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Dave Dombrowski reveals conversation with ‘pissed off’ Bryce Harper in Phillies drama
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- Dave Dombrowski reveals conversation with ‘pissed off’ Bryce Harper in Phillies drama
Dombrowski Harper
It looks like the sun is shining in Philadelphia once again.
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has seemingly smoothed things over with Bryce Harper following a provocative postmortem media address that left the star "pissed off."
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Dombrowski revealed the pair recently had a "productive" conversation, though he didn't delve into specifics.
"I've spoken to him," Dombrowski said at baseball's general manager meetings in Las Vegas on Tuesday.
"We had a nice conversation. Everything went well."
After the Phillies fell to the eventual champion Los Angeles Dodgers in four games in the NLDS, Dombrowski ruminated to reporters whether Harper could return to MVP form.
Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper playing against the Minnesota Twins at Citizens Bank Park on Sept. 27, 2025. Getty Images
The 33-year-old slugger hit 27 home runs with a more than respectable 131 wRC+ last season, but his .844 OPS marked his lowest since 2016.
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Harper capped the 2025 campaign with a 3-for-15 postseason showing.
"He's still a quality player. He's still an All-Star-caliber player," Dombrowski said last month . "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."
The Phillies' boss quickly walked back his distasteful comments and confirmed to The Post's Jon Heyman that he had no plan to trade Harper , acknowledging that mounting injuries played a factor in the star's reduced production.
"He's a great player," Dombrowski added. "He's a future Hall of Famer. He's a cornerstone of our franchise, and we look to have him be with us a long, long time."
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski walked back his comments that left star Bryce Harper "pissed off." USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
Still, trade rumors persisted — something Harper has "made every effort to avoid," he told The Athletic one week later.
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The two-time MVP, who hadn't spoken to Dombrowski or managing partner John Middleton since the NLDS ouster, admitted to the outlet that he was " really hurt " by how it all went down.
Phillies star Bryce Harper hits a two-run home run in Game 3 of the 2022 World Series against the Houston Astros. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
"It's disappointing to hear me being questioned about my contribution to the team," Harper told The Athletic. "Just really hurt by that notion because I love Philly so much."
The growing tension prompted the recent conversation between the pair, which Dombroski described as "productive."
"We had a good conversation," Dombrowski said. "We talked for quite a while. And really, conversations between Bryce and myself are between us."
Harper signed a 13-year, $330 million deal with the Phillies ahead of the 2019 season.
The lefty slugger finished sixth in NL MVP voting in 2024 and won the award for a second time in 2021.
