No more lying to Bryce Harper.
When Bryce Harper inked his 13 year deal with the Philadelphia Phillies back in 2019, it came with a direct promise from ownership.
“Sign with Philly, and we’ll do everything in our power to win you a World Series.”
Two years into Harper’s contract, and it’s hard to say that the Phillies have lived up to that promise. Sure, they traded for J.T. Realmuto and signed Didi Gregorius, but both are now free agents. Wheeler was a fantastic addition this past offseason, but even his name started popping up in trade talks earlier this winter.
Landing someone of Harper’s caliber is rare. He is legitimately a generational talent, and is well worth the $330 million that he will ultimately make from the Phillies. If the Phils are serious about winning a championship with Bryce, they need to start being brutally honest with the lack of help that they’ve provided him since arriving.
Look no further than the San Diego Padres, a team hellbent on adding as much star power as possible around their big 2019 signing: Manny Machado.
Starting with the two before mentioned resolutions would be a great place to begin, but ultimately speaking, the Phillies organization just needs to be 100% honest with Harper moving forward. Explain to him how you’re going to build a championship contender around him, and if he’s not happy, start adjusting your plans to accommodate him.