What uniform will Bryce Harper Wear in 2019?
This MLB offseason will without a doubt be a very interesting one with plenty of big names as free agents. But none of those names are as big as Bryce Harper. It’s very likely he will walk into next Spring Training with the largest contract in the history of major league baseball. Here I take a quick look and provide the three best and most likely fits for Harper.
Chicago Cubs: Throughout much of the season I believed the Cubs were the team with the highest odds of landing Harper. Everything just made sense. The Cubs are a team with the ability to win a World Series, he could play alongside his childhood teammate and friend Kris Bryant, and the Cubs are a big market team with the financial resources to make it happen. Bryce Harper is a big market type of player who is made for the spotlight. Take those reasons and add that the Cubs are antsy to make a move after their late season collapse, and this makes a lot of sense.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Bryce Harper to the West Coast..it may seem a little odd at first, but one reason this could happen is he would be playing much closer to his hometown of Las Vegas. Also remember that Harper has said on multiple occasions that he just wants to be on a team that will win. So, while he’ll get paid, he at least makes it sound like it’s not all about the money. The Dodgers are coming off of two World Series appearances in a row, and will undoubtedly be poised for a third with Kershaw announcing his plans to return. Manny Machado will be playing for someone else, so the addition of Harper would give Los Angeles sports teams that high-profile superstar they are so accustomed to having. The time to win in LA is now, so they must be willing to throw some cash Harper’s way this offseason.
Philadelphia Phillies: The cheesesteaks are just too good: the end. BUT, it has been speculated lately that the Phillies will be trying to go after not only Bryce Harper, but the other biggest free agent on the market in Manny Machado. Signing both of these players would command around half a billion dollars, so the willingness of the Phillies to even attempt this says they are all in. While I don’t believe they will end up signing both players, I do believe they hold the best chance of signing Harper. The Phillies had a solid year, before collapsing late in the season to finish at two games under .500. But you can see the talent is there to win that division and make a run for the World Series. They have plenty of young talent, along with some good young arms that will give them a chance to win for years to come. Add Harper to the lineup, and the team has to be viewed as a contender. The Phillies are just about finished with their rebuilding years with their long-term plans coming to fruition. Remember Harper is only 26 years old (even though it seems like he should be at least 32 by now) and would fit right in with the Phillies long-term plans. He would also get a chance to utilize his familiarity with the NL East. For some reason, Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies just seem to go together.