"It's hard... You saw how Tiger Woods' body broke down" - When Bryce Harper faced rejection from Yankees before $330M deal with Phillies

In 2019, Bryce Harper signed a record-setting 13-year $330 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies that raised some eyebrows. Several teams had rejected the potential of signing Harper because he was perceived to be injury-prone, which had a lot to do with him being a powerful slugger.

Harper headed into free agency for the first time after a solid 2018 season with the Washington Nationals, his seventh with the club. He hit .249 with 34 home runs and 100 RBIs. Many teams were in contention to secure his services.

The 2018-19 offseason also saw the free agency of corner infielder, Manny Machado. There were comparisons made between Machado and Harper where some teams preferred Machado because of his defensive prowess.

“Corner outfield is the easiest place to find a bat,” a club president said, via SI. “He doesn’t stand out as much as Machado, a righthanded-hitting third baseman who hits righthanded pitching.”

The New York Yankees were one of the teams who passed on Harper because they were more focused on signing a new pitching staff. Moreover, they already had slugging outfield options in Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton available.

Harper also had a unique approach to his negotiations as he preferred more years than the average annual value. But the consensus remained that signing Harper to a long-term contract would be a waste of years. The primary reason given was his batting style that would take a toll on his body, similar to Tiger Woods' career trajectory, as per an anonymous club executive.

“He’s Tiger Woods with that swing,” one GM said, via SI. “I’d take him for a few years, but it’s hard to see how that body is going to hold up when you swing like that. You saw how Tiger’s body broke down.”

Bryce Harper's value to the Philadelphia Phillies lineup

Bryce Harper would eventually become the oldest player to receive a 13-year contract. Injuries have continued to be part of his game, having undergone Tommy John surgery in the 2022 offseason.

But there have been no questions anymore about his defense. Transitioning from the outfield to first base in 2023, which was also Machado's position, Harper has excelled, even earning himself a Gold Glove finalist nod in 2024.

"He’s worked his tail off at first base, and he’s really made himself into a solid defender," Phillies manager Rob Thomson said.

By learning a new role, Harper has also shown his leadership skills as the clubhouse leader for the Phillies, selfless to the team's cause.