Phillies fans were on high alert this week, as rumors were flying left and right about Bryce Harper possibly signing with Philadelphia. At the end, all we got was MLB The Show releasing a teaser trailer for their gameplay trailer and other rumors of the potential signing being completely shut down.
phillies are interested and in on bryce harper. but rumors of him signing today in philly are unfounded.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 29, 2019
However, the Phillies remain one of four teams that have made their interest for Harper fairly clear this offseason. The latest being the Padres, who met with Harper in Las Vegas on Thursday.
We’ve also heard or seen the rumors that Harper may not actually be too fond of Philadelphia itself and that was pretty much confirmed by our very own Kevin Fiddler.
According to Fiddler, who lives and coaches high school baseball in Las Vegas, two people close to Harper with knowledge of his free agency process this offseason have said Philadelphia is definitely not at the top of Harper’s list of preferred destinations. Yet, if you’re a Cubs fan thinking they might be able to sneak in and get Harper at a cheaper price, think again, because despite not exactly loving Philadelphia, Harper is still set on getting the biggest pay day as possible and that still points to the Phillies making the biggest offer.
What are people close to Bryce Harper saying about his preferred destination in free agency? Hint: 💰💰💰@KFidds with the latest from Las Vegas.
iTunes: https://t.co/z9sLDan22y
Spotify: https://t.co/V2cBQcqrb4https://t.co/GG2ZSq34iI pic.twitter.com/Gn46lQMWuz— Pinwheels and Ivy Podcast (@PinwheelsIvyPod) February 1, 2019
One of the two sources Fiddler talked to about Harper is a current MLB player.
So, Harper is willing to sign with the Phillies, but that’ll only happen if they do end up being the highest bidders.
Earlier in the week Jon Heyman reported that there are other teams interested in Harper, outside of the four know, but that they’re only willing to extend short-term contracts to the outfielder.
Harper goes into his meeting with Padres higherups tonight with at least 4 teams in realistic play: phillies, nats, chisox and pads. Several other teams are showing interest but most of those are believed interested in shorter term deals.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 31, 2019
Last year another high profile client of Scott Boras, Jake Arrieta, had big demands in free agency and he didn’t end up signing until March, 11, with the Phillies, who got him on a three-year deal, worth $75 million, including options for him and the team that could make it a five-year deal for $115 million.
Boras isn’t afraid to wait things out, so at this point there doesn’t seem to be any rush on Harper’s side to sign.
Of course things can change in a matter of weeks. Maybe Harper doesn’t get the big offers he was expecting and then decides to go to a place he likes for less money. But at the moment, Harper is willing to wait and get a record deal and he’ll sign it even if it means going to a place he doesn’t really like.
