Sources: Bryce Harper, Giants have discussed 10-year contract

All along, the Giants have been viewed as a short-term solution for Bryce Harper. That’s not actually the case.

The Giants and Harper’s team have discussed a 10-year contract, NBC Sports Bay Area has learned. That would match the deal the Padres gave Manny Machado earlier this month and likely give Harper a chance at the record dollar figure he has been seeking.

Harper turned down a reported $10-year, $300 million offer from the Nationals at the end of the season, and the widespread belief since then has been that the Phillies are his best bet at a long-term deal. The Giants met with Harper in early February and were believed back then to be involved in case the slugger sought a short-term deal that would keep him on the West Coast. The Dodgers are thought to be in the same situation.

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But the Giants, who met with Harper again Tuesday, per the San Jose Mercury News, are not afraid of a long-term deal. A year ago, ownership pushed hard for Giancarlo Stanton, and his contract runs through 2027.

Harper, still just 26, likely would seek opt-outs that would allow him to hit the market again during his prime years. But even then, the Giants view him as an ideal piece to add to a core they believe in.

Most of that core is locked into long-term deals, which is why the Giants preferred smaller contracts most of the winter. They have not handed out a deal lasting more than one year thus far, but Harper is a different kind of talent, and if he is in San Francisco long term, the Giants eventually will be able to balance their payroll.