Bryce Harper, Dodgers Far Apart On Contract, What Clayton Kershaw, Corey Kluber Have To Do With Bid

The Los Angeles Dodgers are back in the race for Bryce Harper after meeting with the outfielder and agent Scott Boras in Las Vegas. That doesn’t mean they are willing to meet the lucrative asking price of MLB’s top free agent.

All reports indicate that the Dodgers’ interest in Harper is based on the hope that they might be able to sign him to a short-term contract. That was the case a few weeks ago when they seemingly gave up their pursuit of the 26-year-old.

L.A. is Harper’s preferred destination. He is seeking a 10-year contract. Maybe Harper would give the Dodgers a small discount if they come close to making the highest bid, but it would be surprising to see him leave tens of millions of dollars on the table.

The Philadelphia Phillies have reportedly offered Harper more than $300 million over 10 years, and their proposal might exceed Giancarlo Stanton’s record $325 million contract. Harper doesn’t appear to be very enamored with Philadelphia, which is why a team like the Dodgers is still in the mix for the six-time All-Star.

Representatives from the San Francisco Giants reportedly discussed a 10-year contract with Harper and Boras in Las Vegas Tuesday. The Giants, like the rival Dodgers, had previously only been looking to give Harper a short-term deal.

If Los Angeles joins San Francisco and goes to 10 years, there’s a good chance they will sign Harper. The outfielder reportedly prefers to play on a big stage or on the West Coast, and L.A. offers him the opportunity to do both.

With the Dodgers’ renewed interest, there are reasons to believe Los Angeles could decide to increase their offer.

According to CBS Sports’ Jim Bowden, some people believe issues with Clayton Kershaw's shoulder and the team’s inability to add another top player this offseason could force the front office to up their bid for Harper. The Dodgers tried and failed to trade for All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto and perennial Cy Young candidate Corey Kluber.

The Dodgers traded Matt Kemp, Yasiel Puig and Alex Wood this offseason. They signed A.J. Pollock and Joe Kelly.

The Dodgers had reportedly been eyeing Nolan Arenado as a possible free-agent addition after the 2019 MLB season. That’s no longer an option after the third baseman signed an eight-year, $260 million extension with the Colorado Rockies.

Los Angeles has been among the league’s biggest spenders in recent years. They owned the top payroll in baseball in every season from 2013-2017. It resulted in an NL West championship each year and one trip to the World Series. With MLB’s third-highest payroll in 2018, the Dodgers lost their second straight World Series.

Giving Harper a $30 million-plus salary would put the Dodgers back over the luxury tax threshold, where they resided for much of the decade. Ownership has reportedly planned to stay below the threshold for the next few years.

Signing Harper and increasing the payroll could also put Los Angeles back in the Fall Classic as the team looks to win its first championship in 31 years.