PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bryce Harper turned 33 on Thursday, and the celebration for the new father of four just might not stretch very far inside Philadelphia’s front office.
Harper’s .844 OPS was his lowest since 2016 and his .261 average was his worst since 2019, prompting Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski to analyze whether the two-time NL MVP can return to form with six seasons left on his $330 million, 13-year deal.
kAm“w6VD DE:== 2 BF2=:EJ A=2J6C] w6VD DE:== 2? p==\$E2C 42=:36C A=2J6C[” s@>3C@HD<: D2:5 %9FCD52J] “w6 5:5?VE 92G6 2? 6=:E6 D62D@? =:<6 96VD 925 😕 E96 A2DE] x 8F6DD H6 @?=J 7:?5 @FE :7 96 364@>6D 6=:E6 @C 96 4@?E:?F6D E@ 36 8@@5]”k^Am
kAm%92E D4@FE:?8 C6A@CE 4@F=5 DE:?8 2 A=2J6C H9@ 😕 a_aa 96=A65 42CCJ E96 !9:==:6D :?E@ E96 A=2J@77D 7@C E96 7:CDE E:>6 😕 “ J62CD] w2CA6C >:DD65 2 >@?E9 E9:D D62D@? 2D 96 C64@G6C65 7C@> 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^92CA6C\A9:==:6D\9:E\3J\A:E49\a_326`ddbcf`h7d56f`bgh3`3_bdc`5_QmHC:DE :?;FCJk^2m] w2CA6C H2D b 7@C `d H:E9 ?@ #qxD 😕 E96 7@FC\82>6 =@DD E@ E96 s@586CD 😕 E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^A9:=256=A9:2\A9:==:6D\<6C<6C:?8\5@>3C@HD<:\gfhef4hd_d4gg3d`eaba4c2c_2f6_fh6Qm}{ s:G:D:@? $6C:6Dk^2m]k^Am
kAm“r2? 96 C:D6 E@ E96 ?6IE =6G6= 282:?n x 5@?VE C62==J @H E92E 2?DH6C[” s@>3C@HD<: D2:5] “w6VD E96 @?6 E92E H:== 5:4E2E6 E92E >@C6 E92? 2?JE9:?8 6=D6] x 5@?VE E9:?< 96VD 4@?E6?E H:E9 E96 J62C E92E 96 925] p82:?[ :E H2D?VE 2 325 J62C] qFE H96? x E9:?< @7 qCJ46 w2CA6C[ J@F E9:?< 6=:E6[ J@F E9:?< @7 @?6 @7 E96 E@A\`_ A=2J6CD 😕 32D632== 2?5 x 5@?VE E9:?< :E 7:E :?E@ E92E 42E68@CJ]”k^Am
kAmw2CA6C >@G65 7C@> C:89E 7:6=5 E@ 7:CDE k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^A9:==:6D\3CJ46\92CA6C\5@586CD\53h23`27`43a_`h7ed6e7c`b467g74gcQm7@==@H:?8 %@>>J y@9? DFC86CJk^2m 😕 }@G6>36C a_aa]k^Am
kAm“x E9:?< 96’D 9:89=J >@E:G2E65 E@ 92G6 E96 36DE D62D@? @7 9:D 42C66C ?6IE J62C[” >2?286C #@3 %9@>D@? D2:5]k^Am
kAm“(92E x’5 =:<6 E@ D66 😀 ;FDE 9:> 36 9:>D6=7[ ECJ ?@E E@ 5@ E@@ >F49[” 96 25565] “#62==J 7@4FD @? 9:EE:?8 E96 32== E96 @E96C H2J] (96? 96 DE2JD @? E96 32==[ 96 😀 DF49 2 8C62E 9:EE6C] x E9:?< 96 ;FDE 86ED 😕 E96 >:?5D6E E92E 96 EC:6D E@ 5@ 2 =:EE=6 E@@ >F49 3642FD6 96 @HD E92E 96’D qCJ46 w2CA6C]”k^Am
kAm$66<:?8 !9:=256=A9:2VD 7:CDE E:E=6 D:?46 a__g[ s@>3C@HD<: 92D 2 C@DE6C E92E :?4=F56D D6G6C2= <6J A@E6?E:2= 7C66 286?ED w6VD ?@E ?646DD2C:=J 766=:?8 AC6DDFC6 7@C 2 D92<6 FA]k^Am
kAm“}665 E@ 36 >@C6 492?86n (6 H@? he 82>6D[” s@>3C@HD<: D2:5]k^Am
k9am(9@VD DE2J:?8k^9am
