MLB Rumors: Dodgers Jumping Into Bryce Harper Chase Could Cause Phillies To Raise Their Mega Offer

If you haven’t been following along with the Bryce Harper saga in Major League Baseball, you’ve missed out on a lot of drama and quite a bit of confusion. As reported by Inquisitr, some have felt that the ordeal has become “boring,” but the Los Angeles Dodgers may have brought the excitement back. Them jumping back into the chase may cause the Philadelphia Phillies a bit of discomfort and force them to offer money they weren’t planning on dishing out.

Early on Monday morning, ESPN reported that the Dodgers had thrown their hat into the ring for Harper once again. On Friday, everyone thought Harper to the Phillies was almost a done deal, but now, there are three teams chasing him as the San Francisco Giants are still in it as well.

The thing is, how much can the Dodgers actually offer him?

As reported by NBC Sports, L.A. is looking at signing Harper to a short-term deal which could reasonably be $160 million over four years or $200 million over five years. That could end up being quite comparable to the Phillies’ offer of $300 million over 10 years with an opt-out clause halfway through.

With them being similar deals even though less money and fewer years, Harper may look longer at the Dodgers’ offer. That deal would be in a much larger market and that is the reason the Phillies may have started squirming at their facility on Monday.

Bryce Harper and the Dodgers will force Phillies out of their comfort zone https://t.co/0cLuZ1ZAG9 #PhilliesTalk

— Phillies Talk (@NBCSPhillies) February 25, 2019

Manny Machado signed a 10-year deal worth $300 million with the San Diego Padres, and Harper is expected to get more from wherever he signs. Well, if he signs with any team other than the Dodgers as that huge decade-long deal won’t come from Los Angeles.

If Harper were to sign with the Phillies, they would likely have to cough up something that would beat out Giancarlo Stanton’s $325 million deal over 13 years. Of course, that’s also depending on if he chose to opt out halfway through his contract with the Phillies and that all depends on how well he plays.

L.A. won’t offer him more overall as they want short-term with Harper, but their deal may be more enticing than that of the Philadelphia.

This is where the brilliance of Harper’s agent Scott Boras comes into play. By speaking with the Dodgers, he may have just earned his client a few extra million in the long run.

Don’t count on the Dodgers’ flirtation with Bryce Harper to end up in a long-term deal #Dodgers https://t.co/sImCy6dchW

— ? Los Angeles (@dailybunchLA) February 25, 2019

Los Angeles offers some really big selling points in the hopes of landing Harper:

• Financial
• Geography/Market
• The ability to win

The Dodgers could seriously convince Harper to sign a short-term deal where the Giants may not be able to as San Francisco isn’t exactly in the position to win now. With those convincing factors in place, the Dodgers’ involvement is going to push Philadelphia to possibly add some additional numbers to their offer.

There’s really no way of knowing if Bryce Harper will really sign with a new team by the end of the week, but anything is possible. With the Los Angeles Dodgers showcasing their muscle, the Philadelphia Phillies could see their anxiety and their offer rise for the All-Star. Harper’s in a good position and the involvement of the Dodgers honestly made things even better for him.