Five years after the New York Yankees declined to pursue him, the success of Bryce Harper with the Phillies underscores the missed opportunity for fans in the Bronx. His agent Scott Boras pins the Yankees’ 2019 Harper miss on the conservatism of the team general manager Brian Cashman.
After 2018, Bryce Harper became a marquee free agent, taking over three months to decide his future. He ultimately signed with Philadelphia, since slashing .284/.395/.536 with 122 homers and 368 RBI. Yankees fans wanted Harper, but GM Brian Cashman passed on a mega-deal after trading for Giancarlo Stanton‘s massive contract the prior winter.
Yankees passed on Bryce Harper in 2019 despite a clear need
On The New York Post’s “The Show” podcast, agent Boras was asked if he ever met with the Yankees regarding Bryce Harper or new World Series champion Corey Seager. In classic style, the super agent eagerly answered.
While Boras relishes recounting the Yankees’ misstep, he explained that their practice involves reaching out to every team in baseball for every player they represent. This approach allows them to understand the perspectives of different teams regarding their players and provides those players with a comprehensive view of why a team might be interested or not, along with the underlying reasons.
“I talked to Brian Cashman about all those players, and he reached out to me, and does his due diligence,” he said. “And that’s all part of being a thorough general manager. And so there was no question that they wanted to know as much as they could know.”
Boras emphasized that they maintain an open line of communication with every team for each player, as it’s a fundamental part of their due diligence process. He also acknowledged that teams themselves conduct thorough investigations into players and mentioned his discussions with Brian Cashman, highlighting that this extensive information gathering was essential for a comprehensive evaluation.
Boras pointed out that highly competent front offices don’t shy away from evaluating these players, as they conduct their due diligence. However, he noted that the next critical consideration involves economic commitment, which plays a significant role in the decision-making process.
However, he rues that the Yankees missed on such talents.
Bryce Harper was a Yankees fan
Despite being a lifelong Yankees fan, Bryce Harper noted that New York didn’t reach out to him. He went on to ink a historic 13-year, $330 million deal with the Phillies, setting a new MLB record for the largest contract at the time. As of 2019, Stanton was embarking on his fifth season under his mega 13-year, $325 million contract.
In 2019, Bryce Harper mentioned that he was aware of the Yankees‘ outfield and the acquisition of Stanton through a trade. However, he never received any contact from the Yankees. Harper also expressed his happiness with the Philadelphia Phillies, stating that he was excited to begin his chapter with them, even though he was a longtime Yankees fan.
This chapter has endeared him to fans, and he secured an MVP award in 2021 and earned his seventh All-Star selection in 2022. During the same year, he led Philadelphia to the World Series.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
