Harper says Phillies roster will change after Wild Card loss
After the Phillies were eliminated by the Atlanta Braves in the Wild Card round, outfielder Bryce Harper said the team will look different next season as players depart.
The Philadelphia Phillies were knocked out of the 2026 postseason by the Atlanta Braves in the Wild Card series, prompting outfielder Bryce Harper to say the roster will undergo significant changes for the next year. Harper, who is under contract through 2031, noted that the current core will be joined by new players after several members leave the clubhouse.
Harper added, "You’re here to do business. You’re here to win games, and we didn’t do that," referring to the 6-2 loss in Game 3 that ended the series.
Pitcher Aaron Nola, a longtime member of the club, echoed the sentiment, saying the team needs to "play good at the right time" and that the group has a solid clubhouse and good characters but failed to come together this season.
Interim manager Don Mattingly also commented on the defeat, explaining that the team could not set up its pitching staff as planned and had to fight in every game of the series.
The Phillies finished the regular season with an 88-74 record, securing a postseason berth for the fifth straight year after needing a win in the final game of the schedule. The club had posted at least 90 wins in each of the three prior seasons.