Bryce Harper gave Yankees another reason to avoid latest batch of trade rumors in Phillies’ elimination

For many New York Yankees fans, the club's decision not to pursue Bryce Harper in free agency back in the 2018-2019 offseason is still a sore spot. The dream of having a three-headed monster of Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Harper foreshadowed many parades down the Canyon of Heroes, until Brian Cashman decided to not even pick up the phone.

Since then, many have held out hope that New York would realize the error of its ways and trade for Harper, though as he ages, the impact he would have on the team's World Series quest diminishes.

After seeing how the Phillies matched up with the Braves in the NL Wild Card Series, we might be seeing that Harper has jumped the shark, no longer worthy of the hungry eyes fans throw his way whenever it seems a potential trade window opens up.

Down 6-2 in the do-or-die Game 3 matchup, Harper struck out with two outs in the top of the eighth. Harper initially didn't realize that the ball had gotten by the catcher, prompting Phillies announcer John Kruk to yell, "Run!" Once he finally took off, it became clear that those 34-year-old wheels aren't what they used to be.

So while some believe that Philadelphia's early exit could provide the Yankees with another opportunity to pull the trigger on a trade, it's worth asking ourselves: are we really still that interested? After all, Harper is no Spencer Jones.

The Yankees' roster couldn't support a trade for Bryce Harper anyway

Obviously, one play that likely would have resulted in an out anyway is no reason to take a talent like Harper off the board. Even though he's aging, he's still a quality player. This season, he posted a .269/.380/.485 line with 29 homers while playing all 162 games. It's not what he was at his peak, but it's also nothing to sneeze at.

Harper also returned to right field for a large chunk of the second half in order to accommodate the Luis Arraez trade. Marking the first time since 2022 that he spent any time out on the grass. However, if the -5 defensive runs saved over just 363 2/3 innings in right wasn't enough of a red flag, then the knee pain he dealt with at times while roaming the outfield certainly is.

The long story short is that Harper's a first baseman for now with eyes on becoming a full-time DH sooner rather than later. Now ask yourself, can the Yankees really support that?

New York has Ben Rice and Luis Garcia Jr. clogging up first base (and DH). The team also has Giancarlo Stanton under contract for 2027. Spencer Jones will definitely be in the outfield mix as well. Then there's that Judge guy, who it would be wise to find more DH days for moving forward as well. So, do they really need another first-base-right-field-DH type? How about maybe getting a third baseman for once?

On top of that, the Yankees need more guys who can run, not less. We've already seen the impact that lack of foot speed can have with Trent Grisham's outfield adventures. The club can move on from the hobbling center fielder this offseason, and they should be looking to add speed and athleticism to the outfield, not another old dude who can't move.

Of course the Phillies taking stock of their future could lead them to consider blowing it up this offseason, but even if they do, there's no guarantee that Harper moves. The former No. 1 overall pick has a no-trade clause, and by all accounts, has put down roots in Philly and values the stability of playing out the rest of his career in one city.

Harper and Judge are close, and in the past that might have been a deciding factor for Harper, but it's hard to say that friendship has more pull than family and stability, especially once you reach a certain age. Simply put, whiffing on Harper in free agency will go down as one of the biggest black marks on Cashman's record, but the ship has sailed on him being a valid target for the Yankees.

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