The Washington Nationals have agreed to terms with right fielder Bryce Harper for the 2018 season. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.
The unanimous 2015 National League Most Valuable Player, Harper opens play on Saturday leading Major League hitters this season in on-base percentage (.496), runs (37), and intentional walks (6), while ranking among Major League leaders in walks (T3rd, 28), on-base plus slugging percentage (2nd, 1.213), batting average (2nd, .372), slugging percentage (4th, .717), RBI (T7th, 29), multi-hit games (T1tth, 13) and home runs (T10th, 10).
Harper, 24, is one of just 11 players in Major League history to hit at least 121 home runs and accumulate 387 walks through his first five Major League seasons. He is also one of five active players to hit at least 121 home runs prior to his age 24 season.
Highlights of his 2017 season already include the fifth Opening Day home run of his career on April 3 vs. MIA, the fourth walk-off home run of his career - propelling Washington past Philadelphia on April 16 - the 12th multi-homer game of his career on April 19 at Atlanta, and the National League Player of the Week award for the week of April 17-23. During that week, Harper hit .550 (11-for-20) with four doubles, three home runs, seven RBI, seven walks and ten runs scored.
It was the fifth Player of the Week award of Harper's career, to go along with his two NL Player of the Month awards (April & May, 2015) and two NL Rookie of the Month awards (May & Sept./Oct., 2012).
In addition to becoming the youngest unanimous Most Valuable Player in National League history in 2015, Harper was also the fourth-youngest player to win an MVP award, and followed that up with the first 20-homer/20-stolen base season of his career in 2016.
A four-time All-Star, including three as an NL starter in the outfield, a Silver Slugger, and the 2012 National League Rookie of the Year, Harper remains under contract through the 2018 season. The agreement today solidifies his salary for that season.