The Washington Nationals are still in the Bryce Harper race, and an offer from the Philadelphia Phillies could get them very motivated to retain the star outfielder.
According to Jon Morosi of MLB.com, the Nationals are “increasingly wary” of losing Harper to the Phillies, particularly in light of Philadelphia’s acquisition of catcher J.T. Realmuto from the Miami Marlins. The Nationals are so wary, in fact, that a source close to the organization believes that ownership may feel the need to match any offer Harper receives from the Phillies if they think there is an imminent threat of him leaving for Philadelphia.
The report only states that the Phillies are the primary concern, and doesn’t really indicate whether Washington would be as worried about losing out to a team like the San Diego Padres, who appear to be increasingly aggressive in their pursuit of the outfielder. At the very least, it’s a sign that Washington should not be counted out in the Harper sweepstakes.
