The Philadelphia Phillies are grappling with the fallout of yet another lackluster playoff performance, and a surprising comment about their star slugger may have added fuel to the fire.

During his season-end press conference, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski shared candid remarks about Bryce Harper’s career path. He acknowledged Harper’s solid season but suggested the slugger no longer ranks among the game’s “elite” players.

Dombrowski emphasized that it’s up to Harper to reclaim his former dominance, a feat he noted is far from guaranteed.

Coming from a veteran executive like Dombrowski, these words could carry a subtle but pointed message for the team’s cornerstone player.

“Dombrowski’s been around way too long to have said that without having some meaning behind it,” insider Joel Sherman said during an appearance on the “Pinstripe Post” podcast after the press conference.

“I continue to wonder if the meaning is the player is unhappy with his contract and this was a kind of side glance back at, you know, ‘I can take some shots here too.’”

Harper has been vocal about wanting an extension with the Phillies, despite being in the eighth year of his 13-year, $330 million contract. In light of Dombrowski’s remarks and his apparent belief that Harper is dissatisfied with his current deal, Sherman floated the idea of a blockbuster trade that could see Harper leave Philadelphia this offseason.

“Would I be 100% shocked if Bryce Harper got traded this offseason?” Sherman questioned. “No.”

With that blunt, one-word response to his own question, Sherman introduced a startling possibility.

After yet another postseason letdown and with pointed remarks from the team’s top executive, the Phillies might be quietly exploring trade options for the player long seen as the face of their franchise.

Could Philadelphia actually trade Harper? That remains to be seen, but it can’t be entirely counted out at this point in time.