Dave Dombrowski's comments still linger for Bryce Harper heading into new season: 'For Dave to say those things, it is still wild to me'
- - Dave Dombrowski's comments still linger for Bryce Harper heading into new season: 'For Dave to say those things, it is still wild to me'
Tarohn Finley February 15, 2026 at 10:52 PM
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Bryce Harper is still not over the comments Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski made in October, questioning the outfielder's ability to reach another level of stardom.
“He didn’t have an elite season like he has had in the past,” Dombrowski said at the time. “And I guess we only find out if he becomes elite or if he continues to be good. … Can he rise to the next level again? I don’t really know that answer. He’s the one who will dictate that more than anything else."
Harper addressed the comments before the start of the season with reporters at spring training.
“For Dave to say those things, it is still wild to me,” Harper said.
Bryce Harper says it was kind of “wild” the way Phillies President Dave Dombrowski made his comments about Bryce’s season and that it was not elite.Bryce says he is always available to anyone with the team and he had an understanding that everything would be kept “in house”… pic.twitter.com/MdzkjVII0l
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) February 15, 2026
Harper also said that he did not have the year or the numbers he wanted during the regular season and postseason. He finished last season with 27 home runs, 75 RBIs, and a .261 batting average with an .844 OPS. His numbers were down from his first few seasons with the Phillies, and he was limited to 132 games after dealing with a wrist injury.
Despite his performance, the 33-year-old was still surprised by Dombrowski's comments because of the organization’s standard of keeping everything in-house.
This is not the first time Harper has addressed Dombrowski's comments. In November, he said he felt uncomfortable and hurt about the possibility of trade speculation. In December, he posted a TikTok of himself taking swings while wearing a shirt that said “Not Elite.”
Harper wore the shirt after Dombrowski attempted to walk back his comments on the “Foul Territory” podcast and said the two had a nice conversation.
With Opening Day around the corner and six years remaining on Harper's contract, it appears that Harper and Dombrowski still have fences to mend.
Source: “AOL Sports”
