It was actually conceivable that the Phillies would end up with both Harper and Machado, though this bit of free agent fan fiction didn’t quite come to pass. Not all the free agents who hit free agency this winter did so in as exciting a manner as expected - players like Josh Donaldson and Dallas Keuchel saw their stocks drop, and Clayton Kershaw didn’t even test the market - but Bryce Harper and Manny Machado still tested the waters, with both expecting to end up with contracts near or exceeding $300 million in total value, and $30 million a year. The Phillies went about their rebuilding business in a disciplined and careful fashion, seizing an opportunity or two as they popped up along the way (for example, a depressed market for Jake Arrieta and the availability of Jean Segura in a trade). The Phillies have been circling this offseason in their diaries for years, the winter that a flood of awesome free agents would hit the market and the team could splash some cash and add a build-around star or two. The Philadelphia Phillies signed Bryce Harper to a 13-year, $330 million contract, reported with no opt-outs, opt-ins, options, opt-arounds, or any other sort of contract-related shenanigans. The Harper and Machado deals suggest the game’s best players do eventually get paid.Well, they did it. Whether it’s Paul Goldschmidt, Mookie Betts or Mike Trout, we shouldn’t expect immediate resolution or be surprised if interest initially seems limited. Harper’s slow-developing free agency will be worth keeping in mind the next time a superstar hits free agency. If that happens, the Phillies will be the ones who benefit. 900 OPS in the coming seasons as he enters what would traditionally be considered his prime. No one’s counting on a repeat from that year, but it’s still conceivable that Harper raises his career. Harper has already shown what kind of impact he can make, winning the 2015 MVP with a 10.0 WAR season. They had committed just shy of $129 million for 2019 before this deal, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts – tens of millions less than the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Nationals.Īnd with the risk comes a reward that’s pretty easy to dream on. The Phillies know that, but as a big-market team they’re better-suited than most to take on that risk. Granted there’s risk here, and there’s some chance that this deal looks awful a few years from now. This team looks like a legitimate contender. But give them credit for the upgrades they’ve made since their 2018 season ended in disappointing fashion. There’s no prize for having an impressive roster on Feb. If you’re spending $330 million, a 13-year deal is actually better than a 10-year deal for two reasons: the luxury tax hit is more manageable and there’s a chance Harper will remain productive as he approaches 40, in which case the club benefits.Īll of that guarantees the Phillies nothing, of course.By signing Harper, the Phillies keep him away from their division rivals in Washington.Philadelphia’s largely right-handed lineup gained one of baseball’s top left-handed sluggers, making life harder on opposing managers.Realmuto, Andrew McCutchen, Jean Segura and David Robertson. The Phillies have now completed a transformational off-season by adding Harper, J.T.Steamer’s projection system forecasts 34 homers with 4.8 wins above replacement and a.At age 26, Harper is younger than Noah Syndergaard, Aaron Judge, Kris Bryant and Christian Yelich.Will it be an overpay? Would Machado have been a better investment? Why 13 years?Īll are valid questions, but let’s not lose sight of some facts as we make sense of the biggest contract in baseball history: His deal, which doesn’t include any opt-outs, tops fellow free agent Manny Machado by $30 million and replaces Giancarlo Stanton’s $325-million deal as the biggest in the history of the sport.Īs for the Phillies, the debate over Harper’s new deal has begun already. Good for Harper, who gets paid at a time that the free agent market can seem pretty inhospitable. Harper will reportedly earn $330 million on a 13-year deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. Now, nearly nine years after the Nationals selected Harper first overall, the intrigue has finally reached its conclusion.
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