Bryce Harper Rumors: Phillies' Latest Contract Offer Might Not Give Philadelphia Major Edge

Much has been made about the Philadelphia Phillies’ willingness to spend “stupid” money this offseason. The team’s ability to outbid all other suitors for Bryce Harper has made them the clear favorites to land MLB’s top free agent, but the two sides have yet to come to an agreement.

It seems clear that Philadelphia will have to offer Harper more than the $300 million Manny Machado received from the San Diego Padres. Harper is reportedly looking to break the record Giancarlo Stanton set when he signed a $325 million contract with the Miami Marlins four offseasons ago.

Maybe Harper would be a Phillie by now if Philadelphia was the only team prepared to give him a historic deal, but it sounds like that might not be the case. Fancred’s Jon Heyman has indicated that the Phillies and at least one other organization have offered Harper more than $300 million.

There’s a debate regarding the truth to the rumors that Harper doesn’t have much desire to play in Philadelphia, but the Phillies are almost certainly not his top choice. The outfielder would likely rather join the Los Angeles Dodgers, who offer a bigger stage and a destination much closer to his hometown of Las Vegas. Even a suitor like the San Francisco Giants might be preferable over Philadelphia, assuming the contract offers are close to being equal.

The Dodgers recently met with Harper, though they are reportedly only looking to ink Harper to a short-term deal with a high average salary, despite their renewed interested. The Giants are considered to be real contenders for Harper, but their chances of signing the free agent are unknown since it’s been reported that they won’t go to 10 years.

The Washington Nationals reportdly offered Harper a 10-year, $300 million contract at the end of the 2018 regular season. It’s unknown if that deal is still on the table, though multiple reports have said Washington has moved on from their star player. MLB.com reported that the Nationals’ offer included close to $100 million in deferred money.

If Philadelphia isn’t close to being Harper’s top choice, they might have to significantly outbid the rest of the competition to make a deal work. Some insiders believe agent Scott Boras is still looking to secure a contract worth at least $350 million for Harper.

Zack Greinke’s contract gives him the MLB record with a $34.4 million average yearly salary. A 10-year, $345 million contract for Harper would set the all-time mark for both guaranteed money and AAV.