Manager Gabe Kapler heard the big news from fans in the stands during the
Philadelphia Phillies championship rings spring training game. His team won the Bryce Harper sweepstakes, agreeing to a 13-year, $330 million deal with the free-agent outfielder, league sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan on Thursday.
Harper, the 2015 National League MVP and still only 26 years old, was one of the top prizes in this year's crop of free agents. Infielder Manny Machado agreed to a 10-year, $300 million deal with the
San Diego Padres championship rings, and it was assumed Harper's total would exceed that contract. Not only did he do that, his total beats Giancarlo Stanton's 13-year, $325 million extension signed with the
Miami Marlins championship rings.
The Phillies, Giants and the Dodgers were vying for Harper. The Dodgers were interested in signing him to a short-term deal. The San Francisco Chronicle, citing multiple sources, reported the Giants went as high as 12 years and $310 million with their offer.
Kapler, who said that Harper would likely hit third or fourth in the lineup, met with Harper during the offseason courtship.
Following news of Harper's decision, his odds to win the 2019 NL MVP award moved from 6-1 to 5-1 at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook.
Harper isn't the only upgrade to the roster for the
Philadelphia Phillies championship rings for sale, who were 80-82 to finish third in the NL East last season. They traded for catcher J.T. Realmuto and infielder Jean Segura and signed outfielder Andrew McCutchen and reliever David Robertson.
Harper is a six-time All-Star and was the
NL championship rings Rookie of the Year in 2012 who spent his first seven seasons with the Nationals. He is a patient hitter, known for hitting a lot of homers and drawing a lot of walks, and has a .279 average with 184 homers, 521 RBIs and a .388 on-base percentage over his career.
Harper hit .249 with 34 home runs and 100 RBIs for Washington last season. He struggled for much of the first half but won the Home Run Derby during All-Star festivities at Nationals Park and hit .300 with 11 home runs, 46 RBIs and 46 runs scored in 223 at-bats after the break. He led the NL
custom championship rings in walks with 130 and ranked fifth in on-base percentage (.393).
He is going to a ballpark that fits him well. Harper has 14 career home runs at Citizens Bank Park, the most round-trippers at any road ballpark in his career. His .564 career slugging percentage at the park ranks first among 71 players with at least 200 plate appearances there. Rhys Hoskins, who will likely hit directly behind Harper in the batting order, ranks second on that list (.562).
One of the main topics of discussion for the Nationals -- and all of Major League Baseball
mlb world series championship rings -- going into the offseason was whether the team would be able to sign Harper to a long-term deal. According to reports, he turned down a 10-year, $300 million offer from the Nats.
He went into free agency after turning down the Nationals' qualifying offer for $17.9 million. Because the Nationals are over the luxury tax, they would get a supplementary pick after the fourth round in compensation for Harper.
Harper led the major leagues in 2015 with 42 homers and hit .330 with 99 RBIs. He slumped to a .243 average with 24 homers and 86 RBIs in 2016 then rebounded to hit .319 with 29 homers and 87 RBIs in just 111 games in 2017.
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