"Halfway through that’s pretty crazy" - Bryce Harper gets candid about contract milestone while chasing 500 homers and cementing Phillies legacy

Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies are one of the top contenders in the National League yet again this season. Thanks to their loaded pitching staff and potent lineup, the Phillies should be a legitimate World Series contender if the team can remain healthy.

If the Phillies were able to win it all, it would be the first time in Bryce Harper's career and the first in Philadelphia since 2008. The talented outfielder-turned-first baseman made the high-profile move to Philadelphia back in 2019 after spending the first 7 seasons of his MLB career with the Washington Nationals.

It may seem like yesterday to some, but Harper is entering the halfway point of his 13-year, $330 million deal that landed him in the City of Brotherly Love. This is something that Harper discussed in an interview with Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

“Halfway through, that’s pretty crazy. Obviously, I want to play longer than what I’ve got left. I think everybody knows that," Harper said to Rosenthal about his deal.

Harper's tenure with the Philadelphia Phillies has been successful, even though they have not been able to win the World Series. Since joining the club, Harper has earned multiple All-Star Selections, a National League MVP Award and a World Series appearance in 2022. Despite those accomplishments, Harper has his eyes set on even more, including reaching the 500 home run threshold.

“You’ve got to stay healthy. You’ve got to stay strong... Individual stats are great, but that one thing, man . . . that World Series. That’s what you want to do," Harper said of pursuing 500 homers and winning it all.

Heading into the 2025 season, Bryce Harper sits with 336 career home runs and if he can remain healthy, according to Rosenthal, the slugger is on track to reach that impressive milestone before the end of his Phillies contract. Even though Harper would undoubtedly be proud of reaching 500 homers, that elusive World Series title might trump anything else for him at this point.

Bryce Harper would be open to returning to the outfield if the Phillies landed a superstar first baseman

Regardless of what some fans might think of him, one thing people cannot say about Harper is that he isn't competitive. An outfielder in his early days with the Nationals, this competitive nature led to several injuries as he would recklessly pursue any ball.

After requiring Tommy John Surgery and numerous injuries throughout his career, the Phillies moved Bryce Harper to first base to try and preserve him. That being said, Harper would be willing to move back to the outfield if the team was looking to add a star first baseman.

"They like me at first base. But I’d go out there to have a guy who was going to play first base and hit 35 or 40 homers," Harper said.

One of the names that Harper mentioned during his interview with Rosenthal was Pete Alonso. While Alonso ultimately re-signed with the New York Mets, there is a chance that he could opt-out and hit free agency again next offseason.