When Bryce Harper inked his 13-year, $330 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2019, he chose not to include an opt-out in the contract to show how committed he was to the city and franchise.
So when Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski questioned if the star could return to elite form — sparking trade speculation across the baseball world — it left a bad taste in Harper's mouth.
“I have given my all to Philly from the start,” Harper told The Athletic's Matt Gelb on Saturday. “Now there is trade talk? I made every effort to avoid this. It’s all I heard in D.C. (with the Washington Nationals). I hated it. It makes me feel uncomfortable.”
While Harper, 33, did take a step back by his loft standards in 2025, the two-time MVP still posted a solid .844 OPS and 27 home runs, missing time with a wrist injury.
“He's still a quality player. He's still an all-star-calibre player,” Dombrowski said at Philadelphia's end-of-season press conference. “He didn't have an elite season like he's had in the past. I guess we only find out if he becomes elite or he continues to be good.”
Dombrowski ran back the comments on a recent episode of Foul Territory, saying that the idea of trading Harper "couldn't be further from the truth."
However, Harper's dissatisfaction with the situation remains
“It’s disappointing to hear me being questioned about my contribution to the team," he told Gelb. "Just really hurt by that notion because I love Philly so much.”
Harper has now been in Philadelphia for seven seasons, helping the Phillies make the post-season in each of the past four years, including a trip to the World Series in 2022.
During his time with his second franchise, Harper has played in 858 games, won an MVP, made two all-star teams, underwent a major surgery and changed positions as the organization stabilized into a sustainable winner around him.
It's why Harper is so upset with the whole ordeal.
“From changing positions to coming back early from injury, I show total commitment for my team,” he told Gelb. “And yet there is still trade talk.”
— With files from the Associated Press
