Report: Bryce Harper signs with the Philadelphia Phillies
photo: NBC News
First reported by Jon Heyman of the MLB Network, Bryce Harper has signed a contract with the Philadelphia Phillies for 13 years and 330 million dollars. Ken Rosenthal of The Atlantic reported that the contract does not include an opt out clause for either side. Harper also has a full no-trade clause included in the contract.
Scott Boras, Harper’s agent, noted that he and Harper sifted through numerous offers, but in the end, the term of the contract, the total salary, and the ability to play at Citizen’s Park all contributed to Harper’s decision to sign in Philadelphia, despite interest from other suitors. Said Boras to the New York Post, “Bryce wanted one city for the rest of his career. That is what I was instructed to do. It is very difficult in this time to get length of contract that takes a player to age 37, 38, 39.” Boras commented that they received offers from other teams ranging as high as 45 million per year, but the allure of a long contract superseded the desire to make loads of money.
In the end of a winter filled with drama, speculation, debates, and false reports, Boras and Harper got what they had reportedly sought the entire time. In signing a contract of this magnitude, Harper became the recipient of the largest guaranteed contract ever for a baseball player, eclipsing the 13 year, 325 million dollar contract signed by Giancarlo Stanton in 2015. At the end of last season, rumors of Harper or Manny Machado seeking 400 million dollars had every sportswriter wondering who would pony up the cash for such young, elite players. Despite striking out on Machado, the Phillies win the Harper sweepstakes, and add the 6-time All-Star’s big bat to the middle of their lineup for the next 13 years.
Analysis
There are a few words that truly define Harper’s tenure as a National. Potential. Swag. Flair. Power. Moxie. But I think the one word that defines his career as a National better than those above is drama. Now, not all drama is bad. Harper’s Home Run Derby performance was full of it, and honestly, it might be his most impactful, memorable moment as a National. But from the moment he donned the Curly W for the first time, the expectations surrounding him always seemed to be just a bit too big to fill. Harper’s career, and respectively the Nationals season, seesawed too much to warrant a record-breaking contract. Yes, the 2015 campaign that saw Harper capture the NL MVP award was incredible. Otherworldly. But as good as he was in 2015 and 2017, 2016 and 2018 was just the opposite. The Jonathan Papelbon fiasco, the lack of hustle, the strikeouts all culminated in that feeling that just maybe Bryce wasn’t the next “Chosen One.” Maybe he was a bit of a prima donna whose mouth and lack of maturity got him in more trouble than he was worth.
It’s gonna be tough as a fan to watch Harper swing the bat and patrol right field wearing a Phillies jersey. There will be at least 247 games against the Nationals during the length of his contract, and I’m not going to enjoy many of those. But frankly, I’m really not discouraged. At the beginning of Winter Meetings, Mike Rizzo told the media that he can’t base all team decisions around Harper and that he was going to construct the best roster that he can, with or without Bryce. And he did. He bolstered the starting rotation by adding the best left-handed pitcher in baseball last season in Patrick Corbin. He signed Kurt Suzuki and traded for Yan Gomes, taking a catching unit that ranked dead last in the MLB and added 2 of the top 5 hitting catchers. He patched up a shaky bullpen with the additions of Kyle Barraclough and Trevor Rosenthal. And inserting Brian Dozier at second base should provide lots of stability and more offensive production to the right side of the infield. The outfield looks solid as well, despite Harper’s absence. 2018 rookie of the year runner-up Juan Soto returns to left field, Adam Eaton resumes his duties in right field, and baseball’s former number 2 overall prospect, Victor Robles will kick off his first full campaign as the starter in centerfield. At the end of the day, Harper’s 3.9 average WAR over the course of 7 seasons is not worth the 25 million dollars a year he ended up signing for.
Despite the constant distraction of Harper’s contract situation, Rizzo and company made the best decision they could for the team. And to be honest, I feel like the Nationals dodged a bullet here. 13 years for a player like Harper, whose injury problems are well-known is a big risk. The lack of an opt out clause is a tough pill to swallow for the Phillies, and despite the lowered average annual value, they better hope that Harper keeps himself healthy and productive or they will regret spending big money on a guy that can’t stay on the field. Philadelphia fans are getting a heck of a player, sure. But I wouldn’t be surprised if the same issues (lack of hustle, strikeout, ego) that kept most Nationals fans from truly adoring Harper don’t end up bothering Phillies fans too. Keep your heads up, Nats fans. Today might not have been a great day, but an honest look at the roster suggests that bright days are ahead for the Nationals.
