In the months leading to his decision, Harper reportedly rejected an in-season extension offer from the Washington Nationals for $300 million over 10 years. Albert Pujols ( Los Angeles Angels, 2012) and Robinson Cano ( Seattle Mariners, 2014) are playing on 10-year, $240-million contracts.īy average annual value, the highest free-agent contracts belonged to Zack Greinke ($34.4 million), David Price ($31 million), Max Scherzer ($30 million) and Roger Clemens ($28 million). Three years later, the cash-strapped Marlins traded Stanton to the New York Yankees and might still be on the hook for $30 million.īefore Machado, the highest free-agent contract was Alex Rodriguez’s 10-year, $275-million deal with the New York Yankees prior to the 2008 season, and before that Rodriguez’s 10-year, $252-million contract with the Texas Rangers (when Rodriguez was 25). It was the largest guarantee for a baseball player. Giancarlo Stanton signed a 13-year, $325-million contract extension with the Miami Marlins in November 2014, days after he turned 25 and a year before he’d reach free agency. The contract overtakes Manny Machado’s 10-year, $300-million free-agent deal with the San Diego Padres. Rhys Hoskins, their regular left fielder last season, moves to first base, his natural position. The Phillies are likely to have an outfield of Harper, McCutchen and Odubel Herrera. In mid-November, team owner John Middleton told reporters, “We’re going into this expecting to spend money, and maybe even be a little bit stupid about it.” In mid-January, they met in Las Vegas with Harper and his wife, Kayla.īryce Harper has agreed to a 13-year, $330 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies won 80 games in 2018, which saw them in first place in mid-August, then collapse over the final six weeks. Nearing the end of February and two weeks after spring camps opened, Phillies owner John Middleton flew to Las Vegas for a second meeting with Harper and his representatives. They might still seek to add another free agent, perhaps pitcher Dallas Keuchel, who, like Harper, is a client of agent Scott Boras. Realmuto and shortstop Jean Segura, signed veteran reliever David Robertson and outfielder Andrew McCutchen, and also entertained signing free agent shortstop Manny Machado. With money to spend and a strong belief in their younger core, the Phillies traded for catcher J.T. The club has endured seven consecutive non-winning seasons. Harper, the 26-year-old former MVP, is the masterstroke in a Phillies offseason in which the club sought to finish a rebuilding effort. If Harper can’t do that, or it takes him more ABs to do so, that’s bad news for the Phillies, and that bad news will only get worse over the next dozen years.The Phillies ultimately outbid the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers for Harper at what is the largest contract in baseball history. Yes, he gets on base at a good clip (.386 career OBP), but the Phillies didn’t sign him to stand on base. That’s why the Phillies signed him: To be the power bat cleaning up bases filled with teammates. If his power numbers continue to trend in this direction, it could be the biggest albatross in the MLB.Īt his core, Harper is a power hitter. He has 12 more years and $300 million left on his contract. Harper’s contract is in its first year and he’s making $30 million for it. While it is too early to completely hit the panic button, if you’re a Phillies fan, player or owner, you gotta be concerned. While the rest of the MLB is slugging home runs at a record-setting rate, Harper seems to have lost his power, at least so far this year. That’s a staggering, and bad, trend, especially when you consider he’s playing in a more hitter-friendly park with the Phillies. That 501 number represents a 43-percent increase in plate appearances to reach 20 home runs this year versus last and a 107-percent increase from his MVP season in 2015. Wanna know how many plate appearances it took him to reach that number the last four years? 241 (2015), 391 (2016), 337 (2017) and 348 (2018). This year, in 501 plate appearances, Harper has 20 home runs. What is concerning, at least for those looking at Harper’s contract and projecting ahead, is his home-run rate. 838 OPS, again also down for his career, but nothing crazy. Bryce Harper is having a very Bryce Harper season.
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