Bryce Harper Officially Abandons DC For Philly

WASHINGTON, DC -- Well, it was fun while it lasted. But the next time Bryce Harper shows up at Nationals Park, he'll be wearing the jersey of the division rival Philadelphia Phillies.

News broke Thursday that Harper had signed a blockbuster 13-year, $330 million deal with the Phillies, long rumored to be the front runner for the free agent all-star outfielder.

The signing ends Harper's seven-year career with the Washington Nationals, during which he hit 184 home runs and won the National League Most Valuable Player award in 2015.

Bryce Harper’s deal with the Phillies will be for 13 years and $330M, league sources tell ESPN. It will not include any opt-outs.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 28, 2019

Nats fans won't have to wait long to boo Harper. The Nationals host the Phillies on April 2 and 3, their second series of the season.

Want to boo Harper in person? Click here to find tickets to a Nats/Phillies game and enter the promo code "PatchTickets10" to score 10 percent off.

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Harper, just 26, has been among the game's most exciting players since he burst onto the professional scene as a teenager. His arrival on the free agent scene this winter, along with fellow young phenom Manny Machado, has been the subject of rampant rumors throughout the industry for years. His signing, so late in the offseason that spring training is well underway, brings to a conclusion one of the most tumultuous and tense offseasons in recent memory.

The consensus expectation was that Harper's contract would outstrip the previous record held by Machado, who signed with the Padres for 10 years and $300 million on Feb. 19. Giancarlo Stanton previously held the record for largest contract by dollars at 13 years, $325 million. That contract was an extension, and not a free agent contract, however. Harper's deal obliterates both.

The Phillies had been the favorites to land Harper all winter, but were challenged recently by the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants. Some speculated Harper might prefer the West Coast, but the feeling all along has been that no one would offer as much money as the Phillies.

Additional reporting by Justin Heinze, Patch Staff