Don Mattingly taking aim at Bryce Harper trade deadline comments is last thing Phillies need

According to the Philadelphia Phillies first baseman, Bryce Harper, the Fightin' Phils "need help" at this year's trade deadline, a plea he madeduring a postgame interview after the team's 1-0 loss to the young and scrappy Miami Marlins on Tuesday.

"I think we've proved pretty much all year we've done a pretty good job, but any time you can get some help in here and reinforcements, I think it helps," Harper said, via NBC Sports Philadelphia. The armchair front office manager and everyday first baseman, after being asked if that help would come by way of an arm or a bat, simply replied, "I think both."

Harper, who one could argue should be accounting for some of the additional star power the Phillies need to succeed on his own, has been slashing .200/.297/.422 since the All-Star break, with the third-worst month of his career by OPS this July.

When talking to Matt Gelb of The Athletic earlier this week, he mentioned, “I brought my [outfield] glove just in case they make a trade," implying that a right-handed slugging first baseman is something on Harper's wish list, despite being vocal about wanting to stay at first base in the past (unless the right talent comes along).

Phillies Interim Manager Don Mattingly tries to keep his team focused on playing rather than the trade deadline

On Wednesday, prior to the Phillies blowing a 6-0 lead and losing again to the Marlins, interim manager Don Mattingly ratcheted up the stakes again, seemingly taking aim at Harper's trade deadline request.

"Guys want to be GMs, what you need ... without a real understanding of where the organization is, exactly where this thing goes. Not only this year, but moving forward. So, I mean, players like being GMs and making calls and spending other people's money. So, let it go at that,” Mattingly said in his pregame interview in Miami hours after Harper's comments.

When the interviewers then approached Mattingly about the team's concerns surrounding the Aug. 3 deadline, Mattingly simply replied, "I sense Bryce thinking about it; I don't really sense anybody else thinking about it, honestly," trying to keep the peace amongst Harper and the rest of a Phillies lineup that looks nothing short of zombified since the Midsummer Classic.

Mattingly has a point. Stating that the team needs help does directly imply the guys in the locker room aren't good enough to get the job done.

After a red-hot start to the Mattingly regime in Philadelphia, the Phillies' offense has gone cold since the All-Star festivities. They've lost nine out of their last 12 games, including Wednesday's 8-6 loss during a 12:30 matinee. If the series against a scrappy Miami ball club showed anything, it showed what Harper mentioned last night. Still, it maybe shouldn't have been said by a "leader" on the team who's making $26 million a year. If this creates internal discord, it won't help the Phillies steer out of this skid.

The Phillies need help. With the current roster and rotation, it's definitive that the Phillies are stuck in neutral.

Would it be great if the team's President of Baseball Operations, Dave Dombrowski, could pull off another miracle at the deadline, like he did last year after acquiring both Jhoan Durán and Harrison Bader to complete a successful playoff push? If "money is still no object," as has been said before by the Phillies' front office, then a quality right-handed bat along the lines of Jo Adell or a strong middle reliever could still be on the horizon for fans - and Harper - yet.

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