It feels like the Phillies’ off-field drama is nowhere near over. Just a week ago, they finally moved on from Nick Castellanos after months of friction between him and manager Rob Thomson. Meanwhile, reports surfaced about a clash between Bryce Harper and president Dave Dombrowski over Harper’s rough 2025 season. Even if that was supposed to end in a truce, it doesn’t really look like things are settled.

In fact, there’s a growing sense that the tension is starting to affect roster decisions right on the eve of the regular season. The latest sign? Harper’s push to bolster the Phillies’ right-handed power, which Dombrowski reportedly shut down without much hesitation.

“Sources tell me Bryce Harper has been advocating for more right-handed power and someone who could give the Phillies more emotional edge and swagger. I’m told Harper suggested Dave Dombrowski look into a reunion with Rhys Hoskins, who remains a free agent. I’m told Hoskins is game to come back and finish the job with the Phillies. Dombrowski kicked the tires on a potential reunion before ultimately deciding Hoskins is not a fit, according to sources,” sideline reporter Devan Kaney shared via X.

So why call for Hoskins in Philadelphia? Because on the right side of this lineup, beyond Adolis García, there really isn’t a true 25-homer threat. Moreover, Hoskins’ 162-game average is 28 home runs, and even during two fairly underwhelming seasons in Milwaukee, the power was still there. Before a thumb injury cut his 2024 season short, he was hitting .242/.340/.428 with a 115 wRC+, comfortably above league average. And with his last drawn $7 million salary, the Phillies would not face much of a financial burden.

From that angle, the solution feels easy. Harper stays at first, Hoskins becomes a right-handed power bat off the bench, and if injuries hit or matchups demand it, they suddenly have flexibility. This would mean the Phillies are not reshaping the roster for him. They are just adding a guy who can do damage against lefties when the moment calls for it.

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But from Dombrowski’s perspective, Hoskins just doesn’t fit cleanly.

He’s no longer a viable outfielder, Kyle Schwarber has the DH spot locked down, and there isn’t an obvious roster opening. Sure, the Phillies could move Harper back to the outfield and slide Hoskins in at first, but that creates a domino effect. Why? Because Adolis García would be splitting time with Brandon Marsh in left, or Marsh would shift to center and cut into Justin Crawford’s reps.

Hence, according to the Phillies president, getting Hoskins onto the MLB roster without a trade, injury, or cut feels pretty unrealistic.

Sure, strategically, both sides make sense. But the bigger question is whether this latest rejection is just another baseball decision or the spark for yet another Harper-Dombrowski showdown.

The Phillies might face a reignited tussle

Well, Bryce Harper clearly hasn’t forgotten the comments Dave Dombrowski made back in October, when he publicly questioned whether Harper still had another gear to reach. At the time, Dombrowski said Harper “didn’t have an elite season as he has had in the past.”

And when we’re talking about Bryce Harper, that’s the kind of quote that doesn’t just fade away with the offseason. The Phillies veteran made that much clear when he addressed it with reporters at spring training. “For Dave to say those things, it is still wild to me,” he said.

What’s worse is that, unlike the situation with Nick Castellanos, this isn’t a case where the Phillies can just cut bait if things get uncomfortable. Why?

Despite all the criticism surrounding his quieter 2025, Harper still put up a .261 average with 27 HRs and 75 RBIs. Yes, that’s not elite by his own sky-high standards, maybe, but it’s still very productive.

But now the spotlight shifts to Dombrowski’s latest decision to brush off Harper’s input, and if that snub is about to send the Phillies clubhouse on yet another unpredictable ride.