PHILADELPHIA — Bryce Harper isn’t hiding his frustration.
The Phillies star expressed disappointment in an interview with The Athletic on Saturday, saying he felt hurt by recent remarks from team president Dave Dombrowski — and the trade rumors that followed.
“I’ve given everything I have to Philadelphia since day one,” Harper said. “Now I’m hearing trade talk? I did everything possible to prevent this. It’s the same thing I dealt with in Washington, and I hated it. It makes me really uncomfortable.”
Earlier this month, on Oct. 16, Dombrowski was asked about Harper’s 2025 performance and whether it signaled the start of a decline.
“He’s still a really good player, still All-Star caliber,” Dombrowski replied. “He didn’t have the kind of elite season we’ve seen before. We’ll find out whether he can reach that level again or stays where he is. Think about Freddie Freeman — he’s still a great player, but maybe not quite as dominant as he once was. That’s how I see Bryce. Can he get back to that elite level? Only he can determine that.
“I don’t think Bryce is satisfied with his year. It wasn’t bad, but when you think of him, you think of one of baseball’s top 10 players — and this season didn’t fit that label. Still, he was very good. Some players his age plateau, others bounce back. We’ll see.”
Harper, 33, hit .261 with 27 home runs, 75 RBIs, and an .844 OPS while missing nearly a month due to right wrist inflammation. It was his lowest OPS since 2016 (.814) and lowest OPS+ (129) since 2019 (126). Still, he ranked 22nd among 145 qualified hitters in OPS, and many of his advanced metrics improved from 2024, when he hit .285 with 30 homers, 87 RBIs, and an .898 OPS.
“All players deal with injuries,” Harper said. “I hurt my wrist, missed a month — of course my numbers weren’t what they could’ve been. It’s disappointing to hear questions about my commitment because I love Philly deeply.”
Dombrowski’s comments led some to believe he was challenging Harper to elevate his play in 2026, while others speculated that the Phillies were considering trading him — something that was never realistic. Harper’s 10-and-5 rights give him a full no-trade clause, and team owner John Middleton remains one of his strongest supporters.
Dombrowski later dismissed the rumors on the Foul Territory podcast.
“This whole thing took on a life of its own,” he said. “People saying the Phillies might trade Bryce Harper — that’s completely false. We love Bryce. He’s a great player and a huge part of our team. I’ve seen him have better seasons, and I expect he’ll have more of those.”
Harper noted that he hasn’t heard directly from Dombrowski or Middleton since the season ended — though he hopes that changes soon.
“I switched positions, came back early from injury — I’ve shown total commitment to this team,” Harper said. “And yet, there’s still trade talk.”
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