Think Harper’s motivated? | Sports Daily Newsletter

Yes, Bryce Harper says, he was irked in October when Dave Dombrowski said this about him: “He didn’t have an elite season like he has had in the past. And I guess we only find out if he becomes elite [again], or if he continues to be good.”

You might recall that the Phillies first baseman wore a wore a T-shirt that said “Not elite,” an image that went viral on social media over the holidays. That indicated that Harper was indeed affected by the Phillies president’s comments.

On Sunday in Clearwater, Fla., Harper got a chance to address the issue ahead of the Phillies’ first full-squad workout of spring training today. “For Dave to come out and say those things, it’s kind of wild to me still,” Harper said.

“The big thing for me was, when we first met with this organization [in 2019] it was, ‘Hey, we’re always going to keep things in-house, and we expect you to do the same thing,’” he added. “So, when that didn’t happen, it kind of took me for a run a little bit. I don’t know.”

You don’t air your dirty laundry in public, right? So might Harper use Dombrowski’s critique as motivation? He says he’s plenty motivated on his own, but don’t be surprised if Harper channels all of this into an MVP-worthy season. Here’s more from Scott Lauber.

Harper also weighed in on the criticism these days of the Dodgers and their record-setting payroll. He points out that Los Angeles is doing plenty more right than just buying players — “they draft, they develop, they do it the right way.” In addition, he talked about the “juggernaut” that is the NL East, expectations for a few Phillies rookies, and more.

— Jim Swan, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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Did Nick Castellanos take a swipe at Rob Thomson? You decide.

Released last week, Castellanos signed a one-year deal with the San Diego Padres, but the Phillies will be paying the bulk of his $20 million salary.

Reporters talked to the outfielder Sunday at Padres camp in Peoria, Ariz., and Castellanos was effusive in his praise of new San Diego manager Craig Stammen, a 13-year veteran of the major leagues. “He’s a player. He’s done it,” Castellanos said. “He’s put on spikes. He’s grinded. He’s felt the feeling of success, and he’s also felt the feeling of when the game doesn’t go your way. There’s a lot of respect in that.”

Thomson never played in the majors. Here’s what else Castellanos had to say.

Now that Tyrese Maxwey knows what it takes to win the three-point shooting contest during NBA All-Star Weekend, the Sixers point guard says he’d like to try again. Maxey was eliminated after the first round Saturday night as Portland’s Damian Lillard captured the title.

“I just wanted to see what it was going to be like my first time,” Maxey said. “I’ll definitely come back and try to win it, for sure.”

Maxey had better luck in the All-Star Game, which actually was a three-team tournament. Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards was named MVP of the Stars team, which included Maxey and cruised to the championship.

Isabeau Levito’s Olympic chance is here at last and the 18-year-old skater from South Jersey says she wants to enjoy every minute at the Milan and Cortina Winter Games. “And obviously skating my best,” she says, “but I can already feel like I will. So that’s really what I’m really striving for.” Ellen Dunkel profiles Levito as she prepares for the short program on Tuesday.

Here’s today’s TV schedule for the Olympics.

The Union are set to begin their 2026 season on Wednesday with a Concacaf Champions Cup match at Defence Force F.C. in Port of Spain, Trinidad (6 p.m., FS2).

Here’s everything you need to know about their season, from offseason newcomers to this year’s competitions to how to watch all of it.

Goalkeeper Andre Blake is beginning his 13th season with the Union. He has to be wondering whether he’ll ever win a title here or make the World Cup with Jamaica.

The Union showed off their “world-class facility” in Chester last week in a tournament featuring some top soccer academies from Europe.

NFL sources say the Eagles are considering trading receiver A.J. Brown, even though such a trade would carry severe salary-cap ramifications; about $16 million, minimum.

Trading him would be crazy.

The Eagles should not even entertain offers for Brown. He is 28. He is driven. He is dedicated. He is irreplaceable. He’s spent the last four years making quarterback Jalen Hurts look good. That’s got to count for something. More from Marcus Hayes.

Feb. 16, 1970: Smokin’ Joe Frazier won the world heavyweight title with a fifth-round knockout of Jimmy Ellis at Madison Square Garden in New York.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Scott Lauber, Lochlahn March, Gina Mizell, Ellen Dunkel, Marcus Hayes, Jonathan Tannenwald, Owen Hewitt, Ryan Mack, and Matt Breen.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

Thanks for reading Sports Daily. I’ll see you in Tuesday’s newsletter. — Jim