The Philadelphia Phillies' spring training workouts are well underway, and all the stars have officially reported to camp. The biggest star, first baseman Bryce Harper, spoke to the media on Sunday, his first day in Clearwater, Florida. Obviously, there was a big focus on possible simmering tensions between Harper and Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski.
There was a lot to unpack after a long offseason filled with questions about Harper and his thoughts heading into 2026. Harper covered a lot in his interview, but he did directly mention New York Yankees star outfielder Aaron Judge when talking about a person he's interested in playing alongside.
Harper discussed the upcoming World Baseball Classic in March and his excitement in getting a chance to play in the international tournament. One of the things he pointed out was getting the opportunity to hit in front of Judge.
“Having Aaron Judge hit behind me is gonna be a lot of fun as well,” Harper said.
“Having Aaron Judge hit behind me is gonna be a lot of fun.” -Bryce Harper on playing for Team USA pic.twitter.com/AcpzbFcK7x
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) February 16, 2026
Bryce Harper could have signed with the Yankees in an alternate universe
The comment may seem small but brings up a very interesting point from Harper's free agency ahead of the 2019 season. Harper even said in an interview in 2023 how he was a renowned Yankees fan from his teenage years with the likes of Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, and others.
That young fandom also fueled a desire to potentially sign with the Yankees after he left the Washington Nationals in free agency. The Yankees never called nor even met with the star, leading to the marriage with the Phillies on a 13-year, $330 million mega-deal. Perhaps Philadelphia was always going to be the destination anyway, but the jab at the Yankees reminds fans that it could have realistically happened at the time.
Harper's lingering frustration with Dombrowski (subscription required) sours some feelings before the season even begins. It could just be a height of emotions after hearing Harper for the first time since Dombrowski's “not elite” comments, but it also creates an unknown of where the star and his relationship to the city go from here.
Harper has repeatedly shown admiration and gratefulness for being a part of the Phillies organization, so Phillies fans hope that this feeling will pass and that everyone can put this behind them. Harper is poised for a defining year in 2026 and will hope to avoid any distraction from him being the leader of the club.
Harper will be a massive part of Team USA in the WBC in just a few weeks and will join other notable Phillies players. Anyone would surely love hitting alongside Judge, and Harper is just looking to play with another star.