The Phillies have holes in their starting rotation, in their outfield and at catcher, plus a need to upgrade at third base and second base. If they could make a trade that satisfied at least two of those needs, maybe that could be Harper’s exit.”
Given the unpredictable nature of baseball transactions over recent decades, it is impossible to completely rule out the idea of a blockbuster trade under the right circumstances. Even so, the Phillies have virtually no incentive to part with Harper unless the organization decides to change course entirely and stop positioning itself as a contender. At this point, with Harper still producing at a high level, remaining a cornerstone of the franchise, and holding substantial value both on and off the field, Philadelphia has every reason to keep him in place rather than explore a move that would weaken their competitive outlook.