A.J. Pollock reportedly signs with Dodgers, possibly closing another door for Bryce Harper
The Dodgers' reported agreement with Pollock could benefit the Phillies in their pursuit of Harper.
When the Dodgers traded outfielders Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp last month, the move was widely perceived as a precursor to Bryce Harper eventually signing to play in Los Angeles.
But the Dodgers seem to have had other ideas.
It’s still possible that Harper will wind up in Hollywood, although it’s far less likely after the Dodgers agreed to terms Thursday with free-agent center fielder A.J. Pollock, according to multiple reports. And if the door to Dodger Stadium is now closed to Harper, it might serve to strengthen the Phillies' chances of landing the 26-year-old megastar.
Pollock, 31, will receive a four-year, $55 million guarantee, according to ESPN, a contract that would push the deep-pocketed Dodgers' payroll closer to the $206 million competitive-balance tax threshold. They could decide to go over that mark, especially after getting beneath it last year to reset their luxury-tax penalty. But Harper is still believed to be seeking a record-setting contract, and Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers director of baseball operations, has never signed a player to a nine-figure deal.
It has been nearly two weeks since Phillies owner John Middleton led a contingent of team officials to Las Vegas for a meeting with Harper; his wife, Kayla; and agent Scott Boras. By all accounts, the meeting went well, although it’s not known whether the Phillies have made an offer.
In November, Boras dubbed the offseason "Harper's Bazaar," a nod to the star right fielder's long-anticipated free agency. Harper turned down a 10-year, $300 million offer from the Nationals in September, according to the Washington Post, serving notice that he intended to beat those numbers once he was free to negotiate with other teams.
But Harper’s market has been strangely slow to form. The Chicago White Sox have been linked to Harper, but like the Phillies at times, they have appeared more focused on fellow free-agent megastar Manny Machado. The Nationals remain in the mix, even though they already spent $140 million on free-agent pitcher Patrick Corbin and have a talented, young outfield with Juan Soto, Adam Eaton, and top prospect Victor Robles.
Pollock figures to play center field for the platoon-oriented Dodgers, who could use some combination of Clay Bellinger, Chris Taylor, Joc Pederson, Enrique Hernandez, and Alex Verdugo in left and right. Pollock also brings a right-handed bat to a largely left-handed lineup. Harper is a left-handed hitter.
The Phillies made a three-year, $50 million commitment to outfielder Andrew McCutchen last month. They noted his durability as a strong selling point over other free-agent outfielders, including Pollock and Michael Brantley. Pollock has been dogged by injuries throughout his career, only once playing more than 140 games in a season.