Bryce Harper has been with the Phillies for six seasons. Shohei Ohtani recently signed a 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers for $2 million annually for the first 10 years followed by $68 million per year from 2034 to 2043. The deferrals reduced the present-day value to just over $460 million with an average annual value of $46 million. Ohtani’s idea initially proposed and he makes around $50 million per year on endorsements.
The Dodgers have a history of including deferrals in their contracts. The Phillies typically do not include deferrals in their contracts for big stars. However, it may change following the Ohtani deal. Bryce Harper signed a 13-year, $330 million contract prior to the 2019 season which set the precedent for future players. Harper has expressed interest in possibly extending his contract, even with eight years still remaining on his deal. If an extension were to occur, it would potentially benefit all parties involved. Under the proposed extension, Harper would get three additional years with $55 million total guaranteed added to the $208,307,696 left on his contract. The $55 million added would be deferred interest-free and paid out in $5 million installments over 11 years from 2035 to 2046. This would lower Harper’s luxury tax hit and stretcher the terms of the original agreement by another three years. However, Boras may be seeking even more money and a higher average annual value for Harper.