Cubs the favorite to land Bryce Harper, according to one oddsmaker
The Chicago Cubs are the favorite to sign Washington Nationals slugger Bryce Harper in the offseason. One oddsmaker thinks the Cubs have the inside track at bringing in the superstar outfielder, though the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees aren’t far behind.
Bovada gives the Cubs 3/2 odds to pick up the 25-year-old Harper this winter. The Dodgers come in at 7/2, but the Yankees are in the hunt as well at 9/2.
Here’s a full list of Bovada’s odds for Harper:
Beyond those three clubs, Bovada gave odds to the Philadelphia Phillies, Nationals, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels and San Francisco Giants.
All eight teams have shown a willingness to spend big money in order to bring in elite players. While the Cubs aren’t expected to have the most money available, they could still pull off a deal for Harper.
Last June, Peter Gammons mentioned people told him Harper wanted to play for the Cubs. That kicked up a firestorm on the North Side of Chicago. Every time Harper posts a photo with childhood friend Kris Bryant, Cubs fans start dreaming about the two hitting back-to-back in the team’s lineup. Harper and Bryant grew up together in Las Vegas and even played on the same youth team.
Their relationship has put the Cubs in the conversation to sign Harper since Day 1. But being friendly with a player doesn’t guarantee a thing. The Dodgers, Yankees or a number of other teams could blow Harper away with an offer.
The Cubs should be in the conversation, but free agency hasn’t even started yet. A lot can change when money starts flying around.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
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