Bryce on Nats' run: 'You know, jealousy isn't good'

The Nationals are headed to the World Series, and they are doing it in their first season without former franchise superstar Bryce Harper. Harper, who signed a 13-year, $330 million deal with the Phillies this past offseason, spoke for the first time about his former team being on the precipice of a championship with The Athletic's Jayson Stark.

“I’ve been watching a lot of it,” Harper told the Athletic. “Those are the guys I played with and came through the organization with. … I wish them nothing but the best. And that’s real. I have no hard feelings toward them, or Mike Rizzo, or anything like that. You know, they’re a great team. And that’s why they are where they are.

"They made their decision, and I made my decision as well," Harper continued. "I made the best decision for my family. And I am so happy to be in Philly. It’s the place that I wanted to be.”

But the warm and fuzzy feelings of being excited for former teammates have not been the first thing on the minds of people on social media. The "Harper must be angry" hot takes have been plentiful, but the 2015 National League Most Valuable Player Award winner wants everyone to know that those thoughts have never crossed his mind.

“No,” Harper said again, “because like I said, I made my decision, and that was my decision. And it was the final decision that I made. You know, jealousy isn’t good. For me, it’s about having the gratitude to go out and do what I do each day and not having an attitude towards anybody else."