ATLANTA — The Phillies raised eyebrows when they signed Bryce Harper to a 13-year contract for $330 million. Harper was voted National League MVP at 22 years old and still was in his prime, but what about later? The Phillies are on the hook to pay Harper $288 million after his 30th birthday, which came in October. That includes $92 million for his 35-plus years.
Harper signed that deal in 2019. Now his total contract value is seventh richest in MLB. His 2023 salary ranks sixth among MLB outfielders. Every MLB team would like to employ Harper for $26 million next year and at least a couple of more after that. Harper won another MVP in 2021 and this year hit the home run that lifted the Phillies to their first NL pennant since 2009.
Keep Harper in mind as you see teams signing free agents to similar deals this offseason. Much of the attention is focused on the big salaries that will be paid during those players’ twilight years. But the strategy is keeping their average salaries down in the near term. That means smaller payrolls for luxury tax purposes and (theoretically) more flexibility to build rosters around stars.
