Bryce Harper sends clear message to Phillies fans after frustration with Dombrowski

Bryce Harper made sure to address Philadelphia Phillies fans in his most recent statement, published Saturday in The Athletic. He clarified that he intends to finish his career playing with the team, the one with which he holds a 13-year contract, and that he fully trusts the club to fulfill its promise.

“I wanted these fans to know Philly is my home, so from the start, I made the commitment to stay here for the rest of my career,” Harper told The Athletic. “No opt-out, even though I was advised otherwise. I trust John.”

This message was a direct response from Harper following comments made by Dave Dombrowski and the resulting trade speculation, which a report from Jon Heyman in The New York Post revealed yesterday had very low probability.

Can the Phillies trade harper?

Despite the fact that he has a 13-year contract with the team, the front office could potentially trade Harper, as his contract lacks an opt-out clause, a detail he mentioned in his message to the fans.

Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies acknowledges the crowd.

Scott Boras, Harper’s agent, was reportedly never in favor of the star signing a contract without an opt-out clause. However, since the deal is already signed, there is little that can be done if the team decides to make a move heading into the next season.

In 2023, Boras had previously revealed that Harper was seeking a long extension: “Bryce Harper wants to discuss a contract extension to stay with the Phillies for the rest of his career, per Scott Boras.” No further news on that matter has surfaced since.

Social media reactions to the Harper situation

The drama surrounding Harper’s response to Dombrowski’s comments has drawn all kinds of reactions, though the majority have been in favor of the first baseman, with a few comments lightly against him.

“Everyone turning on Bryce Harper probably started watching baseball in the last 3 years lol. He’s the reason we have meaningful baseball in this city and a competitive team,” wrote Nicole (@nic_remy2021) on X.

see also

Bryce Harper reportedly furious with top Phillies executive after surprising comments

“It is rightfully so. People are treating Bryce Harper’s season like he was abysmal. He was top 25 in baseball in OPS, which is a down year for him when he missed a month. And he should be even more mad that Middleton or Dombrowski haven’t reached out since the comments,” wrote Luke Arcaini.

“Dombrowski’s comments were honest, I could understand if Harper didn’t like them. But in no way did he start a trade rumor. Even if the outside trade speculation was based in truth, why would Dombrowski undersell his value prior to a potential trade? Bryce looks ridiculous,” wrote Buzz (@dan_wilson4) on X.