With his first round of free agency on the horizon, Bryce Harper is rumored to have his eyes set on the Chicago Cubs.
Among the big ticket 2018-19 free agent items – such as Manny Machado, Daniel Murphy, Brian Dozier and Charlie Blackmon – the name Bryce Harper looms high above them all. Although Harper is expected to receive a mega deal in his next contract, any hints at which team he could be leaning towards signing with have been nonexistent.
Until now.
While making an appearance on Mully and Hanley on 670 The Score, MLB writer Peter Gammons revealed that Harper is interested in joining the Chicago Cubs.
“I have people tell me that Bryce Harper, really, would prefer to play for the Cubs,” Gammons said (per sportingnews.com).
And why shouldn’t the Cubs be of interest to Harper? His numbers at Wrigley Field are some of his best in any major league ballpark.
In 11 games at Wrigley, Harper is batting .323, which is third in ballparks where he has played more than 10 games. His full Wrigley slash line is .323/.585/.645 and he owns a pair of home runs in the friendly confines.
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Not only that, but joining the Cubs would reunite Harper with his childhood friend Kris Bryant. The pair went to high school 20 minutes apart in Las Vegas, Nevada – Harper at Las Vegas High School and Bryant at Bonanza High School – and took different paths to eventually reach the major leagues.
As it so happens, Bryant has been Harper’s main competitor as the best player in the National League. The possibility of them joining forces could turn the Cubs lineup into a superpower with one stroke of the pen.
Despite the unprecedented improvement Harper could bring their already strong lineup, the Cubs are rightfully wary of their finances. The only downside to signing Harper is how much his megadeal – looking to be upwards of $400 million – would increase their luxury tax and arbitration cost.
Yet, if done right, the Cubs can move their pocket book around in order to make room for Harper. As Jake Arrieta, John Lackey, Wade Davis, Miguel Montero and others reach free agency by 2018, the Cubs can take advantage and shed a large chunk of their payroll.
Furthermore, the success of other key contributors, such as Anthony Rizzo and Jason Heyward, present tantalizing trade pieces that can bring their payroll down.
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Yet, according to Gammons, the desire is there and if the Cubs can match the offers of their fellow major league teams, Harper’s interest in Chicago may sway his decision.