The Philadelphia Phillies have had their share of offseason buzz, thanks to some intriguing comments from Dave Dombrowski about Bryce Harper's status as an elite player. Harper, however, has addressed the situation, revealing that he and Dombrowski have had a conversation to clear the air.
During an appearance on Sports Radio 94WIP, Harper, now 33 and playing first base, shared that he and Dombrowski have resolved their differences. Harper emphasized that he didn’t feel disrespected by the “not elite” remarks but was more concerned about the comments being made public.
“We communicated,” Harper explained. “It's in the past, and I’m just focused on moving forward and getting ready for the season.”
When asked if he felt disrespected, Harper clarified, “It wasn’t about disrespect. It was more about the conversation going public. I've talked about it plenty, and now it’s time to move on.”
Previously, on the “Bussin' with the Boys” podcast, Harper had mentioned that the public nature of Dombrowski's comments was what irked him. But now, the eight-time All-Star seems eager to shift his focus to the upcoming 2026 MLB season.
Bryce Harper on the Dave Dombrowski "not elite" comments: "Yeah we communicated and I think it's in the past and just trying to move on and get ready for the season."
— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) February 24, 2026
Harper adds he did not feel disrespected, but was bothered that Dombrowski made those comments publicly. pic.twitter.com/16icFNme9i
Looking back at 2025, Harper had a solid season, though his .261 batting average was slightly below his career norm of .280. As he gears up for his 15th MLB season, Harper aims to boost his batting average, along with his .357 OBP, 131 hits, 27 home runs, and 75 RBIs. All eyes will be on him as he strives to elevate his game once more.