It's unclear how big a contract the Giants will or have offered to free agent Bryce Harper, but there is a continued sense Wednesday that they have a shot at signing him, with the Phillies having a tough road to get it done, reports SNY's Andy Martino.
Harper, who is seeking more than the $300 million Manny Machado got from the Padres, has turned down multiple offers worth more than $300 million in recent weeks, reports FanCred's Jon Heyman.
Martino reported Tuesday after Machado landed with the Padres that Harper to the Phillies was not a sure thing.
"Although their pursuit of him is serious, word around Harper is that he remains unsure if he wants to play in Philadelphia," Martino reported, adding that the Phillies must convince him to sign there if they want to "save face."
With Machado joining the Padres on a deal that will reportedly pay him $300 million over 10 years, it had seemed that the only serious suitors left for Harper were the Phillies and Nationals.
While the Giants -- led by GM Farhan Zaidi -- had met with Harper, reports had indicated that they were only willing to offer a shorter-term deal. With them still a potential landing spot for him, it means they either changed course on how many years they're willing to offer or Harper has become open to signing for fewer than the 10 years Machado got.
Meanwhile, Phillies GM Matt Klentak -- holding "stupid money" -- made a curious comment Tuesday after Machado signed.
"If the reports are true, this contract will exceed our valuation," he said, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic. "Sometimes you have to walk away."
If Machado was the Phillies' first choice and $300 million was too much, what is their offer to Harper?
Harper turned down the Nats' 10-year, $300 million offer during the season, but GM Mike Rizzo said Monday during an appearance on the MLB Network that the team had not ruled out bringing Harper back.
Whatever happens, it seems this saga might be finally nearing a conclusion.
