Overview
- Harper posted a Dec. 27 TikTok from a batting cage wearing a shirt that read “Not elite.”
- The message mirrors Dombrowski’s Oct. 16 remark that Harper “didn’t have an elite season” and uncertainty about a return to that level.
- Harper had said he was hurt by the comment and related trade speculation, and the two later spoke privately.
- Dombrowski subsequently clarified on Foul Territory that he views Harper as one of the game’s best, describing “not elite” as a relative label.
- Harper’s output has fallen from his 2021 MVP peak, including a 2025 .361 wOBA that ranked 21st among qualifiers, and the video has renewed attention during an uneasy offseason.