Shortly after the Philadelphia Phillies were eliminated from the MLB playoffs, team president Dave Dombrowski questioned whether or not Bryce Harper was still elite based on the somewhat disappointing campaign he had in 2025.

Harper still managed to slash .261/.357/.487 with 27 home runs and 75 RBI over 580 plate appearances, which would certainly be considered a very good season for most players.

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But for someone who signed a 13-year, $330 million contract and has long been hailed as one of the best players in baseball, it wasn’t up to par. At least not for Dombrowski.

Harper was clearly bothered by Dombrowski’s comments, saying that he was “hurt” by the remarks. Trade speculation then swirled around the two-time NL MVP, to which Harper fired back by saying how much he loves Philadelphia.

Over two months later, Harper is obviously still perturbed by Dombrowski’s statement and was recently seen wearing a shirt that “Not Elite” during batting practice.

Harper signed with the Phillies in March 2019 and has slashed .281/.386/.526 throughout his tenure in the City of Brotherly Love, winning an MVP award in 2021 after posting a 1.044 OPS. He then guided Philadelphia to a World Series appearance the following year.

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That being said, the 33-year-old hasn’t registered 100 RBI since his debut campaign with the club. In fact, he has only tallied 80 RBI twice since then, topping out at 87 in 2024.

Not that RBI are a be-all-end-all stat, but you would certainly expect more from a player who has consistently been named among the top talents in the big leagues.

Perhaps Harper — who also moved from outfield to first base — really is declining, which would not come as much of a surprise given his age and mileage.

But the former No. 1 overall pick is still a very good player and remains integral to the Phillies’ chances of making a championship run in 2026.

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Harper began his career with the Washington Nationals in 2012 and spent seven seasons in the nation’s capital before joining Philadelphia.

The eight-time All-Star has six years remaining on his contract.

We’ll see if Harper can ultimately bounce back with a monster campaign next spring.