The Philadelphia Phillies once again came up short of reaching the World Series this season, and team president Dave Dombrowski has openly questioned whether Bryce Harper can still perform at an elite level.
Amid that uncertainty, MLB insider Joel Sherman recently mentioned that while a Harper trade remains unlikely, he wouldn’t be entirely shocked if it happened. Still, with the idea circulating, it’s reasonable to expect that some teams might reach out to see if the Phillies are open to discussions. FanSided’s Christopher Kline even floated the possibility of the Boston Red Sox emerging as a potential destination for the superstar slugger.
“Boston’s lineup has always been full of lefties and Fenway Park should treat Harper extremely well,” wrote Kline. “He’s quite possibly cheaper than Bregman, with more slugging to complement Boston’s up-and-comers. Roman Anthony can certainly learn a thing or two from having Harper around the clubhouse. Boston is already within striking distance of winning the division and the pennant. Harper, whether he’s there to effectively replace Bregman or to play alongside him, gives the Red Sox a lot more juice in that highly competitive corner of the baseball map.”
The Red Sox moved on from their own big-money star earlier this year when they traded Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants. With Bryce Harper still owed six years on his $330 million contract, he could step in as Boston’s new marquee player. The team does have financial flexibility, but taking on Harper’s deal would likely limit its ability to make other major moves this offseason.
Even though Harper didn’t make the All-Star team this year, he still posted an impressive .844 OPS with 27 home runs — numbers that would have ranked second in OPS on the Red Sox (behind Roman Anthony, who appeared in only 71 games) and first in homers. Boston also has a deep pool of young talent that could entice Philadelphia in trade talks, particularly given the Red Sox’s surplus of promising outfielders — an area where the Phillies could use reinforcements.
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