Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper told reporters Feb. 15 that he was surprised teammate Kyle Schwarber, a former Middletown High School standout, opted to return to Philadelphia instead of leaving in free agency for his hometown Cincinnati Reds.
"I thought Kyle was going to go to Cincinnati to tell you the truth," Harper said, per NBC Sports Philadelphia. "I thought it was a done deal, going to Cincinnati. Just because, I mean, being at home and things like that. Obviously, I didn't - I didn't know. But we kind of messed with him the whole time about him going back home and playing in front of his fan base and all that kind of stuff. I didn't really talk to him too much. I don't like getting into those situations. They're going to do what's best for their family and what's best for their career. … Obviously, excited to have (Schwarber and JT Realmuto) back."
"Excited to have Schwarbs back," Harper continued. "I mean, one of the best in baseball right now (at) hitting homers. And, you know, such a vibes guy for us, and such a team leader for us."
In 2018, Harper played for the Washington Nationals when he was accused by some of cheating to beat Schwarber, then with the Chicago Cubs, in the MLB Home Run Derby.
Schwarber, who starred for the Indiana University baseball team before starting his MLB career, celebrated the Hoosiers' win in the College Football Playoff championship game by sharing a photo of confetti falling at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium.
In November, Middletown High School's Wade E. Miller Arena hosted an event to celebrate Schwarber's baseball accomplishments and community commitment in a free, public event. Days earlier, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine urged the Reds to sign Schwarber.
In December, Schwarber reached a five-year, $150 million deal with the Phillies.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Bryce Harper thought Kyle Schwarber would sign with Reds