The Philadelphia Phillies should not extend Bryce Harper’s contract. While Harper may want to extend his contract, it expires in 2031. An extension is unnecessary with that much time left on the contract. Harper’s desire to finish his career with the Phillies is admirable. A contract extension for an eight-year deal is not the best way to do so right now. The Phillies do not need to extend the deal unless it helps them reduce their luxury tax liability. Given the current state of affairs, it appears unlikely that this will be possible. When signing a new contract, this maneuvering is easier. This will be more difficult with the Harper contract because an extension simply adds to the existing contract.
Harper’s lawyer, Scott Boras, most likely put this out there to get more money for his client. Harper signed one of the most lucrative contracts in baseball when he joined the Phillies in 2019. It is now lower on the list, especially after the Los Angeles Dodgers recently gave Shohei Ohtani the most expensive contract in MLB and North American professional sports history. Boras is most likely attempting to secure a decent raise for Haper as well as an extension of the contract for another year or two. After all, as one of baseball’s most prominent agents, Boras’ job is to get the most money for each client. Boras is also the most outspoken agent in baseball. Depending on the circumstances, this could be beneficial or detrimental.
Contract Extension for Bryce Harper
The Extension Isn’t Required Right Now
If the Phillies are going to give out contract extensions this offseason, Zack Wheeler should get one before Harper. With Wheeler’s contract set to expire at the end of the 2024 season, an extension should be prioritized. Before negotiating with Harper, Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski should focus on extension talks with Wheeler. This would be the best use of the Phillies’ front office’s resources. If the Phillies extended Harper before Wheeler, they would be wasting time and other resources. The Phillies should politely decline Boras’ offer to extend Harper’s contract. The extension does not have to happen right now.
An extension closer to the current deal’s expiration date?
However, if it is possible to extend Harper in a way that frees up financial resources for other extensions or free agents, do so. Otherwise, Harper should wait until his current contract expires before requesting an extension. Aaron Nola’s recently signed contract extension expires before Harper’s current contract expires. Except for Trea Turner, every other Phillies player’s current contract is set to expire before Harper’s. Given this, an extension is unnecessary in the current situation. Boras is primarily to blame for the current state of affairs. After all, it was Boras, not Harper, who made this public.
Priorities for the Philadelphia Phillies
Priorities for the Phillies should be addressed before Harper. Dombrowski should try to sign at least one of Yoshinobu Yamamoto or Josh Hader in addition to the Wheeler extension talks. The Phillies would benefit greatly from adding Yamamoto or Hader. After the Phillies bullpen struggled in the postseason, acquiring a great closer like Hader is critical. Yamamoto’s addition would strengthen the Phillies’ rotation and provide the team with more pitching depth. At the moment, it appears unlikely that Dombrowski will sign an outfielder. This would imply that, contrary to previous speculation, Johan Rojas could become the Phillies’ full-time starting centerfielder.
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