Harper says Cubs were 'No. 1 team on my list' when he was free agent

It's been a little more than six years since Bryce Harper signed a 13-year contract to spend the remainder of his career with the Philadelphia Phillies, but things could have been different.

The two-time National League MVP recently acknowledged playing for the Chicago Cubs was atop his list during 2018 free agency, but things never panned out between him and the organization because the Cubs never engaged him about a deal.

"Going into that offseason, they were the No. 1 team on my list,” Harper told The Athletic's Patrick Mooney. "Without a doubt."

Harper discussed possibly playing on the North Side of Chicago while the Phillies were in the Windy City for a three-game weekend series against the Cubs.

The slugger said while the Cubs were a top destination for him several years ago, he understood why they never contacted him when their organization was attempting to lock up cornerstone pieces such as Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, and Javier Báez. The three of them were important pieces for a Cubs team that had just won a World Series in 2016.

Harper said while the allure of playing for a historic franchise like the Cubs would have been a fantastic opportunity, he's pleased with his decision to join the Phillies as he's become beloved by the city of Philadelphia.

"Obviously, I'm extremely happy with where I am in Philadelphia. I would never change it for the world. I love the fan base, city, everything. It's a blast. But pre-2019, going into free agency, the Cubs were at the top of my list."

Harper owns a .283/.391/.530 slash line with 157 home runs and 471 RBIs in 753 games since joining the Phillies. He also helped lead them to the World Series in 2022, when they lost to the Houston Astros in six games.