Report: Bryce Harper advocated for Rhys Hoskins to return to the Phillies but Dave Dombrowski shut it down

According to Devan Kaney, Bryce Harper has been pushing the Phillies front office to add more right handed power and someone who brings some emotional edge to the clubhouse.

Bryce Harper apparently went as far as suggesting Dave Dombrowski look into bringing back Rhys Hoskins, who is still sitting on the free agent market.

Rhys Hoskins was reportedly open to a reunion but unfortunately Dombrowski kicked the tires and passed.

Bryce Harper wanted Rhys Hoskins, Dombrowski said no

this all transpired within the last week, I’m told.

— Devan Kaney (@Devan_Kaney) February 20, 2026

That’s the wrong call.

The case for Hoskins is pretty straightforward. The right side of this lineup outside of Adolis Garcia does not have a credible 25 home run threat.

Rhys Hoskins does. His 162-game average sits at 28 home runs, and he showed decent pop even during his two underwhelming years in Milwaukee.

Before a thumb injury cut his 2024 short, he was slashing .242/.340/.428 with a 115 wRC+, comfortably above league average, while his walk rate actually improved and his strikeout rate dropped. He’s never had a season with a walk rate below ten percent.

The profile still works.

The positioning question is not that complicated either. Harper stays at first, Hoskins slots in as the right handed bat off the bench, and if someone gets hurt or the situation calls for it you have options. You don’t have to move pieces around dramatically to make room for a guy who can come off the bench and do damage against lefties.

That’s a real role on a contending roster. It shouldn’t be that hard to figure out.

The reasoning behind Dombrowski’s decision is pretty obvious.

Rhys Hoskins isn’t playing over Harper at first base and he isn’t taking Schwarber’s DH spot, so the fit becomes murky on paper. Fine but “murky on paper” and “not worth figuring out” are two very different things,.

For a team with World Series expectations, a veteran presence like Rhys Hoskins who the fanbase loves, who the best player on your team personally vouched for, and who can actually hit, should at minimum get a real conversation.

Bryce Harper asked for this. Rhys Hoskins wanted to come back and finish what got started here. The fans would have lost their minds in the best way possible. Dombrowski said no anyway.

It’s a swing and a miss.

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