After eventful 2017, Harper now heads into contract year

As we transition into offseason mode here, we're reviewing each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Bryce Harper, who was on track for another MVP award until his scary knee injury in August.

PLAYER REVIEW: BRYCE HARPER

Age on opening day 2018: 25

How acquired: First-round pick, 2010 draft

MLB service time: 5 years, 159 days

2017 salary: $13.625 million

Contract status: Signed for $21.625 million in 2018. Free agent in 2019.

2017 stats: 111 G, 492 PA, 420 AB, 95 R, 134 H, 27 2B, 1 3B, 29 HR, 87 RBI, 4 SB, 2 CS, 68 BB, 99 SO, .319 AVG, .413 OBP, .595 SLG, 1.008 OPS, 4 DRS, 4.8 WAR

Quotable: "I felt healthy right when I came back. We took a little bit more time than I wanted, of course. Got out there the quickest I could, but still tried to stay as calm as I could and just let it rest and let it heal. As we wrapped up the division, it gave us a little bit more time to rest and be able to do that. I came back as healthy as can be." - Harper, on his return to the roster 6 1/2 weeks after injuring his left knee and calf

2017 analysis: Harper entered the season with plenty to prove after a frustrating 2016. Were his diminished numbers cause for concern, or merely the byproduct of a shoulder or neck ailment that was never fully divulged? It didn't take long to become convinced the latter was the truth.

Harper got off to a rousing start this season, hitting .391 with nine homers and a 1.281 OPS in April that still was overshadowed by Ryan Zimmerman's even better month. The production continued throughout the rest of the spring and well into the summer. And on Aug. 12, Harper looked like the prohibitive favorite to win his second National League MVP award in three years, on pace for 41 homers, 124 RBIs, 131 runs and a 1.034 OPS.

But then, on a field left soaking wet from a three-hour rain delay, Harper tried to beat out a ground ball to first, slipped on the base, felt his left leg contort awkwardly and fell to the ground in a heap as Nationals Park turned silent. Most - including Harper himself - feared his season had just come to an end, but over the next few hours he realized he had not torn any ligaments in his knee and had suffered a far-less severe bone bruise and strained calf.

Still, Harper had to race against the clock to make it back before season's end. He wound up missing 6 1/2 weeks, returning in time to play in five of the Nationals' last six games. He was healthy, but he was not in midseason form. Despite one highly memorable October moment - his game-tying homer in the eighth inning of Game 2 of the National League Division Series - Harper otherwise struggled in the postseason. He wound up going 4-for-23 with three walks and six strikeouts.

2018 outlook: We've always known this day was coming, but it always seemed to be safely in the distance, nothing to worry about for a long time. But it has finally arrived: Harper is entering his walk year.

The Nationals already agreed to terms with Harper on his 2018 salary back in May - he'll make $21.625 million, a record for an arbitration-eligible player - and that was viewed as perhaps an olive branch from the club that could show they're serious about trying to keep the star outfielder for a long time. But this decision has always been about more than just money.

Harper appreciates the idea of playing an entire career with one franchise; he knows how rare that is and how the few who do it are elevated into a category all their own. He also appreciates the idea of playing for an iconic franchise, one that already flies pennants and has a wide-ranging and fanatical base of supporters, one that plays in nearly sold-out stadiums every night and is never overrun with fans of the opposing club.

His eventual decision very well boils down to this question: Can the Nationals become one of those franchises in the near future? They've made a tremendous amount of progress since Harper was drafted seven years ago, but they're not there yet. There are significant hurdles yet to overcome. Harper will have to decide whether he believes it's possible, or whether he'd rather go someplace else where he already knows it's been done.

In the meantime, Harper's goals for the 2018 season are simple: stay healthy, have another monster year and try to lift the Nationals to new heights before deciding whether or not to return in 2019.