![]() As a result, he has procured endorsement deals with New Era, Gatorade, Under Armour and Blind Barber, among others. His play generally supported the assumption. Harper was a star before he took his first major league at-bat. He was a big leaguer by 19 and an All-Star not three months later. After a season in junior college, he was chosen first overall by the Washington Nationals in the 2010 draft. Harper, the prodigy, skipped his final two years of high school in order to hasten his development and arrive sooner in the amateur draft. 319, an at-bats-per-home-run mark (17.97) that stands 11th among active players and an ability to play three outfield positions, made him, along with 26-year-old Manny Machado, the most sought-after free agent in many years. That, along with an MVP season in 2015 (when he led the National League in home runs, on-base percentage and slugging), six All-Star appearances in seven seasons, two seasons in which he batted at least. ![]() While the industry appears to have become hesitant to commit to mega-deals that extend into the back ends of players’ careers, Harper may well remain in his prime – or close enough to his prime – for the duration of the contract. By the end, around the time Machado signed with the Padres for $300 million over 10 years, the bidding appeared to have centered on the Phillies, Dodgers and Giants. ![]() Harper met with other clubs in Las Vegas, his hometown, including the Phillies. Twice in December he met with Nationals owner Ted Lerner at Lerner’s home in Palm Springs, California, according to sources. And in the months of his free agency, he’d drawn extreme or peripheral interest from the Chicago White Sox, Phillies, New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants and Nationals. 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. The Phillies ultimately outbid the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers for Harper at what is the largest contract in baseball history. ![]()
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