The Giants entered the Bryce Harper sweepstakes about a week before pitchers and catchers were set to report. Now, a few days before, one online bookmaker lists the Giants as the favorites to land the superstar.
BetOnline gave San Francisco +100, or 1/1 odds on Monday to sign the free-agent outfielder.
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That's a substantial turnaround from the end of October, when fellow online bookmaker Bovada gave the Giants the fourth-best odds to sign the 26-year-old. Before Monday, BetOnline listed the Philadelphia Phillies as +150 favorites for Harper's signature. The Giants were just behind at +225.
Links between Harper and the Giants have picked up within the last week. Harper praised San Francisco catcher Buster Posey in his meeting with the team, and Posey has made it clear he thinks the Giants would be a good match with the former No. 1 overall pick.
Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said there was "mutual interest" with Harper and the Giants. Heck, even Warriors coach/Los Angeles Dodgers fan Steve Kerr made his pitch for Harper to come to the Bay Area.
[RELATED: How signing Harper would affect Giants' payroll plans]
San Francisco Giants
Spring training games are fewer than two weeks away, so Harper's signing would appear to be happening sooner rather than later. If these odds prove accurate, he just might put pen to paper in an orange and black hat.