Rapid Reaction: Philadelphia Phillies add Bryce Harper
In a move that surprised very few in the baseball world, Bryce Harper has apparently finally pulled the trigger and accepted the Philadelphia Phillies employment offer. Unlike most employment offers, this one is worth more than $300 million (early reports suggest $330M) and reshapes the landscape of America’s pastime.
The Phillies, baseball’s losing-est franchise of all time, promised that their rebuild would be quick. After losing 89+ games each year from 2013-2017, the Phillies turned things around in 2018. They added Jake Arrieta to a young pitching staff that had tremendous promise. Arrieta may have contributed to the breakout of Aaron Nola, or he may not have. Either way, the Phillies pitching staff took a step forward in 2018 and put together the 6th best WAR in baseball through injuries.
Earlier this offseason, the Phils made an addition to their outfield by adding former-MVP Andrew McCutchen on a 3-year $50M deal. With Harper now in the fold, the Phils figure to have replaced the Nick Williams/Aaron Altherr experiment in its entirety and has fully committed to Rhys Hoskins‘ future at first base. The Harper addition is a distinct step up from the Phils’ internal options and relieves some pressure from the other young promising players in the lineup.
It’s easy to think that all of the Phillies moves this offseason make them the favorites to win the NL East. Remember, in a move that figures to add about 3 wins, they also added Jean Segura as a shortstop, shifting prospect Sean Kingery to a utility role. They also signed closer David Robertson to an already exciting relief corp. All told, will the moves make up the 10 games that seperated them from the first-place Braves last summer? Probably.
Even more exciting for the Phillies is what lies on the horizon. Harper is just 26. Most of their core is heading into their peak years. It should be another fun few years in Philadelphia. For now, learn how to enjoy Harper’s hair. By the time his 13-year deal ends, the hair may look more like John Smoltz than John Mulaney. But that’s a problem to consider as the calendar turns towards 2030.
-Sean Morash
