Nearly four months have gone by since Dave Dombrowski, president of baseball operations for the Philadelphia Phillies, sparked discussion with remarks about Bryce Harper’s 2025 season. Questions remain unanswered, as reporters continue to press Harper about Dombrowski’s comments, leaving Harper perplexed.
“I don’t get motivated by that kind of stuff,” Harper shared with reporters on Sunday. “For me, it was pretty wild to see that happen. When we first connected with this organization, it was clear: ‘We’re going to keep things internal, and we hope you do the same.’ So when that didn’t play out, it threw me for a loop.”
“I don’t know. It’s part of being in this industry, I guess. The whole scenario of it being public is quite wild. I didn’t have the season I desired. I didn’t perform in the postseason how I wanted. My stats weren’t where I aimed for them to be. I recognize that. … For Dave to make those remarks, it still surprises me.”
In 2025, Harper registered his lowest OPS+ since 2019. Harper and Dombrowski appear to see eye-to-eye here, though they differ on the appropriateness of Dombrowski’s comments during the end-of-season press conference last October, after the Phillies were ousted by the Dodgers in the NLDS:
“He’s still a quality player. He’s still an All-Star-caliber player. He didn’t post an excellent season like he’s had in the past. We’ll see if he can elevate his status again or if he remains at this level. Look around the league; I think… Freddie Freeman is a really good player, right? He still is, but is he at the elite level he used to be? Probably not to the same extent. Freddie is a tremendous player, and that mirrors Bryce. Can he reach that next level again? I can’t answer that. That’s on him more than anything else.
“I don’t think he’s satisfied with his performance. And while it wasn’t a subpar year, when you consider Bryce Harper, you think of elite talent. He’s generally seen as one of the top 10 players in baseball, and I don’t think his performance fit that view. But again, he’s a very good player. I’ve witnessed players at his age plateau. On the flip side, I’ve seen others find that spark again.”
These remarks might be tamer than what most executives would say. This is not a scenario where the Chicago White Sox invoked a “diminished skills” clause in Frank Thomas’ contract. Dombrowski acknowledges that Harper’s numbers fell while keeping the door open for a resurgence. Harper’s primary concern seems to be that his boss offered such a candid assessment of his performance publicly, seemingly for little reason other than to provide an honest response to a question.
Harper, 33, remains signed with the Phillies through the 2031 season. Previous discussions hinted at a possible contract extension. However, it appears both parties may prefer to freeze those talks until the dust settles from this situation.
