Bryce Harper Fires Back At Dave Dombrowski With “Not Elite” Shirt
At the end of the season press conference, Dave Dombrowski made an interesting comment about Bryce Harper and whether he can be an elite player again after a down 2025 season. He had significant right wrist inflammation that landed him on the Injured list for most of June, requiring a nearly month-long absence to recover, but he returned in late June to finish the season. But his numbers were definitely not up to his standards.
Can Harper Return To MVP Form?
A significant factor for the Philadelphia Phillies’ World Series hopes is Bryce Harper regaining his MVP form and carrying the team when it matters most in October. While Harper posted solid numbers this past year, his production clearly dipped compared to his previous two seasons.
Dave Dombrowski acknowledged His down year and openly questioned whether he could return to the superstar level he displayed after signing with Philadelphia. While Dombrowski’s comments weren’t inaccurate, they would have been better delivered privately to Harper, which might have prevented the national conversation they sparked.
I have no doubt Harper can return to his top form, but much depends on the lineup construction. Last year, he struggled to see quality pitches with Alec Bohm batting behind him and often lacked patience at the plate. His approach has to change next season if he wants to increase his average and post an OPS over .900.
Harper Fires Back At Dombrowski
He appears highly motivated heading into 2026, recently posting a TikTok video of himself hitting while wearing a shirt that reads “NOT ELITE.” While some were quick to interpret the shirt negatively, I see it as yet another example of Bryce Harper’s knack for marketing himself. As a known Philly Phanatic, he’s likely using Dombrowski’s comments as motivation rather than criticism.
Harper understands he needs to elevate his game if he wants to win a championship, and Dombrowski’s remarks could be the perfect fuel to help him return to elite form. It remains to be seen whether Rob Thomson will shake up the lineup and have Harper bat second ahead of Kyle Schwarber instead of third.
The Phillies’ lineup still has a significant gap in the middle, with JT Realmuto currently on the open market. Dave Dombrowski might opt to pursue another big-name free agent, such as Bo Bichette or Alex Bregman, rather than committing substantial money to Realmuto, whose offensive production has declined in recent seasons.
