Bryce Harper reportedly turned down a $300 million contract, and the bidding is just getting started

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November 7, 2018 5:18 PM

The Nationals contract offer for Bryce Harper was described as "historic" and "aggressive." By turning it down, Harper may now only see bids go higher.

Bryce Harper turned down a 10-year, $300 million contract offer from the Washington Nationals, according to a report.
The offer was described as "historic" and "aggressive."
By turning down the offer, Harper may now receive higher bids from other teams and could climb closer to the $400 million some projected.

Bryce Harper turned down a contract offer that was described as "aggressive" and "historic," according to The Washington Post's Chelsea Janes.

According to Janes, Harper received an offer worth $300 million over 10 years, with no opt-outs from the Nationals on the last day of the team's final homestand.

As Janes noted, there's incentive from both sides to talk up the offer. The Nationals want to send the message that they're genuinely trying to retain Harper while Harper's agent, Scott Boras, can send the message that other teams will have to go higher.

The offer did not go as high as $400 million, which some in the baseball world thought Harper could earn on the open market.

The Nationals had exclusive negotiating rights with Harper at the time. Now, Harper can speak to other teams, and the report of a $300 million offer may force teams to go higher.

Harper and Boras' goal may be to exceed the $325 million contract Giancarlo Stanton signed in 2014.

Janes wrote that Boras has a history of collecting offers, then going back to the home team to see if they will match it or exceed it. In an offseason when teams like the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, and more, might get in on the bidding, if the Nationals want to keep their star outfielder, they may have to go even higher.

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