Bryce Harper's Nationals Contract Offer Featured Deferred Payments Through 2072

Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Bryce Harper signed a 13-year, $330 million deal with his new team this past offseason, but he reportedly could have been paid through 2072 if he remained with the Washington Nationals. 

Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post reported on the lengthy process that was Harper's free agency and noted the Nationals' initial offer to the slugger came during the 2018 campaign. The deal was for 10 years and $300 million with payments deferred until 2052.

Things appeared to be trending toward a reunion even more when the two sides met on Dec. 23 and Harper expressed his excitement to return to the only MLB team he had ever known.

"I'm sitting there like, 'I'm going to be a National. I'm going to be a National,'" he said. "'They're going to make me an offer this week. We're going to build off of that, and it's going to happen.' I told Kayla, 'Be ready to go back.' I flat-out told her. I was psyched. I was like, 'Be ready to go back, because if we can, we're going back.' I was pumped."

However, Svrluga reported the Nationals reduced their offer to 12 years and $250 million on Jan. 3. Most incredibly, the new offer featured deferred payments that last until 2072.

"I don't want to take something that's way, far less than I'd get elsewhere, and less than the first offer, with high deferrals," Harper said of the offer. "I don't want to be a guy that gets paid till I'm 65. That doesn't do it for me."

He went on to say he didn't particularly want to play on the West coast despite taking meetings with the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. He also pointed to discussions he had with former Nationals teammate Jayson Werth about playing and living in Philadelphia.

According to Svrluga, Harper was sure he wanted to sign with the Phillies when his agent, Scott Boras, called him on Feb. 28 with the news of the 13-year, $330 million contract that didn't defer any of the payments.

As a result, Philadelphia added a 26-year-old with a National League MVP, National League Rookie of the Year, Silver Slugger and six All-Star Game nods to their team after already landing Jean Segura, Andrew McCutchen and J.T. Realmuto during the offseason.

The Phillies haven't been to the playoffs since the 2011 campaign but are off to a 3-0 start this season with their new firepower. Harper already has two home runs through the first three games.

He will play against his former team for the first time Tuesday and give it an up-close look at who it is missing and who it could have paid until 2072.