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Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce Harper and Los Angeles Angels slugger Mike Trout have been arguably two of the best players over the last decade. Both quickly turned heads during their rookie seasons and did not look back.
As a rookie in 2012, Trout managed to make his first All-Star game appearance and won American League Rookie of the Year. On the other side, Harper won Rookie of the Year in the National League.
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So, when Trout was set to become a free agent following the 2019 season, Harper did his best to recruit the 11-time All-Star. He wanted to team up with one of the league's best.
"If you don't think I'm gonna call Mike Trout to come to Philly in 2020, you're crazy," - said Bryce Harper.
Growing up in New Jersey, the Phillies were the closest team to Trout and a team he looked up to. Harper was looking to play into that hometown leverage.
"He's a kid who grew up seeing the Phillies have success, so going through those times with the fans and things like that" - said Harper.
However, Philadelphia was not the only team focusing on the three-time American League MVP. The entire league was looking to add Trout to their roster.
To Bryce Harper's dismay, Mike Trout chose the Angels over the Phillies
It was a long off-season for Mike Trout. He had plenty of teams offering him lucrative deals and such, but his heart was in Los Angeles. Ahead of the 2020 season, Trout and the Los Angeles Angels agreed to a 12-year, $426.5 million deal.
It was a great deal for Trout as it made him the highest-paid player during the 2020 season. He made $36 million that year, tying him alongside Gerrit Cole.
To Bryce Harper's dismay, Trout never truly wanted to leave Los Angeles to go and play for the Phillies. He believed in the vision that the Halos front office put in front of him.
Unfortunately, that is a decision that has wrecked baseball fans. It has been 10 years since Trout was last seen taking a postseason at-bat. With the way the Halos look this year, it may be another postseason without him.
It is a tough look when one of the game's best players has only played in three playoff games during his 14-year career.
