Phillies President Makes Feelings On Bryce Harper Trade Rumors Perfectly Clear

Bryce Harper conscionable wrapped his seventh play pinch nan Phillies and 14th MLB play overall, hitting .261/.357/.487 pinch 27 location runs and 75 RBIs. It was a beardown season, but his 3.2 WAR was his lowest people for a twelvemonth successful which he played astatine slightest 100 games since 2018.

It is reasonable to judge that Harper is connected nan downswing of his career, but moreover so, it was astonishing to perceive Phillies president of shot operations Dave Dombrowski look to bespeak that he nary longer believes that Harper is an "elite" player.

"In Bryce's case, of people he's still a value player. He's still an All-Star caliber player. He didn't person an elite play for illustration he has had successful nan past," said Dombrowski past Thursday. "I conjecture we only find retired if he becomes elite [again] aliases he continues to beryllium good. You look astir nan league, you effort to deliberation Freddie Freeman. He's a really bully player, he still is simply a bully player. Is he elite for illustration he was before? Probably not to nan aforesaid grade truthful that's thing negative. Freddie's still a tremendous player. That to maine is Bryce."

Dombrowski's comments made waves wrong nan world of Philly sports, moreover helping springiness emergence to immoderate rumors that Philadelphia could look to move nan two-time National League MVP. Appearing connected Foul Territory, he sought to explain his Harper comments, while shooting down nan bourgeoning waste and acquisition rumors earlier they break contain.

"First of all, to me, Bryce Harper's 1 of nan champion players successful nan crippled of baseball. They asked me, 'What type of twelvemonth do you deliberation he had?' And I said, 'He had a very bully year, I don't deliberation he had an elite year.' And erstwhile I opportunity that, erstwhile I deliberation of Bryce Harper, it's a compliment, because nan reality is location are eight, 10 players successful nan crippled of shot each year, erstwhile they're not successful nan MVP consideration... it's not an elite twelvemonth for them.

"So nan reality is, he's a awesome player, he's a early Hall of Famer. ... Now I've been reference that, Oh, nan Phillies whitethorn waste and acquisition Bryce Harper. That couldn't beryllium farther from nan truth. We emotion him, we deliberation he's a awesome player, he's a very important portion of our team. I've seen him person amended years.”

Dombrowski went connected to riff astir comments that Phillies fable Mike Schmidt made connected nan Phillies Extra podcast astir different of nan team's 32-year-old stars, Kyle Schwarber, and nan value for players of that property to support up a beardown training regimen done nan offseason. Dombrowski says he has nary doubts that Harper will beryllium 1 of nan players who will property gracefully because of his talent and activity ethic.

"I'll return my chances pinch Bryce much than most, because Bryce is an elite talent... I deliberation it's a shame wherever this has gone. It wasn't meant to beryllium a criticism."

Harper conscionable crossed nan midway constituent of nan mammoth 13-year, $330 cardinal woody he signed pinch Philadelphia, and is still owed astir $153 cardinal done 2031. Removing nan quality constituent from it, if nan Phillies judge they'll get diminishing returns from Harper arsenic he enters his mid-30s, it makes consciousness for them to see a trade. It doesn't sound arsenic if Dombrowski is adjacent that constituent yet, however, contempt really it whitethorn person sounded a week ago.

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