MIAMI -- Tucked into the back of Bryce Harper's locker at loanDepot park is an outfielder’s glove.
The Phillies’ first baseman brought it, just in case he needs it.
Nobody knows what the Phils will do before the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline, but they will do something -- maybe more than one thing -- to try to improve their World Series chances.
The Phillies need a starter. They’re 5-21 in games not started by Cristopher Sánchez, Zack Wheeler, Jesús Luzardo and Aaron Nola. They need a late-inning reliever. The bridge to closer Jhoan Duran is shaky. They need a bat to help an offense that is 29th in Major League Baseball in on-base percentage (.304).
Harper is prepared for anything. So, if the Phillies somehow find a slugging first baseman in the next few days, he said he is ready to move to right field again. He has been willing to move there in the past.
“I have no idea what [president of baseball operations Dave] Dombrowski is thinking,” Harper said before homering in Monday night’s 7-5 victory over the Marlins. “I haven't talked to him. I mean, it's his job. It's not my job. It's my job to go out and play and do my job. And, obviously, the last month, I haven't done my job to the best of my ability.”
Harper entered Monday in one of the worst slumps of his career, batting .157 (13-for-83) with two home runs, 11 RBIs and a .581 OPS in his previous 23 games. It was his lowest OPS in a 23-game span since June 2018 (.575).
“I don’t feel like I’m going through it,” Harper said. “I mean, I am. Obviously. I'm hitting, like, .100 in the month of July. It's not ideal. The swing's not good. Not hitting balls over the plate. Chasing a lot. Just one of those months right now. So just try to fight through it and get to where I need to be.
“I feel it's the same thing every year when I talk to you guys. I go through a spurt of 30 games and it's the same thing.”
Harper is hitting .205 on pitches in the zone in July, which is his lowest mark (minimum 100 pitches) since July 2024 (.122). His chase rate in July (36.6 percent) is his highest since August 2025 (39.3 percent).
Perhaps he’s trying to do too much.
“I think that's more of: If I don't perform to my ability, then we're not going to be the team we should be, right?” Harper said. “So that's me always. But, like I said, obviously the last month's been crappy. Ever since Kansas City [July 4-6 vs. the Royals], that's kind of when it started going down.”
Harper has played every game this season. He would like to play 162. Maybe a day off could help. He will get a half-day on Tuesday, when he is expected to DH.
“I'm healthy,” Harper said. “I feel good. My body feels strong. It's just not going right now. It's not. And I know that. I'm doing everything I can. Right? I'm trying, but again, I think it’s just ... the chase and not hitting the pitches in the zone. I feel like I tell you guys this every year. I just haven't done it.
“So, yeah ... but Deadline-wise, I think there's going to be teams ready to go. I think there's going to be teams that aren't ready to go. Meaning, some teams are going to go for it, some teams aren't and there's not going to be a middleman this year. I think we got to play into that.”
That means being aggressive and taking a shot. Because this core of players isn’t going to be together forever.
“Organizationally, I haven't talked to anybody about it,” Harper said. “So I don't know. I mean, I think everybody knows kind of what we need, right? I mean everybody in here knows what we want. Everybody in baseball kind of knows what we need. So there's players out there that are available and I think we have a good opportunity to go get the guys we need. If that's bullpen, if that's in our lineup, if that's a starting pitcher. You guys know what our five spot's looked like all year.”
Any potential pieces might be more complementary in nature, considering the Phillies’ farm system isn’t as deep as others. It means the group already here will have to play well down the stretch and through October to win it all. Harper knows it.
Harper shaved his head over the weekend. He said it had nothing to do with his slump. But he doubled on Sunday night against the Yankees. It was his first extra-base hit since Tuesday against the Dodgers. He homered and walked on Monday against Miami.
Maybe things are starting to turn in his favor. Maybe just in time for the new arrivals.
“Just get us in,” Harper said. “I think that's a big deal, too. Hopefully, we have the pieces to do it.”