"From the day I signed, it was: 'He's going to Yankees" - When Bryce Harper lamented time with Nationals before $330 million Phillies deal

Bryce Harper quickly became an enigma in the sport early on. As a high schooler, The slugger left high school as a sophomore to attend baseball powerhouse College of Southern Nevada.

After his one year in college, the Washington Nationals selected him with the first overall draft pick in 2010. While he was a member of the Nats, all anybody could think about was the possibility of him playing elsewhere.

Harper heard all the noise and it started to frustrate him. He was loyal to Washington and did not want to think of the possibility of leaving the city, via ESPN's Tim Keown.

"From the day I signed, it was: 'He's going to the Yankees'; 'He's going to the Dodgers'; 'He's going to the Cubs.' I didn't want to hear that. I was in that city, and I wanted to be in that city," said Harper.

All Harper heard was speculation on if he would join teams like the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, or the Chicago Cubs. He was tired of it, but when it came time for him to sign a new deal, he settled on the Philadelphia Phillies.

"I'm just so happy that I'm able to sit here right now and say IO can play until I'm 39 years old and I don't have something sitting around the corner saying, 'He's going to go here next,'" said Harper.

Harper signed a 13-year, $330 million deal with Philadelphia in 2019. The deal secured Harper until his age-39 season and that is the kind of long-term commitment he had been looking for.

Bryce Harper worried about his potential fit with Washington

Former Washington Nationals Slugger - Bryce Harper (Photo via IMAGN)

Bryce Harper would have loved to stay with the Nationals. He loved the fanbase, he loved his teammates, but he was not too sure how much he fit into the team's plans going forward. Washington offered him a 10-year, $300 million deal which he declined.

"I grew up in front of those fans and that city, and I enjoyed every minute of it. But I didn't know if I fit into their plans. About $100 million of that contract was deferred 'til I was 65 years old" said Harper.

Harper revealed that $100 million of that contract would have been deferred until he was in his mid-60s. He wanted to secure the best life for himself and his family so the deal with the Phillies was a no-brainer.