kAm%9@>D@? H:== C6EFC? 7@C 9:D 7:7E9 D62D@? 2D >2?286C 2?5 s@>3C@HD<: D2:5 E96 !9:==:6D =:<6=J H@F=5 C6249 2 @?6\J62C 6IE6?D:@? 36J@?5 E96 a_ae D62D@?] %9@>D@? 92D @?6 J62C =67E @? 9:D 562=]k^Am
kAm%96 6?E:C6 4@249:?8 DE277 — :?4=F5:?8 6>32EE=65 9:EE:?8 4@249 z6G:? {@?8 — H:== C6EFC?[ E9@F89 E96 !9:==:6D 2C6 =@@<:?8 7@C 2 ?6H 36?49 4@249] |:<6 r2=:EC: H:== 364@>6 2 >2;@C =628F6 7:6=5 4@@C5:?2E@C[ 2?5 E96 !9:==:6D H2?E E@ 255 D@>6@?6 H:E9 >2?286C:2= 6IA6C:6?46 E@ E2<6 9:D A=246]k^Am
kAm!9:=256=A9:2 92D :?4C62D65 :ED H:?D E@E2= 6249 @7 E96 =2DE 7@FC J62CD Wgf\h_\hd\heX H9:=6 A@DED62D@? CF?D 92G6 D9@CE6?65i E96J C624965 E96 a_aa (@C=5 $6C:6D[ E96 a_ab }{r$ 2?5 4@?D64FE:G6 }{s$]k^Am
kAm}{ 9@>6 CF? 2?5 #qxD 492>A:@? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^A9:==:6D\^A9:==:6D\>2<6\:E\@77:4:2=\D:8?\;\E\C62=>FE@\E@\d\J62C\562=\gh7g`d7e_gfb7376aga756bdg_g_7c7aQmy]%] #62=>FE@k^2m 2?5 C@E2E:@? DE2=H2CE #2?86C $FáC6K 2C6 2== A@E6?E:2= 7C66 286?ED] ~FE7:6=56C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^A9:=256=A9:2\A9:==:6D\92CC:D@?\3256C\_`5bd5644f43dd`67_4gbbcgg72g3_77Qmw2CC:D@? q256Ck^2m[ H9@ C2:D65 9:D G2=F6 H:E9 2 5J?2>:4 EH@ >@?E9D H:E9 E96 !9:==:6D[ 92D 2 >FEF2= @AE:@? 96 😀 DFC6 E@ 564=:?6]k^Am
kAm“xEVD AC@323=J :>AC24E:42= H6VC6 8@:?8 E@ 92G6 2== 7@FC @7 E96> 324<[” s@>3C@HD<: D2:5]k^Am
kAm!9:=256=A9:2 9@=5D 2 Sh >:==:@? 4=F3 @AE:@? H:E9 2 Sd__[___ 3FJ@FE @? =67E\92?565 C6=:G6C y@Dé p=G2C25@[ H9@D6 D62D@? H2D :?E6CCFAE65 3J 2? g_\82>6 DFDA6?D:@? 7@==@H:?8 2 A@D:E:G6 E6DE 7@C 2 32??65 A6C7@C>2?46\6?92?4:?8 DF3DE2?46] s@>3C@HD<: D2:5 E96 !9:==:6D 4@F=5 564=:?6 E96 @AE:@? 2?5 H@C< @FE 2 ?6H 562=]k^Am
kAm“xV5 36 DFCAC:D65[ H:E9@FE >2<:?8 2?J 2??@F?46>6?ED[ E92E p=G2C25@VD ?@E 324< H:E9 FD[” s@>3C@HD<: D2:5]k^Am
kAms@>3C@HD<: D2:5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^K24<\H966=6C\3=@@5\4=@E\A9:==:6D\bhhe2c5hcb656gehg`623_c4ag6`4egaQm246 +24< (966=6Ck^2m 4@F=5 C6EFC? E@ E96 >2;@C =628F6D 27E6C |2J 2D 96 C64@G6CD 7C@> DFC86CJ 2?5 4@>A=:42E:@?D 7C@> 2 3=@@5 4=@E] (966=6C 😀 D6E E@ 368:? 9:D C6923:=:E2E:@? ?6IE H66<]k^Am
kAm!9:=256=A9:2 @H?6C y@9? |:55=6E@? 2==@H65 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^>=3\A@DED62D@?\A2JC@==D\5:DA2C:EJ\53_gb35`_37fdc7b3fcaa`2_266`he64QmSah`]f >:==:@? A2JC@== 2?5 2 AC@;64E65 Sdd]h >:==:@? 😕 =FIFCJ E2Ik^2m 3FE E96 !9:==:6D 72:=65 E@ D?2A @FE @7 E96:C ~4E@36C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^A9:==:6D\5@586CD\92CA6C\D49H2C36C\>=3\A=2J@77D\6fdd34a7`4g4`4c_4646ghc_6g_6“64QmA2EE6C? @7 7C:8:5 32EDk^2m]k^Am
