PHILADELPHIA — 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.
“He's still a quality player. He's still an All-Star caliber player,” Dombrowski said Thursday. “He didn't have an elite season like he's had in the past. I guess we only find out if he becomes elite or he continues to be good.”
That scouting report could sting a player who in 2022 helped carry the Phillies into the playoffs for the first time in 11 years. Harper missed a month this season as he recovered from a wrist injury. Harper was 3 for 15 with no RBIs in the four-game loss to the Dodgers in the NL Division Series.
“Can he rise to the next level again? I don't really know that answer,” Dombrowski said. “He's the one that will dictate that more than anything else. I don't think he's content with the year that he had. Again, it wasn't a bad year. But when I think of Bryce Harper, you think elite, you think of one of the top-10 players in baseball and I don't think it fit into that category.”
Harper moved from right field to first following Tommy John surgery in November 2022.
“I think he’s highly motivated to have the best season of his career next year,” manager Rob Thomson said.
“What I’d like to see is just him be himself, try not to do too much,” he added. “Really focus on hitting the ball the other way. When he stays on the ball, he is such a great hitter. I think he just gets in the mindset that he tries to do a little too much because he knows that he’s Bryce Harper.”
Seeking Philadelphia's first title since 2008, Dombrowski has a roster that includes several key potential free agents He's not necessarily feeling pressure for a shake up.
“Need to be more change? We won 96 games,” Dombrowski said.
Who's staying
Thomson will return for his fifth season as manager and Dombrowski said the Phillies likely would reach a one-year extension beyond the 2026 season. Thomson has one year left on his deal.
The entire coaching staff — including embattled hitting coach Kevin Long — will return, though the Phillies are looking for a new bench coach. Mike Calitri will become a major league field coordinator, and the Phillies want to add someone with managerial experience to take his place.
Philadelphia has increased its wins total each of the last four years (87-90-95-96) while postseason runs have shortened: they reached the 2022 World Series, the 2023 NLCS and consecutive NLDS.
NL home run and RBIs champion Kyle Schwarber, veteran catcher J.T. Realmuto and rotation stalwart Ranger Suárez are all potential free agents. Outfielder Harrison Bader, who raised his value with a dynamic two months with the Phillies, has a mutual option he is sure to decline.
“It's probably impractical we're going to have all four of them back,” Dombrowski said.
Philadelphia holds a $9 million club option with a $500,000 buyout on left-handed reliver José Alvarado, whose season was interrupted by an 80-game suspension following a positive test for a banned performance-enhancing substance. Dombrowski said the Phillies could decline the option and work out a new deal.
“I'd be surprised, without making any announcements, that Alvarado's not back with us,” Dombrowski said.
Dombrowski said ace Zack Wheeler could return to the major leagues after May as he recovers from surgery and complications from a blood clot. Wheeler is set to begin his rehabilitation next week.
Philadelphia owner John Middleton allowed a $291.7 million payroll and a projected $55.9 million in luxury tax but the Phillies failed to snap out of their October pattern of frigid bats.
“We have a very substantial big league payroll and I don’t see that that’s going to change,” Dombrowski said. “John is very supportive of that. We have a good club with a lot of good players. But you don’t have unlimited (funds). I read some places where how they get better is they sign this guy, they sign that guy. I don’t think we’re going to have a $400 million payroll. I just don’t think that’s a practicality.”
Who's going?
Right fielder Nick Castellanos has one season left in the $100 million, five-year deal signed ahead of the 2022 season and seemed unhappy, citing personal issues with Thomson after losing his starting job late in the season.
Dombrowski said he became involved and settled the issue. There was no firm commitment Castellanos will return.
Outfielder Max Kepler will not return after he hit just .216 in his lone season on a $10 million deal. Reliever Dave Robertson also will not return.
Phillies are still here for Orion Kerkering
Kerkering made a wild throw past home instead of tossing to first that cost the Phillies Game 4 and the series. The only highlight replayed as much in Philadelphia than Kerkering's brain cramp of a throw was the sight of Thomson and many of his teammates consoling him.
“He will get whatever assistance, and we will offer him whatever assistance that he needs,” Dombrowski said. “We'll continue to work with him to try and get him through that. I think he can do that, but I also know it's a challenge for him and we'll keep in contact with him on a continued basis.”
Talking about practice
Reliever Matt Strahm drew attention after the Phillies were eliminated on Kerkering's error when he said there wasn't routine pitchers' fielding practice.
“The only thing I can think of is, if you don't routinely practice it, how do you expect to make it happen every time?" Strahm told The Athletic.
Let Dombrowski have the last word.
“We did plenty. Actually, as it turns out, we did do PFPs in the postseason. He didn’t do them. But we did them,” he said.
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