The Houston Astros' quest for a second straight World Series title nearly included Bryce Harper.
The Athletic reported on Saturday that the Astros and Washington Nationals had a deal in place for the All-Star right fielder at the non-waiver trade deadline only to see it vetoed by Washington ownership.
There had been speculation that Harper could be on the move ahead of the July 31 deadline, with ESPN and multiple reports saying Washington had spoken to teams to determine what type of return package it might receive for him.