Boras confirms meeting with Nationals to discuss Harper extension
Bryce Harper is expected to be the crown jewel of an impressive free-agent class in 2019, but he may not give himself a chance to get to that point.
Harper's agent, Scott Boras, met with Washington Nationals ownership in November to have preliminary discussions regarding a contract extension for his client, according to Jamal Collier of MLB.com.
On the chances something gets done before the season, Boras said: "That’s up to ownership. We’ll have to look at it and report back to Bryce.”
Boras' comments align with a November report that claimed the two sides were scheduled to meet.
Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said he believed the two sides had a good chance of working out an extension two weeks ago.
"I think we have as good a chance to sign him long term as anybody in baseball," Rizzo told MLB Network, according to Collier. "He's the type of iconic, historic type of player that would love to be with the same organization throughout his whole career, such as (Derek) Jeter and that group of guys. I think he wants to be here. We want him here. I think there's an opportunity for him to make history here."
A rival GM believes Harper could be worthy of a $500-million contract, which would break the record for the largest contract in baseball history. It appears that no matter what the final dollar value could wind up being, the Nationals feel like they're in a good spot to keep the 25-year-old superstar in Washington for a long time.
"We have a lot of things going for us," Rizzo explained. "Bryce and I are very close, we dealt with Bryce's agents on many, many occasions. We have a great relationship with the company. Bryce was scouted, drafted, signed, and developed here in Washington. It's his home away from home, and I think he loves the fan base and loves the city."
The 2015 National League MVP owns a .285/.386/.515 slash line with 150 home runs and 421 RBIs during his six-year career.