With the Philadelphia Phillies dropping their fourth straight series since the All-Star break, Bryce Harper was blunt when asked if the team needs reinforcements as the Monday trade deadline approaches.
"I think we need some help," Harper said Tuesday night after the Phillies lost 1-0 to the Marlins, their eighth defeat in 11 games since the break. They have scored one run or fewer in six of those 11 games.
Harper was responding to a question about whether this Philadelphia lineup could beat good pitching come October, like they saw Tuesday in Miami. Sandy Alcantara pitched four-hit ball over seven sharp innings, striking out five and walking one. He didn't give up a hit until Bryan De La Cruz reached on an infield single with two outs in the fifth. It was his major league-leading 16th quality start.
"I think we've proved pretty much all year we've done a pretty good job, but any time you can get some help in here and reinforcements, I think it helps," Harper said.
Asked if that help would be best coming in the form of an arm or a bat, Harper said, "I think both."
"I think obviously everybody knows what we need," Harper continued. "I've said it over the last couple of days. We need both."
As for whether he's confident that help is on the way, Harper said that's a question for Dave Dombrowski, the team's president of baseball operations.
Harper recently told The Athletic that he brought his old outfield glove on the Phillies' road trip, in the event the team were to trade for a first baseman. Harper, 33, has not played right field in a game since April 2022; a ligament injury to his right elbow saw him switch to designated hitter and later first base.
At 57-51, Philadelphia is six games back of the first-place Atlanta Braves in the National League East and has a tenuous hold on a wild-card spot.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
