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How does Nolan Arenado’s new contract effect Bryce Harper?

By Michael Behler

MIAMI, FL - JULY 10: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Colorado Rockies and the National League talks with Bryce Harper #34 of the Washington Nationals and the National League during Gatorade All-Star Workout Day ahead of the 88th MLB All-Star Game at Marlins Park on July 10, 2017 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - JULY 10: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Colorado Rockies and the National League talks with Bryce Harper #34 of the Washington Nationals and the National League during Gatorade All-Star Workout Day ahead of the 88th MLB All-Star Game at Marlins Park on July 10, 2017 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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One move by Rockies could change the future for at least three other teams.

Nolan Arenado is one of the best third-basemen in baseball, and is now being paid like it. The Colorado Rockies and Arenado agreed to an eight year 260 million dollar contract, and would have him making about 32.5 million dollars per year. The interesting piece of this deal is that there is an opt out after three years, which is being reported as something that Bryce Harper wanted in his negotiations with teams.

Harper has rejected contracts of ten years 300 million dollars, and has come out publicly saying that he wants a long term contract. In the past Harper has also said he wanted to have the first 400 million dollar contract. Well after seeing fellow offseason holdout Manny Machado get ten years and 300 million dollars, the same amount Harper rejected, and Arenado getting 32.5 million a year; his wish might actually come true.

All offseason fans, beat writers, MLB analysts, and even other players have speculated about where Bryce Harper will sign, and for how much. The real answer is, none of us really know, and the Rockies giving Arenado this contract makes it harder for all the teams that are supposedly bidding on Harper. Bryce Harper and his Agent, Scott Boras, will ask for a lot more per season than what Arenado is making, and that should be scary for every team involved.

Arguably the only player in the league worth the amount of money that Harper is asking for is Mike Trout, but Harper will probably end up getting somewhere between 350-400 million dollars. The Nolan Arenado contract negotiations were the least talked about story in the offseason among the media, but probably the most talked about in the Harper and Machado camps. Machado and Harper were probably waiting for this extension to happen, and when it didn’t before pitchers and catchers reported to Spring Training Machado chose not to wait any longer.

Harper has been playing the waiting game all offseason, and seems poised to wait it out until he gets the contract he desires. However, he does have a date to sign by. The regular season starts March 28, and the MLB The Show video comes out March 26. The Show usually does preorders and let’s people test the game out and have it a week earlier so that puts around March 19. If you didn’t know Harper is the athlete on the cover of MLB The Show 2019, so his waiting is also taxing on them because currently they do not have a cover photo since they do not know what team he will be on.

The reports yesterday were that Harper would sign by the end of this week; we will see how the Arenado deal changes that time table, but he realistically has another two to three weeks before The Show would put pressure on him to sign a contract. However, waiting that long will make teams less interested and Harper would have to take less than he feels he deserves, and that doesn’t seem like something he or Boras want to see happen. 10:21 on February 26, 2019 and the Bryce Harper saga continues.

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