Bryce Harper only just signed with the Philadelphia Phillies five days ago, but already, he is making his pitch for Angels superstar Mike Trout to join him in the City of Brotherly Love when Trout becomes a free agent after the 2020 season.

While appearing on 94WIP, an FM radio station in Philly, Harper explicitly and openly stated that he will recruit Trout.

First and foremost, Harper is almost certainly going to be fined for violating Major League Baseball's tampering rules. The league punished Yankees slugger Aaron Judge when he said that Manny Machado “would look good in pinstripes” last March, so it is unlikely that Harper will come out of this unscathed.

Secondly, this will only enhance the amount of hype behind the “Trout to Philly” hopefuls. Trout, a native of Millville, NJ, is an ardent Eagles and Sixers fan, having made a prominent cameo at Super Bowl LII and publicly donning a Ben Simmons jersey.

The Angels continue to float the idea of extending Trout, who has made it clear that he does not want to discuss his contract situation during Spring Training or the regular season. That being said, the Angels will likely make their pitch to Trout next winter.

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If they fail to extend Trout, however, the best player in baseball will have numerous suitors, including the Phillies.

The length of Harper's contract (13 years) affords them more financial flexibility, but they will also face financial decisions of whether or not to try to extend J.T. Realmuto, who would also be a free agent after the 2020 season.

But with the new face of the franchise making his intentions known, the Phillies will certainly be a team to watch in the Trout sweepstakes.