The last time we left Bryce Harper in early November, Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told reporters that he cleared the air with Bryce Harper after publicly questioning the two-time MVP’s ability to have another elite season.
They may need another conversation.
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It’s hard to determine intent from a single social media post or fashion choice, but there are only so many ways to interpret a video of Harper posting a TikTok video of himself wearing a shirt that said “Not Elite.”
This could obviously mean a few things. Perhaps Harper is still annoyed by Dombrowski’s comments. Maybe he became friendly enough with executives that elite issues became a joke to them. Maybe he decided to take the criticism and use it as motivation.
Still, it’s a nice touch to bring this debate back into the public domain, especially during an offseason in which the team has been rocky.
Bryce Harper can say a lot with his “Not Elite” shirt. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/MLB Photo via Getty Images)
(Caitlin Mulcahy via Getty Images)
If you need a refresher, here’s what Dombrowski said about Harper during his end-of-season press conference:
“He’s still a good player. Is he as elite as he was? Probably not to the same degree. So there’s nothing bad about that. Freddie is a great player, and to me, that’s Bryce. Can he get to the next level again? I really don’t know the answer to that. I mean, really, he’s the guy that’s going to dictate everything more than anything else.”
“I don’t think he’s happy with the year he’s had. Again, it’s not a bad year, but when I think of Bryce Harper, you think elite, you think one of the top 10 players in baseball, I don’t think [his 2025 season] falls into this category. But then again, he’s a very good player. “
Harper responded by saying he was “hurt” by Dombrowski’s comments and some of the trade speculation that followed, leading Dombrowski to speak to him privately and say the matter had been resolved.
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Dombrowski’s original comments weren’t entirely wrong, though, which may be why they bothered Harper.
It’s been four years since the 33-year-old won his second MVP award in 2021 after hitting .309/.429/.615 with 35 home runs. In the seasons since, he’s hit .281/.374/.506 while battling injuries, which still makes him a very good hitter, just not among the top tier of MLB hitters. his. The 361 wOBA ranked 21st among MLB qualified hitters last season.
