Manfred says his exchange with Harper has been blown out of proportion, per ESPN’s Jesse Rogers. “I think more has been made out of this than needs to be made out of it,” Manfred said. “Bryce expressed his views.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred downplayed a reported tense meeting with the Philadelphia Phillies and specifically superstar Bryce Harper while speaking with reporters on Friday in Chicago, where he was in town to announce that the 2027 MLB All-Star Game will take place in Wrigley Field.