Even with Spring Training only weeks away, speculation is still running rampant as to where former National League MVP Bryce Harper will go. With a handful of teams still believed to be interested in signing him, the oddsmakers are now weighing in.
According to BetOnline via Barrett Sallee, the San Francisco Giants are the current betting favorite at +100 odds. The San Diego Padres are second with +250 odds.
Two other new teams were given strong odds at landing Harper: The Philadelphia Phillies at +400, the Los Angeles Dodgers at +750. The Washington Nationals were given +1000 odds of retaining their six-time All-Star slugger.
Harper is coming off yet another strong season for the Nationals, having batted .249 with 137 hits, 34 home runs, and a .393 on-base percentage. He led the league in walks and made his fourth straight All-Star game.
Odds on where Bryce Harper will sign, courtesy of @betonline_ag:
San Francisco Giants +100 (1/1)
San Diego Padres +250 (5/2)
Philadelphia Phillies +400 (4/1)
Los Angeles Dodgers +750 (15/2)
Washington Nationals +1000 (10/1)— Barrett Sallee (@BarrettSallee) February 11, 2019
Harper has been a hot commodity as a free agent, but teams appear to be reluctant to give him or fellow free agent Manny Machado the kind of 10-year mega-deals that they used to give out regularly.
The Nationals slugger was named National League MVP of the 2015 season after leading the league in runs and home runs. He led all of baseball in on-base percentage and slugging percentage that season.
According to a recent report, Harper could be poised to make his final decision this week.