CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Now pitching for the Philadelphia Phillies, Bryce Harper.
The new Phillies slugger has again lobbied for superstar Mike Trout to join the franchise in 2021, a possible violation of Major League Baseball's tampering rule.
MLB has not yet said whether it will look into Harper's remarks, but in a text message to the L.A. Times, Angels general manager Billy Eppler said the team has been in touch with Major League Baseball regarding Harper's comments. He had no further comment on the matter.
Rule 3(k) says: "To preserve discipline and competition, and to prevent the enticement of players, coaches, managers and umpires, there shall be no negotiations or dealings respecting employment, either present or prospective, between any player, coach or manager and any Major or Minor League Club other than the Club with which the player is under contract.