Dave Roberts on Dodgers' Bryce Harper Meeting: 'It Was Good'

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts provided a positive outlook following his meeting with Bryce Harper over the weekend.

"It was good. It was good. Just trying to get to know each other," Roberts told reporters. "I think in the spirit of us, the Dodgers, vetting a certain process makes sense and for those guys to do their due diligence as well."

Roberts was part of a Dodgers contingent that met with Harper and agent Scott Boras in Las Vegas over the weekend. The Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies are the two teams known to still be in the running, but there were other executives who were in Vegas to meet with Harper.

The Dodgers were thought to be out of the mix for Harper after signing A.J. Pollock earlier this offseason. They have made a concerted effort to stay under Major League Baseball's tax line by trading Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig to the Cincinnati Reds earlier this offseason. 

It's possible the Dodgers will now go over the tax line to sign Harper, which would likely spell the end of Joc Pederson's time in Los Angeles. The team explored trading Pederson earlier this offseason but found no traction.

Signing Harper would give the Dodgers a financial logjam with Pollock, Pederson and Cody Bellinger. 

Of course, it's also possible the Dodgers are just getting into the race to drive the price up. The San Diego Padres already made a splash this offseason in adding Manny Machado. With the San Francisco Giants also in the mix for Harper, the Dodgers were almost forced by necessity to get back in the discussion.

The optics alone of one of the richest teams in baseball being outbid by their two less solvent rivals would be enough to alienate fans.