Bryce Harper’s agent, Scott Boras, confirmed the news to reporters (including Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer) during the winter meetings, putting an end to some conjecture that the player was interested in extending his contract with the Phillies in recent weeks.
“Bryce has informed me that he would like to arrange an extension so that he is certain he will be there for the duration of his career.He says, “I just want to go and make sure that I can recruit players to Philadelphia,” aside from my advice. I want the Philadelphia supporters to know that I’m committed and that I’ll be there for the long haul. “I believe his voice has been crucial in helping them draw in significant free agents and other players,” Boras remarked.
Harper signed a 13-year, $330 million contract with the Phillies during the 2018–19 offseason as a free agent, and he is not even halfway through it. Harper’s contract was the most expensive in baseball history when it was signed, and in terms of total money, it still stands as the seventh most expensive ever. However, when it comes to average annual value, Harper’s contract doesn’t even rank in the top 40 all-time, with his season salary of slightly less than $25.4 million being comparatively (and by far the most modest) modest. Harper still owes $196 million in real money as of the 2031 season.
It was intentional for the agreement to be a straight 13-year contract with no opt-outs or club option years. Harper made it clear during the signing process that he wanted long-term stability for the duration of his career, freeing him up to concentrate on baseball rather than future moves or trips to free agency. This was in line with the Phillies’ goal to bring in elite players while (again) keeping expenses under control in terms of the luxury tax. Harper’s funding is dispersed over a longer period of time, so Philadelphia’s annual luxury tax bill is less affected by that $25.4 million AAV.
The AAV benefits of Harper’s contract may be even more significant to the Phillies today than they were when Harper signed a contract in February 2019 because the team has exceeded the tax threshold in each of the previous two seasons. In theory, this offers the team no justification for thinking about giving a player who is already committed through his age-38 season another contract. It makes sense for the Phillies to wait a few more years to monitor any signs of decline in Harper’s play, even if they are open to keeping Harper into his 40s.
Harper is also coming off of two seasons marred by injuries and defensive restrictions. During the 2022–2023 season, a UCL tear and the Tommy John surgery that followed restricted Harper to DH-only duty and a brief stint at first base. Even though Harper appears to be well enough to return to right field, the Phillies plan to use him as their starting first baseman through at least 2024. This will allow the team to address their first-base shortage while also giving players like Brandon Marsh, Johan Rojas, and Cristian Pache more opportunities to bat in the outfield.
Harper is still clearly a force at the plate, despite these injuries casting a shadow over his performance. In 2,497 plate appearances while wearing a Phillies uniform, he has a.284/.395/.536 slash line. In the postseason, he has a ridiculous 1.137 OPS over 126 PA. In addition to winning the 2022 NL MVP award, Harper guided the Phillies to two postseason appearances—a World Series appearance in 2022 and an NLCS trip in 2023.
Would Harper receive more than eight years and $196 million if he were a free agent now that he is starting his age-31 season? The answer would seem to be yes, as Harper’s powerful bat may well offset any worries about his long-term health or defensive prospects. The Phillies might propose an extension that adds a few years to Harper’s contract at a lower average annual value (AAV) or, alternatively, a completely restructured deal that lengthens the contract but further reduces the Phillies’ annual tax burden, if Harper continues to prioritize security over pure money.