PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Bryce Harper turned 33 on Thursday, and the celebration for the new father of four just might not stretch very far inside Philadelphia's front office.

Harper's .844 OPS was his lowest since 2016 and his .261 average was his worst since 2019, prompting Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski to analyze whether the two-time NL MVP can return to form with six seasons left on his $330 million, 13-year deal.

“He's still a quality player. He's still an All-Star caliber player,” Dombrowski said Thursday. “He didn't have an elite season like he's had in the past. I guess we only find out if he becomes elite or he continues to be good.”

That scouting report could sting a player who in 2022 helped carry the Phillies into the playoffs for the first time in 11

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