Bryce Harper has threatened to take his talents to Japan, but is this something he is permitted to do?
Should the MLB season be postponed anymore, Bryce Harper of the Philadelphia Phillies could play in Japan. Is that something he’d be able to do?
A lockout means no baseball, which, in Bryce Harper’s opinion, is a lot of wasted talent.
So, if Harper wanted to play baseball in another league, say the Nippon League in Japan, would he be allowed to? Is there a non-compete clause in MLB?
The Players’ Association has indicated that any player who wishes to play professionally elsewhere during the lockout will be supported. If Harper is serious, his veiled threat could become a reality soon.
If Harper is allowed to visit Japan, he will bring a large number of spectators with him. The KBO acquired appeal among American baseball fans during a sports lull at the start of the pandemic in the United States. If Harper and other top-level professional baseball players were to play in their own league — or in another, such as Japan or the KBO — the same thing could happen.
Would MLB or the Philadelphia Phillies allow Bryce Harper to play in Japan?
According to Ken Rosenthal of the New York Times, the MLBPA would fight any move by the league to limit the number of players who can play elsewhere during the lockout.
Obviously, if the lockout ended, those players would have to return – but the owners are taking a risk by prolonging the process.
If a new CBA isn’t struck by the end of the week, anticipate some talented MLB players to play overseas. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance for some of the top players in the game to develop their brand and play in places they never imagined possible.
