PHILADELPHIA, PA – SEPTEMBER 24: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies in action against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a game at Citizens Bank Park on September 24, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
After Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Bryce Harper joked about playing for the Tokyo Giants in the Nippon Professional Baseball , the Giants got back to him on Twitter.
With the MLB lockout in place, many teams have begun surveying unsigned international talent, as this is the only way to court new players during the freeze.
Bryce Harper isn’t one of the many MLB free agents left in limbo, but he did joke about exploring other avenues to play during the American offseason. Harper posted a photo of himself photoshopped into a Tokyo Giants jersey and tagged them, asking if they were awake with the 13-hour time difference. “Got some time to kill,” Haper joked, adding that he knows the Giants have his agency’s phone number.
The Giants got back to Harper, jokingly asking for his jersey size.
Bryce Harper and Tokyo Giants toy with idea of playing in Japan during lockout
The NPB mirrors the MLB schedule closely, with Japan’s league now in the middle of their pre-season game schedule. While Harper was joking around, there are a number of expatriate baseball players who have enjoyed successful careers in Japan. However, the Japanese league limits the amount of foreign players to four per 25-man roster, which is similar to what many European leagues do as well.
Even if the Giants were ready to host Harper, he would not be willing to leave his lucrative 13-year, $330 million contract with the Phillies. The 29-year-old right fielder won his second NL MVP Award in 2021, in addition to winning the Silver Slugger Award and the NL Hank Aaron Award each for the second time in his career. As soon as the league opens up again, Harper is primed to play some of his best baseball yet.