The San Diego Padres are sitting down with Bryce Harper, but the real question is, are they serious players to sign him? The MLB free agency market continues to be slow, as teams are hesitant to pay big money for players like Manny Machado and Bryce Harper. According to Ken Rosenthal, the San Diego Padres scheduled a meeting with Harper in Las Vegas for Thursday night (January 31).

The Padres seem to be targeting many strong players in free agency. MLB Trade Rumors states that the Padres are rumored to be going after Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto and are expected to set up a meeting with Manny Machado.

The meeting with Harper is a little surprising, but it could be part of a plan to have a lot of young talent being supported by several veteran additions.

Harper already rejected an offer from the Nationals

ESPN reported that Harper has allegedly rejected a 10-year, $300 million deal to stick with the Washington Nationals. He's probably looking for the same length as that deal and possibly more money. The Padres, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox, and Washington Nationals are all interested in signing Harper.

While being a part of this group, it's unclear if the Padres truly want to sign Harper or are just browsing players that could potentially help the team in the long run.

However, Rosenthal has said that ownership representatives were expected to be part of the meetings with Bryce Harper in Las Vegas. This suggests that the Padres are truly serious in signing Harper, and will try to sell Harper on playing in San Diego. The fact that San Diego has scheduled in-person meetings for both Manny Machado and Bryce Haper shows a level of interest that not many teams in the league have shown.

Padres are very interested in Bryce Harper

Out of the four teams, the Padres seem to be a long-shot team to sign Harper. However, multiple reporters have put the Padres above other teams aimed at signing him. You can't rule out any team until he makes a deal. Bryce Harper was the 2012 National League Rookie of the Year and the 2015 MVP.

He led the Washington Nationals with 34 home runs, 100 RBIs, and 130 walks in 2018. He made the All-Star team six times out of seven seasons.

The outfield is not an area of concern for the Padres, but Harper could be an upgrade in right field, allowing the team to trade younger outfielders. Fans are waiting in anticipation to see where Bryce Harper will play. Spring Training for the league starts in a matter of weeks. Until then, it's all just rumors and speculation.
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