Manny Machado is off the market, but Bryce Harper's future remains as cloudy as ever.
Harper is believed to have turned down multiple offers from several teams that were worth more than $300 million in recent weeks, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported Wednesday.
The superstar outfielder has long been expected to sign a contract in excess of $300 million, a deal that would represent a North American professional sports record for a free-agent agreement. Machado's reported 10-year, $300-million deal with the San Diego Padres will officially hold that record once the agreement is finalized.
Heyman didn't specify which teams made the supposed contract offers to Harper, but he said at least five clubs are believed to still be in contact with the prized free agent, including the Padres, Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, Washington Nationals, and Chicago White Sox.
However, Bob Nightengale of USA Today has reported that the White Sox are out of the running in the Harper sweepstakes.
Separate reports earlier Wednesday hinted that the Phillies - still thought to be the favorites for Harper's services - and Giants might be the last two teams standing. The Padres were said to have made a "serious" bid for Harper and, despite some conflicting reports about their intentions, were still being linked to him even after their agreement with Machado. Washington's chances of re-signing its homegrown star remain unclear.
