"Teams don't want to employ you at 35, much less 39" - When Bryce Harper's agent Scott Boras harshly rejected his idea of unique lifetime deal

After the 2018 season, Bryce Harper became a free agent. Much like how Juan Soto is now, Harper was the hottest free agent on the open market and plenty of teams went after him.

It was Harper's first time as a free agent and he wanted to get the most out of it. He visited a handful of teams during that time and had a list of demands for his superstar agent Scott Boras.

One of these demands was a typical no-trade clause, but his other request was a bit more difficult to fulfill. Harper wanted to get the longest contract possible, which Boras did not agree with, via ESPN's Tim Keown.

"Well, teams don't want to employ you at 35, much less 39, so we're going to have to give something up to get that," said Boras.

Boras knew that if Harper wanted more years, his AAV would take a hit. Teams are wary of signing guys late into their careers with just how hard some of these stars can struggle as they age.

"We knew going into the offseason it was going to be tough" said Harper.

While there were tough negotiations, Harper ended up inking a deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. The two sides agreed to a 13-year, $330 million contract.

Is Bryce Harper looking for a contract extension?

Philadelphia Phillies - Bryce Harper (Photo via IMAGN)

Bryce Harper's current contract expires after his age-38 season. However, he has mentioned numerous times in the past to the media that he would play into his mid-40s.

For that to happen, he would have to get a contract extension. This is something that he and his agent have already brought up, especially with his move to first base.

First base is a position that many aging players can play. It does not take the same toll as playing the outfield for 162 games does on a player's body.

However, extending Harper's contract may not be the focus of the front office. Philadelphia has looked great over the recent years and they are just a player or two away from hoisting a World Series trophy.

The Phillies could be hard at work this offseason trying to figure out the best potential lineup for the 2024 season. This could include Juan Soto, however, Philadelphia was not one of the five teams who have offered the slugger a contract yet.