Bryce Harper has never been one to shy away from national attention; this is the same man who reportedly cursed out his own commissioner, Rob Manfred, to his face last summer. So after an offseason in which his team was doubted and his own performance was called into question by his boss Dave Dombrowski, it felt like Harper was about to embark on a revenge tour for the ages. Instead, he spent the first weekend of the Philadelphia Phillies' season proving his doubters right.
The Phillies dropped two of three to the Texas Rangers, and Harper struggled mightily, going 1-for-13 at the plate and striking out three times. Even after just one series, the City of Brotherly Love is ironically losing patience.
This is not the start Bryce Harper, Phillies were hoping for
The National League East is an absolute gauntlet. Between the New York Mets, the Atlanta Braves and oddly enough, even the undefeated Miami Marlins, the Phillies have a tough road back to the playoffs. On paper, the Philly offense can be as dangerous as anyone in the league, but we have been saying that for years at this point.
The core of that offense has quickly moved towards the end of their prime years; we've grown accustomed to seeing Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, Harper and J.T. Realmuto in a Phillies uniform, but that group isn't getting any younger, and the recent returns are trending in the wrong direction. All of a sudden 2026 feels like World Series or bust. If Harper's struggles continue, it will likely be the latter.
The only major addition the Phillies added to their everyday lineup this offseason was outfielder Adolis Garcia. It's the familar faces, like Harper, that the organization is looking to carry them throughout the season and into October. But even with all the motivation he could possibly ask for, even with a healthy offseason, Harper has come out and laid an egg. And while it's obviously too early to draw any firm conclusions, it seems more and more likely that his MVP form is a thing of the past.
Is Bryce Harper now firmly in decline?
Dombrowski publicly questioned whether Harper can still be considered "elite" after an overall down year (by Harper's standards) in 2025. For context, Harper still hit .261 with 27 homers in 132 games, with injuries preventing him from playing a full season. Dombrowski later apologized for his comments, but you can't put that toothpaste back into the tube, as Harper himself pointed out.
Back in 2019, Harper signed a 13-year deal with Philly worth an astounding $330 million. Parting ways with him would have been a tough pill to swallow considering how big of a role he plays in the Phillies' offense. And if you don't believe he is as important as he was once, dig deeper into the box scores of Philadelphia's opening series.
We like to think 33 years of age is quite young, but it is worth noting that this is Harper's 15th season as a big leaguer. Obviously one series is too soon to tell, but the conversations of the eight-time All-Star being "washed" are coming to life. Just take a peek under the hood: Harper spent all weekend beating balls into the ground, showing an alarming inability to do damage even when he got pitches to hit in the strike zone.
The worst possible scenario for the Phillies is that Harper's struggles continue for an extended amount of time. If Harper is not at his best, neither is this team. Considering his current contract, it would put the front office between a rock and a hard place trying to move on. Trading or releasing Harper would never feel like an option, no matter how bad things get. The Phillies (literally) cannot afford for Harper to continue playing this far below expectations.