Dave Dombrowski’s comments on Bryce Harper were completely ridiculous

The Phillies’ season ended with another gut punch, and apparently, Dave Dombrowski decided to add a few more in one of the most out-of-touch, end of season press conferences in recent memory.

The Phillies’ president of baseball operations was asked about Bryce Harper’s 2025 season and whether he still viewed the former MVP as an elite player.

Dave Dombrowski wasn’t showing Bryce Harper any love

Phillies president Dave Dombrowski admits he's unsure if Bryce Harper, who turns 33 today, can return to being an elite player:

"I guess we only find out if he becomes elite [again] or he continues to be good…Can he rise to the next level again? I don't really know that… pic.twitter.com/3Sq50fXjQJ

— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) October 16, 2025

“I guess we only find out if he becomes elite again or if he continues to be good,” Dombrowski said. “Can he rise to the next level again? I don’t really know that answer.”

I mean look, I get what Dave Dombrowski was attempting to say. He literally does not know if Bryce Harper can rise to an elite level again. No one knows, actually, and that’s perfectly fine.

Either way, maybe lighten up a bit, Dombo. Its a ridiculous statement to make about your franchise cornerstone for a bunch of different reasons. You’re literally sounding like Doc Rivers talking about Ben Simmons after Game 7 against the Hawks but it’s about Bryce Harper which makes things a million times worse.

It’s not like Bryce Harper is a fringe roster decision this offseason. He’s going to be back and his track record here in Philly has been a massive success. Maybe I’m overthinking it, but out of everything, Bryce Harper deserves a bit more respect than what Dave was willing to give him.

Point Being: Fans questioning Harper’s decline is one thing but the organization who gave him a 13-year, $330 million contract doing it publicly is another story entirely.

Is Bryce Harper Still “Good”? Please.

Bryce Harper turned 33 on the day Dombrowski made those comments and is coming off what you could call a “down” year by his standards.

He slashed .261 with an .844 OPS, his lowest mark since 2016. Sure, it wasn’t his 2021 MVP form, but he was still one of the Phillies’ best hitters and a Gold Glove finalist at first base, a position he just learned two years ago.

If that’s what Dave Dombrowski considers not elite, then half the league should be ashamed of themselves.

The Wrong Time for the Wrong Quote

The comments hit especially poorly given how the season ended. We’re all dealing with another playoff collapse, this time to the Dodgers, where Harper went cold at the plate (.200 in the NLDS). To take the podium and not offer a single line of hope outside of… Otto Kemp, makes Phillies fans feel like Dave Dombrowski hates us.

Dave Dombrowski’s press conference makes me think he hates Phillies fans

Regardless, Bryce Harper deserves the benefit of doubt more than anyone else on the Phillies. He was battling through a wrist injury all season-long, missed some time, and again, even in a down year, still put up solid numbers. I’m not going to let a bad NLDS taint my view of a guy who’s completely changed the fabric of this baseball team.

I remember the 10-year playoff drought. It was a fucking nightmare, so questioning Bryce Harper’s elite status after everything he’s done for this franchise is tone-deaf at best and disrespectful at worst.

Hey Dombo, Bryce Harper Is the Phillies

Since arriving in 2019, Harper has done everything the Phillies could’ve asked for. He revitalized the fan base, delivered clutch playoff moments, and helped bring Red October back to life. Without him, this era of Phillies baseball doesn’t exist.

So when Dombrowski says he’s “not sure” if Harper can be elite again, it’s not just bad PR, it’s a slap in the face to the guy who literally made the team relevant again. Even if Bryce Harper didn’t put up video game numbers last season, he’s still a top-tier hitter, an emotional leader, and the face of the franchise.

Bryce Harper doesn’t need to be questioned in the first place

The front office did. The Phillies’ collapse wasn’t about one player — it was about an entire lineup that disappeared in October.

If Dombrowski wanted to send a message this offseason, questioning whether Bryce Harper is still elite shouldn’t have been it because if the Phillies ever lose him mentally, emotionally, or literally, they’ll be finding out the hard way what not elite really looks like.

Join The Chase