Bryce Harper’s agent confirms his interest in contract extension
After some speculation over the last few weeks that Bryce Harper was interested in extending his deal with the Phillies, agent Scott Boras confirmed the matter when speaking with reporters (including Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer) at the winter meetings.
“Bryce has let me know that he wants to work out an extension so that he knows that he’s going to be there for the remainder of his career….Apart from my advice, he goes, ’I just want to go and make sure that I can recruit players to Philadelphia. I want the fans in Philadelphia to know that I’m going to be there for the duration and that I’m committed.’ I think he’s been an important voice for them to attract major free agents and other players,” Boras said.
Harper is still not even halfway through the 13-year, $330M contract he signed with the Phillies as a free agent during the 2018-19 offseason. At the time of the signing, Harper’s contract was the most expensive in baseball
history, and it still ranks seventh all-time in terms of total dollars. In terms of average annual value, however, Harper’s deal doesn’t crack the top 40 all-time, as he is making a relatively (in a very broad sense) modest AAV of just under $25.4M per season. In terms of actual dollars, Harper is still owed $196M through the 2031 season.
The deal was a straight 13-year pact without any opt-outs or club option years, which was by design. At the time of the signing, Harper stressed that he wanted long-term security for the rest of his career, so he could focus on
baseball without having to worry about any future changes of scenery or upcoming trips to free agency. This dovetailed with the Phillies’ desire to add premium talent while also keeping costs (again) relatively in check in terms of the luxury tax. With Harper’s money spread out over a longer term, that $25.4M AAV puts less of a hit on Philadelphia’s annual luxury tax bill.
