NEW YORK – It took a long time and a lot of money, but the Philadelphia Phillies finally landed Bryce Harper with a record contract.
The young star outfielder and the Phillies agreed Thursday to a $330 million, 13-year contract, the largest deal in baseball history.
Harper’s agent, California-based Scott Boras, said the deal was agreed to at 10:34 a.m. PST, subject to a successful physical.
Phillies manager Gabe Kapler and his players learned of the agreement from fans behind Philadelphia’s dugout who saw media reports on their mobile devices during a spring training game in Clearwater, Florida.
“If the reports are true, it’s a huge moment for our baseball team,” Kapler said. “Certainly I think that the city of Philadelphia would embrace Bryce Harper. I think he would be very happy in this city because our fans care deeply about winning.”
A 26-year-old All-Star who had spent his entire big league career with the Washington Nationals, Harper topped the $325 million, 13-year agreement outfielder Giancarlo Stanton reached before the 2015 season with the Miami Marlins.