Don Mattingly Reacts to Bryce Harper’s Trade Deadline Comment

Interim manager Don Mattingly, who replaced the deposed Rob Thomson in late April and has done a fine job since, didn't seem to love what Harper said, per MLB.com.

“I sense Bryce thinking about it,” Mattingly said. “I don't really sense anybody else thinking about it, honestly. I’ve been through this. Guys want to be GMs, what you need without a real understanding of where the organization is, exactly where this thing goes. Not only this year, but moving forward. So, I mean, players like being GMs and making calls and spending other people's money. So, let it go at that.”

President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has a reputation for being aggressive on the market, but the chances of Philadelphia making a big splash before the Aug. 3 trade deadline don't seem that great. The team likely won't land a major difference-maker such as Mike Trout or Byron Buxton, let alone Tarik Skubal, at least partly due to its lack of attractive minor-league prospects.

Its needs include another reliable starting pitcher, a stronger bullpen, help in the outfield and a right-handed threat at the plate.

“I mean, Bryce is Bryce,” Mattingly said. “He's going to say what he wants, so I'm not really concerned about it. I just take it kind of with a grain of salt. And knowing how players are over the years, it’s not the first time I've heard this. You know, 'we need, we need.' I always look at it internally. You know, ‘I’ve got to get better. We’ve got to get better.’”

But the Phillies' star power is undeniable, and the hope is that one or two adequate players will plug their holes just enough for them to push hard through the second half of the summer and at least enter the playoffs with positive momentum.

After all, they're just four years removed from making it to the World Series and three years removed from coming within one win of a second straight trip to baseball's grandest stage. While the two-time defending world champion Los Angeles Dodgers have a gaudy 68-40 record, they have had key injuries, including a knee ailment that Shohei Ohtani is currently dealing with, and they aren't invincible.

Philly is currently 57-52 and seven games behind Atlanta. If the season ended today, it would claim the final wild-card playoff spot in the National League.

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