Report: Nationals prepared to move on from Harper after $400M request
Bryce Harper has an idea of what he's worth, and the Washington Nationals don't appear to agree.
Washington is balking at Harper's contract demands - which could exceed 10 years in length and $400 million in value - in early discussions about a contract extension, and they're set to move on after the 2018 season, a high-ranking Nationals executive told USA Today's Bob Nightengale.
According to Nightengale, Harper's agent, Scott Boras, said the only active negotiations of late involved a one-year deal in 2017.
"I have had no discussions with the Nationals regarding Harp and a long-term contract," Boras told Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan.
Nightengale added that the Nationals believe the "chasm" in the two sides' talks has become too great to overcome.
Harper's reported request would give him the richest contract in baseball, supplanting Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton, who signed a 13-year, $325-million contract in November of 2014.
The 24-year-old will become a free agent for the first time in 2019, and already has a National League MVP award under his belt. He's expected to headline an impressive group of free-agent players that year, including Manny Machado, Adam Jones, Andrew McCutchen, and, potentially, Clayton Kershaw and David Price - if they opt out of their current deals.
Harper's numbers regressed last season after he secured the MVP award in 2015. He hit .243/.373/.441 with 24 home runs and 86 RBIs.
He made $5 million in 2016 - his first year of arbitration eligibility.