The Philadelphia Phillies have had a surprising concern with Bryce Harper.
Earlier this offseason, the relationship between Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper and team president Dave Dombrowski may have been irreparably damaged when Dombrowski claimed that Harper was no longer elite.
Harper made it clear that the comments bothered him, as he talked about the remarks numerous times in interviews and was seen wearing a t-shirt that read "Not Elite" during a workout session.
It doesn't seem like Harper and Dombrowski will ever be great friends, and while the Phillies front office certainly doesn't want a rift between one of its best players and its top executive, it also doesn't them to be too close, either.
What does that mean?
Well, Matt Gelb of The Athletic has revealed that Philadelphia's organization previously had concerns that Harper had "too direct a line" to Dombrowski, as well as managing partner John Middleton.
That doesn't appear to be the case anymore. At least not in terms of the dynamic between Harper and Dombrowski.
A perfect example just occurred over the weekend, when the Cleveland Guardians signed former Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins to a minor-league contract.
Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper. Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images.Harper pushed for Philadelphia to reunite with Hoskins, who had spent the last two seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers but enjoyed an impressive seven-year run in Philly prior to that.
However, Dombrowski declined to acquiesce to Harper's desires, deciding that Hoskins wasn't the right fit for the team. This even though the Phillies clearly need another power bat alongside of Harper and Kyle Schwarber.
Harper signed a 13-year, $330 million contract with Philadelphia in March 2019. It was a massive deal at the time, but it pales in comparison to today's standards, at least in terms of average annual value.
The 33-year-old won an MVP with the Phillies back in 2021, but there is no question that his production has dipped since.
Harper is still good, but Dombrowski may be right in that he is no longer elite after the eight-time All-Star slashed .261/.357/.487 with 27 home runs and 75 RBI over 580 plate appearances last season.
We'll see if the veteran — who is also participating in the World Baseball Classic — can bounce back with a big year in 2026.
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