Bryce Harper Sets the Record Straight on Rhys Hoskins Recruitment, Dave Dombrowski’s Comments
Nov 1, 2022; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins (17) celebrates with designated hitter Bryce Harper (3) after hitting a solo home run against the Houston Astros during the fifth inning in game three of the 2022 World Series at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Spring Training, which is a time to ease back into baseball and enjoy the Florida sunshine, hasn’t been too easy nor relaxing this February — at least for Bryce Harper.
Harper has been thrust into the Philadelphia — and even national spotlight — for a few weeks now because of Dave Dombrowski’s comments at a press conference a few months ago, where Dombrowski pondered whether Harper could return to his “elite” form.
When Harper first arrived at Clearwater, he held an audience with members of the media and discussed the comments and the impact they had on him. He described the comments as “wild”, saying that the organization has a reputation for keeping things internal, and he’s not sure why Dombrowski neglected to talk to him one-on-one.
Harper then went on Bussin’ With The Boys and discussed life, baseball, and the drama that had ensued over the winter.
Now, the drama is leaking into the “pre-season.” Harper’s relationship with Dombrowski and other higher-ups of the organization has been in question since they questioned his elitism. As of last Friday, the relationship seemed to have taken another public turn.
94.1 WIP reporter, Devan Kaney, tweeted that Harper had advocated for the Phillies to sign Rhys Hoskins as added right-handed power and protection for the left-handed heavy lineup. This off-season, the Phillies signed Adolis Garcia as their right-handed bat, and Hoskins recently signed a minor-league contract with the Guardians.
The report, which came from Kaney’s sources, appeared to add to the notion that Harper isn’t happy with the offseason moves by the organization. However, Harper cleared the air on WIP’s Morning Show on Tuesday.
“We didn’t really talk about Rhys [Hoskins],” Harper said. “We talked about him maybe last year, at the deadline, but we never talked about Rhys this off-season, team-wise.”
Harper then stated he’d love to have Hoskins back in any fashion, but it doesn’t fit for the team right now. For it to be a fit, Harper would likely have to change positions, that is, unless 32-year-old Hoskins returned to left field.
In the past, Harper has made public that he would change positions for the right candidate, which Hoskins presently does not fit the mold of. It’s also worth noting to take Harper’s comments with a grain of salt, as he would do anything if it meant another step towards winning the World Series. WIP asked him about his willingness to change positions on Tuesday’s show, and Harper took a different approach.
“I don’t think it’s going to happen,” Harper said. “I’ve talked about it over the years. They’ve told me they want me to be at first base. I wouldn’t come out and say something if I didn’t mean it.”
It’s unlikely the Phillies will ever move Harper off first base, no matter what he says to the media. The two-time MVP has finished as a Gold Glove finalist in each of the three years he’s played the position, and it’d be organizational malpractice to put him at further risk of injury in the outfield.
Notably, in last week’s media, Harper never directly said that he and Phillies management had talked things out. That’s because, as reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer, they had not done so yet. This time around, he set things straight.
“We communicated,” Harper said regarding John Middleton, Dombrowski, and Rob Thomson. “It’s in the past, and we’re trying to move on and get ready for the season.
“We’re looking forward to getting into the season and making new headlines,” Harper said with a chuckle.
The WIP Morning Show will talk with Dombrowski tomorrow.
Sean Regenye
Sean Regenye is a junior broadcast journalism major at Penn State University. He is a die-hard Philly sports fan and loves baseball, especially the Phillies.
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