There has never been a free agent quite like Bryce Harper.

The former National League MVP and has all the tools of an MLB superstar. Given the facthe is still only 26 years old,it'sreasonable to think that Harperhas not entered his prime yet.

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In an offseason where tons of uncertaintyexists, one thing is a given: Harper is going to get paid. So much so that he will likely exceedGiancarlo Stantons13-year,$325 million megadeal,which currently stands as the largestcontractin MLB history.

We are living in an era in which teams will have to overpayin order to land Brandon McManus Jerseys the object of their desire in free agency, and with multipleteams likely to be in hot pursuit of Harper, the bidding war could lead to a previouslyunheard ofmonetary figure.Factor in that he is represented by superagentScott Boras, who is always known to get the most of his clients, and it only adds to the likelihood of a ma sive contract for Harper.

In fact, the rumor mill is abuzz that the bidding for Harper may begin, yes, begin, .

The question at hand remains: Which team will end up with Harper?

The case for:Many people view Philadelphia as the favorites for a variety of reasons. They have the moneyand willingne s to spend it, the need existsand its a big market team with a plethora of young talentthat seems primed for a breakthrough after contending for five months last season.

Pairing Harper up in the outfield and in the middle of the order with Rhys HoskinsandOdubelHerrerawould make a formidabletrio that could vault the Phillies to the favorites in an open NL East and make them a viable threat for the World Series.

It's not hard for any team to recognize the extraordinary value that Harper brings, but the Phillies seem to be the most likely partyto pony up the money andact on it.

The case against:If Philadelphia also opts to pursue the other big fish on the market, Manny Machado, it could hinder their quest for Harper. While they are one of the few teams that are thought to have the flexibility to pair the two up, if Machado takes precedence, it could allow another team to come in and swoop Harperup.

While they were in contention for most of 2018, this current Phillies team has yet to generate postseason results, making it risky to sign with them despite the young talent they po se s.

If he doesn't hold any bad blood, Harper may opt against having tocompete against his former team, the Nationals, 18 games per year in the NL East.

The case for:When dealing with a big free agent, its hard to ever count the Los Angeles Dodgers out. They have a plethora of money at their disposal and have proven their willingne s to spend time after time.

Los Angeles po se ses a stash of serviceable outfielders who have been steady contributors to its back-to-back World Seriesappearances, butcompared to about any other outfielder in thegame sans Mike Trout,Mookie Betts and Christian Yelich,Harper presents an upgrade.

The glitz and the glamour of Los Angeles would provide Harper with a steady flow of media attention that would put him front and center in Hollywood. It also presents an opportunity for him to return to the West Coast, where he grew up.

At this moment, the Dodgers' roster makes thema much more surefire playoff contender than the Phillies, and among his options, seem togive Harper the best opportunity on paper to win the first postseason series of his career. Ronald Darby Jerseys

The case against:Perhaps the Dodgers prefer their current stash of outfielders, which includes Joc Pederson, Cody Bellinger, Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp. While none match up to the pedigree of Harper, all have proven their worth as players capable of starting every day.

Upgrading the outfield also doesn't seem to be the Dodgers biggest offseason priority, as bigger holes exist at catcher, second base, and in the bullpen.

The case for:The Cubs are another example where the fit is obvious. Its another major market team that has proven it can win on the biggest stage with a glaring need for offensive help after its hitting faltered down the stretch.

Theo Epstein has stre sed the need for improvement after last season's disappointing finish, and there is no upgrade available that is bigger than Sam Martin Jerseys the one Harper can provide.

Chicago has proven its willingne s to spend over the last few seasons. The Cubs have already given out $100million-plus contracts to Jason Heyward and Yu Darvish.

Plus, Harpers dog is named Wrigley. Thatmustcount for something, right?

The case against:As recent as a few weeks ago, the Cubs could have been considered the favorites to sign Harper. However, recent reports about their lack of financial flexibilityin part due to those contacts to Heyward and Darvishcould be a burden to their pursuits.

Its po sible therecent news indicating the Cubshesitancy to pursue Harper is just a smokescreen and they want to hold their cards close to the vest, but the signs right now point to them not being the likely landing spot they were thought to be in the past.

The case for: The have been connected to Harper frequently as of late as general manager Rick Hahn seems to be looking for a proven superstar to complement a promising crop of youngsters.

Joining the White Sox gives Harper the opportunity to join up with a young team that hasn't begun to tap into its potential. He also still maintains the big market feel that he would get elsewhere.

Think the Cubs signing Jon Lester at the end of 2014 after several losing seasons, but on an even larger scale.

The case against:The White Sox have the most obvious red flag of any team competing for his services the lack of recent succce s. They haven't had a winning recordsince 2012 and have not won a playoff series since their championship run in 2005.

While the farm system is ripe with talent, it's reasonable to ask whether Harper would take the risk of joining an unproventeamover more of a sure thing.

The case for:The Nationals that they submittedto Harper on the last day of the 2018 seasonremains on the table, and it isnt out of the question that the two teams could enter negotiations if the outfielder expre ses a desire to return to his previous team.

Washington has familiarity working in its favor and hasa distinct advantage over the competition in that aspect.

A return to D.C. on a long-term deal can also give the opportunity for Harper to cement his legacy while maintaining loyalty to onefranchise.

The case against:It's unlikely that familiarity is going to be the deciding factor in Harper's decision-making. The Nationals will have to offer him the most money to maximize their chances.

Washington mi sing the playoffs last season might have been the nail in the coffin of Harper's Nationals career, as they have yet to achieve postseason succe s during his time in the nation's capitol.

With an excellent pitching staff and other offensive weapons under contract, the Nationals could choose to change up their approach to try tostay in Malik Reed Jerseys contention by signing mid-tier free agents.