MLB Rumors: Are the Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Nationals the Early Favorites to Sign Bryce Harper to a New Contract?
Outfielder Bryce Harper is going to be a coveted free agent by the time the next offseason rolls around, and there are reasons for why that will be the case.
Harper will likely become a free agent at just 26-years-old, and there just are not too many players that young who enter the market.
Typically, free agents are finished products when they hit the market. However, it is possible that given his youth, Harper may still have potential left to tap into during the early years of his next contract.
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To be clear, even if Harper remains as just the player he is, a team that signs him as a free agent will likely be very happy.
He already has an MVP award in his trophy case and currently sports a career batting line of .285/.386/.515, according to Baseball Reference.
Harper is the kind of player that would fit into just about any lineup, though at this point, a respected baseball analyst has hinted that there may be two franchises leading the pursuit of the outfielder.
On a recent episode of the "Baseball Tonight" podcast, ESPN analyst Buster Olney responded to a question from a baseball fan who wondered how much money Harper may get next offseason. In response, Olney said that he believes Harper can still snag a deal in the $400 million range, but that was not the most interesting part.
Olney also mentioned that he would "bet the family farm" that Harper would go to either the Philadelphia Phillies or stay with his current team, the Washington Nationals.
It is easy to see why Olney is confident in placing that hypothetical wager.
While Harper was previously linked closely to the New York Yankees, that AL East team may now have an outfield too crowded for Harper to join.
Harper has also been connected previously to the Chicago Cubs, but that team has a glut of outfielders too.
The Dodgers could make room for Harper, though they have not been mentioned as much as a potential landing spot for the former NL MVP.
There is no need to imagine how Harper would fit with the Nationals because he is already the marquee star of that franchise, and the Phillies have the outfield spot and the money ready to offer to him.
So many things can change between now and November so maybe other teams will emerge as possible suitors for Harper. For now though, the Nationals and the Phillies may indeed be the two favorites to sign him.
