Phillies could part ways with $330M former MVP, 8-time All-Star following $107M roster decision

The Philadelphia Phillies are set to begin their season this week, just like the rest of the league. The biggest storyline out of Philadelphia this offseason came when President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski stated that first baseman Bryce Harper wasn’t elite last season.

“He didn’t have an elite season like he has in the past. 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 told the media.

The Phillies have made several roster decisions throughout the offseason, including extending a pair of pitchers. First, it was Jesús Luzardo, and over the weekend, Christopher Sánchez also received a new contract.

“The Phillies announced on Sunday morning that they have signed Sánchez to a new six-year contract that guarantees him $107 million through 2032, with a 2033 club option worth $32.5 million that can increase up to $44.5 million, according to a source,” MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki.

With the Phillies extending Sánchez, their long-term financial situation has become more complicated. Harper is one player who could feel the impact down the line.

“Unfortunately for Harper, he's paid a lot more than Sánchez and he's also under club control through 2031, which is his age-38 season. So there's not exactly a ton of incentive to pay him more money for longer. If Dombrowski isn't sure Harper can return to elite form this season, just imagine what he thinks Harper looks like in his late 30s. Harper will almost certainly retire as a Phillie, unless he wants to poke around a few more teams in his later years just to prove a point. But this Sánchez deal, ironically, almost guarantees that the contract restructure Harper has called for will never come to fruition. Moreover, Harper is technically off the books a year or two before Sánchez, which makes any second contract with the club — if Harper's production still warrants it — a bit trickier,” FanSided’s Christopher Kline wrote.

The Phillies are still relying on Harper to help bring a World Series back to Philadelphia after coming close in 2022. However, things have felt slightly different since Dombrowski made his comments earlier this offseason.

Philadelphia fans have embraced Harper throughout his time with the team. While a scenario like this may have seemed unlikely as recently as 2025, Dombrowski’s remarks have introduced a level of uncertainty moving forward.

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