Bryce Harper Told Kyle Schwarber He’ll Be His Manager If He Ever Buys an MLB Team

Bryce Harper has been thinking about life after baseball. And apparently, he’s already picked out his first hire.

According to a report from The Athletic’s Stephen J. Nesbitt and Zack Meisel, the Phillies star has interest in owning part of an MLB team someday and running its baseball operations. But here’s the fun part — he wants his current teammate Kyle Schwarber to manage that hypothetical team.

Harper told The Athletic he’s been messing with Schwarber about it. “Dude, you’re going to be the best manager,” Harper said. “If I ever own a team, you’re going to manage my team.”

It’s a lighthearted exchange between two guys who are carrying the Phillies offense right now. At 33, Harper is still raking — a .908 OPS with 20 homers. Schwarber, also 33, leads the league with 30 home runs and a .575 slugging percentage. Philly’s lineup has been inconsistent at times, but the left-handed sluggers have been the steady force holding it together.

Harper’s post-playing plans are taking shape

Harper isn’t exactly on the verge of retirement. He’s still one of the best hitters in the game, and the Phillies are sitting at 49-38, good for second place in the NL East. But the guy clearly thinks big picture. Ownership is a different kind of challenge, and it’s not something you hear every day from active players. Harper’s hinted at front office interest before, but putting a name on the managerial seat — even jokingly — adds a layer of realness to it.

Schwarber as a manager? It’s not hard to imagine. He’s a sharp guy, well-liked in the clubhouse, and he’s been through the wringer in big moments — 2016 World Series champ, postseason heroics with the Cubs, and now a veteran presence in Philly. Whether that translates to running a dugout is another question, but Harper clearly sees something there.

What happens from here

This is all speculative, obviously. Harper hasn’t bought a team. Schwarber hasn’t hung up his cleats. Plans change. But it’s a fun glimpse into how Harper’s mind works. He’s not just thinking about batting titles and MVPs. He’s thinking about building something from the ownership suite someday.

For now, they’ve got a division to chase and a postseason to worry about. The manager talk can wait.