Superstar MLB outfielder Harper and the Phillies reportedly agreed to a 13-year, $330million deal on Thursday.
The move ends a long-running drama regarding Harper, who opted to leave the Washington Nationals.
Boras said the length of the deal was Harper’s top priority, telling the New York Post: “The goal was to get the longest contract possible.
“Bryce wanted one city for the rest of his career. That is what I was instructed to do. It is very difficult in this time to get length of contract that takes a player to age 37, 38, 39.”
The commitment is mutual, as the deal reportedly includes a no-trade clause and no opt-outs, which have become increasingly popular recently.
The extraordinary length of the contract — which runs through the 2031 season — gives the Phillies a bit of relief in terms of the average annual value ($25.38m). That will help not only for competitive balance tax purposes but also maintain flexibility for Philadelphia to sign other marquee players over the length of Harper’s contract, a critical factor in remaining competitive.
Of course, the pie-in-the-sky hope on that front would be adding New Jersey native Mike Trout if and when he hits the market, but even if that mind-bending possibility does not come to pass, the Phillies should hardly be a one-man team going forward.
That undoubtedly played a part in Harper ultimately choosing to sign with the Phillies despite reports in recent days of a late push from the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers in particular.
“We had average values of $45 million offered on shorter term deals,” Boras added. “We had a full buffet.”
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