Harper ‘Uncomfortable’ Hearing Phillies Offseason Talk
October 26, 2025
PHILADELPHIA — Bryce Harper is clearly unhappy about recent comments made by Phillies president Dave Dombrowski and the trade rumors that followed.
“I’ve given everything to Philly since day one,” Harper told The Athletic on Saturday. “Now there’s trade talk? I tried to avoid this kind of thing — I went through it in D.C. and hated it. It makes me uncomfortable.”
On October 16, Dombrowski was asked whether Harper’s 2025 season represented a decline.
“He’s still an All-Star-caliber player,” Dombrowski said. “He didn’t have one of his elite seasons, but he’s still very good. Whether he gets back to that elite level is up to him. When you think of Bryce Harper, you think of one of the top players in baseball — I just don’t think this year fit that category.”
Harper, 33, hit .261 with 27 home runs, 75 RBIs, and an .844 OPS, missing nearly a month because of right wrist inflammation. It was his lowest OPS since 2016 (.814) and his lowest OPS+ (129) since 2019 (126). Still, his OPS ranked 22nd among 145 qualified hitters, and many of his expected metrics improved from 2024, when he batted .285 with 30 home runs and an .898 OPS.
“All players deal with injuries,” Harper said. “I missed time with my wrist. Of course my numbers weren’t what they could’ve been. It’s disappointing to have my effort questioned — I love Philly and this team.”
Some viewed Dombrowski’s comments as motivation for Harper to rebound in 2026, while others speculated about a possible trade. That speculation was unfounded: Harper has full no-trade protection through his 10-and-5 rights, and owner John Middleton is known to be a strong supporter of him.
Dombrowski dismissed the trade rumors Thursday on the Foul Territory podcast.
“That’s completely false,” he said. “We love Bryce. He’s a great player and an important part of our team. I’ve seen him have better years, and I expect he will again.”
Harper said he hasn’t spoken with Dombrowski or Middleton since the season ended but hopes to soon.
“From switching positions to coming back early from injury, I’ve done everything for this team,” he said. “And yet there’s still trade talk.”
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