{"id":604520,"date":"2026-03-03T23:04:18","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T23:04:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/604520\/"},"modified":"2026-03-03T23:04:18","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T23:04:18","slug":"bryce-harper-reveals-he-nearly-picked-giants-over-phillies-during-2019-free-agency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/604520\/","title":{"rendered":"Bryce Harper reveals he nearly picked Giants over Phillies during 2019 free agency"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bryce Harper<\/a> was nearly a Giant.<\/p>\n

The MLB superstar revealed on Monday during a conversation with Pat McAfee that when he was a free agent in 2019, he almost signed with San Francisco.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt came down to Phillies or Giants,\u201d the 33-year-old said.<\/p>\n

Harper, of course, ultimately opted to put pen to paper with Philadelphia<\/a>, officially agreeing to a 13-year, $330 million contract in March 2019.<\/p>\n

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But the two-time MVP said if manager Bruce Bochy hadn\u2019t called the \u201919 season his last in a Giants uniform, there was a very good chance he was going to make the Bay Area his new home.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was close,\u201d Harper said. \u201cThe thing that killed me was Bochy was retiring. He\u2019s the greatest of all-time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Bryce<\/p>\n

Bryce Harper opted to sign with the Phillies in 2019. Getty Images<\/p>\n

Adding further salt into Giants fans wounds, Harper \u2014 who began his MLB career with the Nationals after he was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft \u2014 actually trolled some pro-San Francisco hecklers about the choice while on set with McAfee in Scottsdale, Ariz.<\/p>\n

McAfee, in town to help preview the upcoming the World Baseball Classic<\/a>, asked Harper what he thought some fans were yelling in his direction.<\/p>\n

\"Bryce<\/p>\n

Bryce Harper will actually face the Giants on Tuesday in a World Baseball Classic tuneup. MLB Photos via Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cThey probably are thinking, \u2018Man, he could have been here with the Giants,’\u201d Harper responded. \u201c\u2018But he\u2019s not.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

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In seven seasons with the Phillies, Harper\u2019s played in 858 games and hit .281. He\u2019s belted 184 home runs and recorded 521 RBIs, and won the 2021 MVP award.<\/p>\n

The Giants and their fans will get another up-close look at him later Tuesday, when Harper and Team USA take on San Francisco in a WBC tuneup at Scottsdale Stadium.<\/p>\n

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