The ink has not even dried on the contract between Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies and the Mike Trout talk has begun. Much of it has been by the fans. But what if a former general manager has some info? Former Washington Nationals general manager Jim Bowden hosted "Power Alley" on MLB Network Radio with Jody McDonald on Friday morning and gave an indication that Harper and Trout have talked.
Bowden believes the deal the Phillies signed with Harper is friendly enough to allow for Trout to come to town, and that there is legs:
"They're gonna sign Trout in two years, by the way. Harper and Trout have been texting back and forth throughout this process. Harper reached out to Trout to ask him about the City of Philadelphia. Mike Trout and Harper are gonna be on this team in two years".
Of course, much could happen between now and then.
The Los Angeles Angels have had "internal discussions" about re-signing Trout. At the end of the 2018 season, Angels owner Arte Moreno called an extension with Trout a "priority". Trout is under Angels control for the 2019 and 2020 seasons before he is set to become a free agent.
Of course, money talks and the Angels could so much money that Trout might not be able to turn it down. But the Angels have appeared in just one playoff series since Trout made his major league debut and do not appear to be contenders anytime soon. Further, there is a question as to where the Angels will play beyond this year. The Angels officially opted out of their stadium lease and do not have a plan just yet.
Phillies fans can dream of also landing the best player in baseball to complement Harper. But for now, they should enjoy their newly-acquired right fielder. We'll see what 2020 brings.
