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Dave Dombrowski knows what he's doing. At least you would hope he does. The decades-long baseball executive has taken multiple franchises to deep playoff runs and World Series titles, and he's been doing everything he possibly can to get the Phillies there. After yet another early playoff exit after 96 wins and championship expectations, Dombrowski fielded questions from reporters for nearly an hour last week, and dropped this interesting quote: “in Bryce’s case, of course he’s still a quality player … He didn’t have an elite season like he has had in the past, and I guess we only find out if he becomes elite [again] or he continues to be good.” “Can he rise to the next level again? I don’t really know that answer," Dombrowski continued. "He’s the one that will dictate that more than anything else.” According to a report from the NY Post's Jon Heyman, Dombrowski's questioning of Harper's elite skills "pissed off" the 33-year-old two-time MVP. Good — it was supposed to. If Harper wasn't pissed off, you'd be worried. He's the kind of professional athlete who isn't complacent. Remember how he answered the Braves' bulletin board material? Harper has every motivation to come back stronger in 2026 after playing in 126 games this season and battling through injuries. There is almost no chance the outfielder-turned-first baseman will be traded anytime soon. His contract and his importance to the Phillies' future plans are too high for that to be on the table. And Dombrowski said as much. “Bryce Harper’s not getting traded," Dombrowski told Heyman. "He’s a great player. He’s a future Hall of Famer. He’s a cornerstone of our franchise, and we look to have him be with us a long, long time.” The question is not whether he'll be with the Phillies next year — he will. We're not even including him in our three-week comprehensive "Phillies stay or go" series. But is he on the decline? There is a clear issue from the table above. And it's not his power, or his on-base percentage. It's his health. Harper has missed 166 games over the last five seasons, more than an entire regular season's worth of games. That's 20 percent of regular-season action that the Phillies are left without Harper. Harper has missed games for the following ailments since 2021: • left-forearm injury (2021)• Back • Left calf injury• Sore left wrist• Facial injury (hit by pitch) • Fractured left thumb (hit by pitch, 2022)• Right forearm injury• Blister• Elbow injury• Right elbow UCL (surgery) (2023)• Back spasms• Left hamstring strain (2024)• Left hand contusion • Migraine headaches• Right elbow contusion (hit by pitch) (2025)• Right wrist inflammation That is a very lengthy list. Dombrowski didn't say it, but the Phillies need their mid-30s superstar — a player entering his 15th MLB season — to be healthy. If he can stay on the field, he'll be elite. His numbers back it up. Extrapolate Harper's 2025 campaign over the full 162 games and you get 33 homers, which would be his most since his 2021 MVP season. His "hard hit" rate in 2025 was also 47.5 percent, second highest on the Phillies (behind the MLB leader in Kyle Schwarber, at a ridiculous 59.6 percent). Bad luck has shortened Harper's last five seasons, and that he's played so well while dealing with constant pain and discomfort is even more impressive. Give Harper 150 games of good health, and he'll play like an MVP. The questions is whether his body, which has been grinding through major league seasons since he was a teenager, is up to that task. SIGN UP HERE to receive the PhillyVoice Sports newsletter Follow Evan on Twitter:@evan_macy Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports
