Bryce Harper discusses Phillies' future following playoff elimination

Bryce Harper expressed expectations for changes within the Philadelphia Phillies organization after their recent playoff elimination. The team has not won a playoff series in three consecutive seasons, following a seven-game loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League Championship Series (NLCS) in 2023. Harper stated, "Each year’s so different than the year before. I don’t really put stock into years before or what happened or anything else," after the team was eliminated by the Atlanta Braves. He noted that the roster is likely to change significantly, mentioning, "I’d imagine this team is going to look a lot different next year with the guys that are leaving this clubhouse." The Phillies finished the 2026 season with an 88-74 record, securing their fifth consecutive postseason berth with a victory in Game 162. They had previously won at least 90 games in each of the three prior seasons. Harper, a two-time MVP and nine-time All-Star, is under contract with the team through 2031. Following their 6-2 loss in Game 3, Harper remarked, "You’re here to do business. You’re here to win games, and we didn’t do that." Aaron Nola, a pitcher for the team since 2015, also reflected on the season's challenges, stating, "Obviously, we’d love to win a World Series with these guys. We’ve been together quite a while, and we’ve got a good clubhouse, and you know, good characters on this team." Interim manager Don Mattingly commented on the team's performance, saying, "You’d love to be able to set your pitching up and them be rested and all that kind of stuff. But that’s not the way it went." Mattingly recently stepped down from his position as manager.