Bryce Harper reportedly will sign with Phillies
Bryce Harper is staying in the National League East - and he’ll be a Braves adversary for over another decade.
The extended free-agency saga reached its conclusion Thursday, with Harper reportedly agreeing to a deal with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Harper, 26, reportedly received a 13-year deal worth $330 million. The contract reportedly has a full no-trade clause and doesn’t include any opt outs.
On paper, Philadelphia is the most improved team in baseball. They added Andrew McCutchen, Jean Segura, J.T. Realmuto and David Robertson before the Harper agreement.
The Braves pulled away from the Phillies in September after a season-long competition atop the standings. A late collapse resulted in the Phillies finishing 80-82.
Harper was a six-time All-Star and 2015 MVP with the Nationals. He considered overtures from the Dodgers and Giants before the Phillies met agent Scott Boras’ lucrative demands.
The Braves and Phillies open the 2019 season March 28 at Citizens Bank Park. The finale of their opening series will be on ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” on March 31.
About the Author
Gabriel Burns is a general assignment reporter and features writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. After four years on the Braves beat, he's expanded his horizons and covers all sports. You'll find him writing about MLB, NFL, NBA, college football and other Atlanta-centric happenings.
