There is no way a star like Bryce Harper can stay out of the news. Not only do the MLB folks feel he is a good fit for Philadelphia, but Harper himself shows immaculate loyalty to the team. Of all things Harper, his contract has become the subject of discussion right now. 

It’s no secret that the 31-year-old and his representatives want to see his current contract extended, and it seems likely that they want things to get to a head this offseason. Throughout the course of the previous season, Harper indicated several times that he wanted his contract, which is set to expire in 2031, to be extended. But the real question is, is that possible? 

Bryce Harper’s Association With Phillies Is Under The Magnifying Glass As Contractual Discussions Progress

Something visibly sparked in late August when the ‘Showman’ hit his 300th career homer. Harper said, “I love being a Phillie, plain and simple. It’s something I dreamed about.” With that, he expressed his interest in playing for the Phillies even in his early 40s. But there is a catch here. Bryce Harper’s contract does not have an opt-out. That said, he might not have the option to extend his contract by an extra five years. This is contrary to what a San Diego Padres player did. 

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In the same offseason as Harper, Manny Machado became a free agent. The Padres signed him to a 10-year, $300 million contract. Machado announced ahead of time that he intended to exercise the opt-out clause in his contract, which came into effect after the fifth season. However, that never happened because Padres signed Machado to a new 11-year, $350 million contract that keeps him with the team through the 2033 campaign. Something similar would be quite a hazy scenario for the Phillies’ beloved Las Vegan. 

That said, as per PhilliesNation, Scott Boras who is the super agent of MLB, is in talks with the 2 time MVP about the ongoing contract. Boras did not deny that his client wanted to talk about amending his agreement. Harper still has eight years and $196 million left on it. His words were, “Bryce has mentioned that he wants to sit down with ownership at time and talk about … he wants to achieve all his goals in Philadelphia … he wants to obviously play into his early 40s.” He also presented another option to the 2012 debutant.

Scott Boras Has A Tough Job To Do

Even without the opt-out clause, Boras thought, the man whom the New York Yankees rejected would have the power to demand more from ownership if he produced and assisted the Phillies in acquiring more stars. With that, there was also talks of Harper being undervalued and underpaid. About that, Phillies owner, John Middleton, shared his thoughts. He said, “Un ****** believable, I think I’ve underpaid you. I said, ‘I’m not sure you can underpay somebody when you give them $330 million, but I’m pretty sure I underpaid you.” This is only speculative of a chance that the contract might undergo modifications.  

Read More : Everything to Know About Scott Boras : The Mastermind Behind Countless Multi-Million Dollar MLB Signings – Bryce Harper, Alex Rodriguez, and Many More

Bryce Harper may not be able to make any contractual moves this offseason. However, one can’t unsee how he has propelled the Phillies to a prominent comeback. He is already among the best players in franchise history. If Harper does in fact approach Middleton and the Phillies about an extension this offseason, it will be difficult for them to reject him knowing how important he is to the team. But only time will tell for sure. 

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