kAm“(6 92G6 2 G6CJ DF3DE2?E:2= 3:8 =628F6 A2JC@== 2?5 x 5@?’E D66 E92E E92E’D 8@:?8 E@ 492?86[” s@>3C@HD<: D2:5] “y@9? 😀 G6CJ DFAA@CE:G6 @7 E92E] (6 92G6 2 8@@5 4=F3 H:E9 2 =@E @7 8@@5 A=2J6CD] qFE J@F 5@?’E 92G6 F?=:>:E65 W7F?5DX] x C625 D@>6 A=246D H96C6 9@H E96J 86E 36EE6C 😀 E96J D:8? E9:D 8FJ[ E96J D:8? E92E 8FJ] x 5@?’E E9:?< H6’C6 8@:?8 E@ 92G6 2 Sc__ >:==:@? A2JC@==] x ;FDE 5@?’E E9:?< E92E’D 2 AC24E:42=:EJ]”k^Am
k9am(9@VD 8@:?8nk^9am
kAm#:89E 7:6=56C }:4< r2DE6==2?@D 92D @?6 D62D@? =67E 😕 E96 S`__ >:==:@?[ 7:G6\J62C 562= D:8?65 29625 @7 E96 a_aa D62D@? 2?5 D66>65 F?92AAJ[ 4:E:?8 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^A9:==:6D\?:4<\42DE6==2?@D\36?4965\_74ehddc75`d2`44_7f63g3_`bh42e33QmA6CD@?2= :DDF6D H:E9 %9@>D@?k^2m 27E6C =@D:?8 9:D DE2CE:?8 ;@3 =2E6 😕 E96 D62D@?]k^Am
kAms@>3C@HD<: D2:5 96 3642>6 :?G@=G65 2?5 D6EE=65 E96 :DDF6] %96C6 H2D ?@ 7:C> 4@>>:E>6?E r2DE6==2?@D H:== C6EFC?]k^Am
kAm~FE7:6=56C |2I z6A=6C H:== ?@E C6EFC? 27E6C 96 9:E ;FDE ]a`e 😕 9:D =@?6 D62D@? @? 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^A9:=256=A9:2\A9:==:6D\<6A=6C\4@?EC24E\gdffbae7fggggd34g_gg_b2b3h7caa_3QmS`_ >:==:@?k^2m 562=] #6=:6G6C s2G6 #@36CED@? 2=D@ H:== ?@E C6EFC?]k^Am
k9am!9:==:6D 2C6 DE:== 96C6 7@C ~C:@? z6C<6C:?8k^9am
kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^A9:==:6D\@C:@?\<6C<6C:?8\6CC@C\`6ffee3fec622`gd4b_c_h54bd_ggdgbQmz6C<6C:?8 >256 2 H:=5 E9C@Hk^2m A2DE 9@>6 :?DE625 @7 E@DD:?8 E@ 7:CDE E92E 4@DE E96 !9:==:6D v2>6 c 2?5 E96 D6C:6D] %96 @?=J 9:89=:89E C6A=2J65 2D >F49 😕 !9:=256=A9:2 E92? z6C<6C:?8VD 3C2:? 4C2>A @7 2 E9C@H H2D E96 D:89E @7 %9@>D@? 2?5 >2?J @7 9:D E62>>2E6D 4@?D@=:?8 9:>]k^Am
kAm“w6 H:== 86E H92E6G6C 2DD:DE2?46[ 2?5 H6 H:== @776C 9:> H92E6G6C 2DD:DE2?46 E92E 96 ?665D[” s@>3C@HD<: D2:5] “(6V== 4@?E:?F6 E@ H@C< H:E9 9:> E@ ECJ 2?5 86E 9:> E9C@F89 E92E] x E9:?< 96 42? 5@ E92E[ 3FE x 2=D@ @H :EVD 2 492==6?86 7@C 9:> 2?5 H6V== <66A 😕 4@?E24E H:E9 9:> @? 2 4@?E:?F65 32D:D]”k^Am
k9am%2=<:?8 23@FE AC24E:46k^9am
kAm#6=:6G6C |2EE $EC29> 5C6H 2EE6?E:@? 27E6C E96 !9:==:6D H6C6 6=:>:?2E65 @? z6C<6C:?8VD 6CC@C H96? 96 D2:5 E96C6 H2D?VE C@FE:?6 A:E496CDV 7:6=5:?8 AC24E:46]k^Am
kAm“%96 @?=J E9:?8 x 42? E9:?< @7 :D[ :7 J@F 5@?VE C@FE:?6=J AC24E:46 :E[ 9@H 5@ J@F 6IA64E E@ >2<6 :E 92AA6? 6G6CJ E:>6nQ $EC29> E@=5 %96 pE9=6E:4]k^Am
kAm{6E s@>3C@HD<: 92G6 E96 =2DE H@C5]k^Am
kAm“(6 5:5 A=6?EJ] p4EF2==J[ 2D :E EFC?D @FE[ H6 5:5 5@ !u!D 😕 E96 A@DED62D@?] w6 5:5?’E 5@ E96>] qFE H6 5:5 E96>[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
k9C ^m
kAmp! |{qi k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^>=3Qm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^|{qk^2mk^Am
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.