While playing against the San Francisco Giants with the Washington Nationals back in 2014, Bryce Harper couldn’t help but admire the energy of Oracle Park. Even though he had recorded some embarrassing numbers there, just the mere feeling of playing in front of that crowd in chilly weather lives rent-free in Harper’s head.
Then, a few years later, in 2019, when Harper became a free agent, the Philadelphia Phillies, who now hesitate in spending on their players, offered Harper a massive $330 million deal. On the other hand, the Giants also offered him $310 million across 12 years. The Giants subtly hinted to Boras that they can stretch a bit more if required.
However, Boras and Harper had to look after the gap in state taxes. To top it all off, there was another major reason why he feared signing with the Giants and ended up in Philadelphia. Apparently, the Giants were a little late to the party in signing him.
In the same year, back in February, the execs—Larry Baer, skipper Bruce Bochy, and Farhan Zaidi landed in Las Vegas to see Harper, his spouse, and agent at a casino. “We had a great meeting. They’re a great organization, and they have been for a long time. The biggest thing for me was asking Bochy if he was going to be here, and he said no, he had just one year left. I think that was the thing that really scared me the most.” Harper said.
Harper would’ve loved to play for the Giants under Bochy’s leadership. However, when Bochy told him that it’s his last year of contract with the Giants, it scared Harper, given the uncertainty of the future. So, when it came down to Philadelphia or San Francisco, Harper chose the Phillies.
Another key factor in signing with the Phillies was revealed by Boras. “The key thing is they [the Giants] were late to the event.” Boras and Harper finally made their decision based on the fact that while the Giants were great, they were still behind the Phillies in offers. It was a tough decision to make for Harper, as many years ago, while playing for the San Diego Stars as a kid, he had met Bochy and liked him ever since.
Technically, all 30 clubs in the league could’ve been in the race for Harper. They wouldn’t mind negotiating with Harper’s agent, Scott Boras. In reality, not all 30 could afford him.
Except for the Giants and Phillies, this team was just as committed to signing Harper
Earlier this year, it came to light that Bryce Harper‘s other preferred team was the Chicago Cubs. Back then, in 2019, that offseason, the Cubs were his top choice. He revealed this in April while speaking with Patrick Mooney from The Athletic.
What if the Cubs had really signed him? First of all, it would have been very expensive. On the other hand, they already had another right fielder, Jason Heyward. He was under contract for $23 million each season through 2023. Although Harper became mostly a DH in 2022 and 2023, in 2019, he was primarily a right fielder.
If the Cubs had still invested in Harper anyway, then their roster in 2025 would’ve looked way too different. Jed Hoyer might have been prompted to trade their assets, Michael Busch or Kyle Tucker, at some point. If Harper had taken over right field or first base, then Hoyer would have had to build a team around him.
We would never know the answer to how things would’ve played out if Harper had signed with the Cubs. One thing is sure: it would have shaken the league to the ground if he had chosen the Cubs. However, what happened, happened. Harper is currently happy with the Phillies. That’s all that matters.
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