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After some hypothesis over the previous couple of weeks that Bryce Harper was excited by extending his cope with the Phillies, agent Scott Boras confirmed the matter when talking with reporters (together with Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer) on the Winter Conferences.
“Bryce has let me know that he desires to work out an extension in order that he is aware of that he’s going to be there for the rest of his profession….Aside from my recommendation, he goes, ’I simply wish to go and make it possible for I can recruit gamers to Philadelphia. I need the followers in Philadelphia to know that I’m going to be there for the period and that I’m dedicated.’ I feel he’s been an essential voice for them to draw main free brokers and different gamers,” Boras mentioned.
Harper continues to be not even midway by the 13-year, $330MM contract he signed with the Phillies as a free agent throughout the 2018-19 offseason. On the time of the signing, Harper’s contract was the most costly in baseball historical past, and it nonetheless ranks seventh all-time when it comes to complete {dollars}. When it comes to common annual worth, nevertheless, Harper’s deal doesn’t crack the highest 40 all time, as he’s making a comparatively (in a really broad sense) modest AAV of just below $25.4MM per season. When it comes to precise {dollars}, Harper continues to be owed $196MM by the 2031 season.
The deal was a straight 13-year pact with none opt-outs or membership possibility years, which was by design. On the time of the signing, Harper careworn that he needed long-term safety for the remainder of his profession, so he may give attention to baseball with out having to fret about any future adjustments of surroundings or upcoming journeys to free company. This dovetailed with the Phillies’ want so as to add premium expertise whereas additionally protecting prices (once more) comparatively in verify when it comes to the posh tax. With Harper’s cash unfold out over a long term, that $25.4MM AAV places much less of a success on Philadelphia’s annual luxurious tax invoice.
For the reason that Phillies have exceeded the tax threshold in every of the final two seasons, the AAV advantages of Harper’s contract are maybe much more essential to the Phillies now than it was on the time of Harper’s signing in February 2019. On paper, this offers the staff little motive to think about extending a participant who’s already locked up by his age-38 season. Even when the Phils are open to certainly retaining Harper into his 40’s, it is smart for the membership to attend no less than a number of extra years to observe any indicators of decline in Harper’s play.
As well as, Harper can also be coming off two seasons hampered by accidents and defensive limitations, as a UCL tear and subsequent Tommy John surgical procedure restricted Harper to DH-only obligation after which a while at first base over the 2022-23 seasons. Although Harper is now apparently wholesome sufficient to renew proper area duties, Philadelphia will as an alternative use him as the everyday first baseman in no less than 2024, permitting the Phillies to each tackle a primary base want and to get extra at-bats within the outfield for such gamers as Brandon Marsh, Johan Rojas, and Cristian Pache.
Even with these accidents clouding the image, Harper continues to be unquestionably a drive on the plate. He has hit .284/.395/.536 over 2497 plate appearances in a Phillies uniform, in addition to a whopping 1.137 OPS over 126 PA within the postseason. Harper was the NL MVP in 2021, and he helped lead the Phillies finish their playoff drought with a World Collection look in 2022, after which a visit to Sport Seven of the NLCS in 2023.
If Harper was a free agent now coming into his age-31 season, would he land greater than eight years and $196MM? The reply definitely would seem like sure, as Harper’s mighty bat may very effectively outweigh any issues over his long-term well being or defensive future. Speculatively, if safety continues to be Harper’s focus greater than pure cash, the Phillies may float an extension that provides a few years to Harper’s contract at a lesser AAV, or maybe a restructured deal fully that lengthens the contract however lowers the Phils’ annual tax hit even additional.
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