The Philadelphia Phillies wasted little time making a splash this offseason, locking up Kyle Schwarber with a massive five-year, $150 million contract. While the move secured one of the lineup’s biggest power threats, it also pushed the Phillies beyond their comfort zone financially, forcing the front office to at least consider difficult roster decisions in the near future.
According to FanSided’s Christopher Kline, one name that can’t be entirely ignored in these conversations is Bryce Harper. The idea of moving a two-time MVP and eight-time All-Star sounds extreme, and Kline makes it clear this is far from a likely scenario. Still, as he put it, “the stage has been set.”
“Bryce Harper is a legend in Philadelphia and he’s under contract through 2031, so chalk this up as a ‘remote possibility,’ rather than an expected outcome,” Kline wrote. “That said, the stage has been set for an eventual breakup. Dave Dombrowski caused quite a stir this offseason when he openly questioned if Harper could return to the superstar heights of old. It was a completely unnecessary and incendiary comment, exacerbated by the Phillies’ unwillingness to engage in the contract extension talks that Harper openly campaigns for…Harper won’t get traded this offseason, but at some point in the next five years? Don’t write it off.”
Harper’s production in Philadelphia has been elite. Since joining the franchise, he has posted a .281/.386/.526 slash line with a .912 OPS, along with 179 home runs and 530 RBIs. He captured the National League MVP award in 2021, made two All-Star teams, and earned three Silver Slugger honors along the way.
Despite that résumé, the lack of extension talks is understandable. Harper is already 33 and signed through his age-38 season, with six years remaining on his deal. Schwarber, meanwhile, is now secured for five more years, creating a clear overlap between the two contracts.
Because of that alignment, a Harper trade remains highly improbable. A more realistic outcome is the Phillies parting ways with star role players as they reshape the roster for the next chapter of Phillies baseball ⚾.