Overview
- Harper appeared in a batting-practice TikTok wearing a shirt that read “Not Elite,” referencing the phrase used about his 2025 season.
- Back in October, Phillies president Dave Dombrowski said Harper had a very good year but “didn’t have an elite season” and questioned whether he could reach that level again.
- Harper later said he was hurt by those comments, after which Dombrowski spoke with him privately and later emphasized Harper is one of the best players even if 2025 was not an elite year.
- The meaning of Harper’s shirt remains unclear, with coverage noting it could be a rebuke, a joke, or motivation as the topic returns to public view during an uneasy offseason.
- Context from recent seasons shows strong but less-than-MVP production for Harper, including a .361 wOBA in 2025 that ranked 21st among qualified hitters and season totals below his 2021 peak.