Bryce Harper Reveals Why He Didn’t Choose Giants in Free Agency

The San Francisco Giants were one of the teams that were in on Bryce Harper as a free agent, and he revealed the reason he didn’t choose them.

Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Bryce Harper was the biggest free agent in baseball when he finished up seven years with the Washington Nationals at the end of the 2018 season.

He was expected to fetch a huge contract and he did. He’s now played as many years with the Philadelphia Phillies as he had with the Nationals and, in many ways, he and the city of Philadelphia are a fantastic fit. He’s playing on a 13-year, $330 million deal that keeps him there through 2031 season when he will be 39 years old.

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When he was on the market, many big-market teams were on him. During an interview with ESPN’s Pat McAfee on Monday, as part of his coverage of Team USA training camp for the World Baseball Classic, Harper’s free agency decision came up. While he was heavily pursued by several teams, he was down to the San Francisco Giants and the Phillies before he made his final decision.

Bryce Harper on Why He Didn’t Choose Giants

Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Harper was intrigued by the Giants. He agreed with McAfee that it is one of the most respected franchises in baseball. But one impending move helped him lean toward the Phillies.

“It was close,” he said. “The thing that killed me was that [Bruce] Bochy was retiring. He’s the greatest.”

It sounds like Harper really wanted to play for Bochy, who could be selected for the Baseball Hall of Fame next year. Assuming Bochy remains retired — he just finished a three-year stretch managing the Texas Rangers — he can be considered on a non-BBWAA ballot, along with another Giants manager, Dusty Baker. Former San Francisco catcher Buster Posey, now the team’s president of baseball operations, will be up for the Hall in his first year of eligibility.

Harper is one of many big-name free agents the Giants missed out on during the years leading up to Posey taking over the team. Another notable miss is playing for Team USA — California native Aaron Judge. He was deciding between San Francisco and the New York Yankees in free agency before New York upped its offer.

Posey has helped the Giants shed their inability to acquire big-name free agents after signing shortstop Willy Adames last offseason. In June, he made one of the biggest trades of last season by dealing for disgruntled slugger Rafael Devers, who appears much happier in the Bay Area.

It’s unlikely Devers is in San Francisco had the Giants been able to sign Harper seven years ago. Harper has been a two-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger for the Phillies. He even plays first base, which up until this season had been a problem spot for San Francisco.