Such a blockbuster is unlikely to materialize given the obstacles at stake, but the past few weeks have changed things more than anyone could have imagined, so keep an eye on Harper and the Phillies this winter.
Bryce Harper to the New York Yankees makes too much sense
If the Phillies ultimately decide to acquire Harper, the number of potential suitors is honestly quite limited.
The 33-year-old is about to enter the eighth season of the 13-year, $330 million mega-deal he signed to come to Philadelphia in 2019. There are only so many teams that can afford to take that money, let alone be willing to do so. And that’s not even taking into account whether a team already has a good first baseman or lefties in the middle of their lineup.
That said, there are still a handful of options that are plausible to propose, but when you really dig into this, none stands out as a more obvious landing spot than the Yankees.
One of the biggest markets in sports, an iconic franchise, always willing to spend money, desperate to win now, in need of a first baseman and possibly a mediocre bat. It all fits together perfectly.
Some may think it would be foolish to acquire an expensive, aging superstar coming off what was widely considered one of his worst years, but this is a motivated Bryce Harper we’re talking about; he has more big seasons in him.
Even in a down year, the former first overall pick of the Washington Nationals (2010) posted a .261 average and an OPS of .844. That average would have ranked fourth on the Yankees among hitters with at least 200 plate appearances, and that OPS would have ranked second behind only Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.
New York’s lineup and defense were exposed by the Toronto blue jays in the ALDS. Far too many uncompetitive at-bats, along with miscues and mental errors scattered throughout the infield.
Harper will improve on all of that, whether he’s the man he was in his prime or not. He remains an extremely strong player at home and has developed into one of the better defensive first basemen in the league. With Paul Goldschmidt becoming a free agent and Ben Rice still learning to play first, it would be ideal for the two-time NL MVP to take over.
What a return package would look like is an important question, but if there was one team that could actually make a Harper trade work, it would be the Yankees.
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