Bryce Harper Could Start Playing First Base This Weekend

This season has been full of surprises with Bryce Harper. After he got Tommy Johns surgery in late November, we thought he would be out until the All-Star Break. He made his debut in early May. Two months before the original timetable. Even more surprising, we learned he was working on playing first base. With Rhys Hoskins out for the season, they were in need of an everyday 1st Baseman. And Bryce Harper working at first base, with the hopes to play the field at some point this season.

That point may be coming very soon. While talking to the media before tonight's Padre's game, Rob Thomson said he could make his debut at 1st base soon, maybe even this weekend.

Expectations should be kept at a reasonable level for now. It is not easy just sliding into first base. Harper hasn't played the infield for a long time. So an adjustment period, especially on hard-hit balls, should be given to Harper. There is also the issue of if he will have the instincts to do the right things on certain plays.

But if it does work out, it could have great effects for them even beyond first base. Most importantly, it opens up the DH spot, meaning they can get Kyle Schwarber out of the field. Schwarber has not just been the worst left fielder, he may be the worst fielder period. But with Harper only capable of being the DH, he had to stay in the field. Now you remove him, and you can play Johan Rojas, or Christian Pache once he is off the IL, in Left. Instantly you go from a weakness there to a strength.

It will also impact what the Phillies need to do at the deadline. If he can play first, then they can add another power bat in left field. If Harper can't, then you know you need to add the power bat at first base. So getting him at first as soon as possible, before the trade deadline, is important to know just what they need to improve the team.

Rob Thomson made no promises, but it sounds like Harper could be playing the field as soon as Saturday in one of the doubleheader games.

The trade deadline is just a little under a month away. This season it falls on August 1st. Meaning we are only a couple of weeks away from when the Hot Stove really heats up and we start seeing the trades fly. And given where the Phillies are, they should certainly be involved in those talks.  

But what is it they need most? We did talk about the specific needs last week. At that point, you would have thought a 5th starter would be a pretty big one. But Christopher Sanchez continues to excel in that role. As long as he is pitching like this, there is no real reason to make a move there. Especially when they still hope one of the young guys could contribute at some point too.  

They could also use another relief pitcher. It's not a pressing need. The main guys in the bullpen are killing it for them right now. But it never hurts to add an extra arm to pitch in those middle innings. 

What their biggest need seems to be is another power bat. Outside of Schwarber and Nick Castellanos, they are not getting much power from anyone else. Bryce Harper is in the longest power drought of his life. You hope he snaps out of it. But that is not a sure thing. So another bat that can get the ball out of the park would certainly be of use. And with the plan being for Bryce Harper to eventually play 1st base, and for Kyle Schwarber to move to DH, that power bat likely needs to be a left fielder. 

Who could they target there? Are there names no one is talking about who would be the perfect fit?

After winning MVP in 2019 Bellinger kind of went off of a cliff. He got worse each season. Finally, last year was enough for the Dodgers to move on. He signed a 1-year deal with the Cubs. While he has not gotten back to MVP form, he is having a solid season in Chicago. Cody is hitting .298, with 8 HRs and 10 steals. 

Now there are a few issues in terms of his fit with the Phillies. For one he is a lefty, and they more so need a Righty bat. Also, he has not played left field since his rookie season. Since then he has mostly played either center field or first base. Could he move over to left field? Probably. But it is not a sure thing. 

The Cubs are now 40-46. 8 games out of the NL Central, and 7 games out of the 3rd Wild Card. They are most likely going to be sellers at the deadline. And Cody Bellinger, in the middle of a resurgent year, on an expiring contract, seems like a prime candidate to be traded. 

Adam Duvall is another player who struggled last season but is having a bit of a bounce-back year. Last year with the Braves his slash line was .213/.276/.401/.677. Like Bellinger, he signed a one-year prove-it deal this offseason, and it is paying off a bit. 

He is by no means lighting up the stat sheet. But he is hitting .252/.325/.505/.830, with 5 HRs. Still not the power bat he was in 2021 when he hit 38 bombs between the Braves and Marlins, but he is a solid hitter nonetheless. He would not be a sexy addition, but he would give them a solid right-handed bat who can give you Gold Glove level defense in left. If they can't land a bigger name, he would be a decent consolation prize. And unlike many of the guys currently on the team, he is a smart baserunner. 

The question is will the Red Sox be sellers? They are currently in 5th place in the AL East. But not because they are awful. They are actually hovering around .500. It's just the Al East is so stacked. They are just 3 games out of the final Wild Card spot though. So they may want to hold onto their guys to see if they can make a push. But if they decide to sell, Duvall on an expiring contract is likely to be one of the first to go.  

Guys on expiring deals are not the only guys who get traded though. As we saw last year with Brandon Marsh occasionally teams will trade away guys who haven't even gotten through Arbitration yet. And there is some chatter that Lane Thomas could be moved at the deadline. 

And if so he would kind of be a perfect fit for the Phillies' needs. He can play Left Field, even if he has mostly played Right this season. He is a right-handed bat. And he has some power. Lane Thomas is hitting .305/.351/.507/.859, with 14 home runs, and 7 steals. It’s a breakout year after he previously topped out at 17 HRs and hit .241 last season. 

The catch is that given the season he is having and that he doesn’t reach free agency until 2026, he may cost a bit. It wouldn’t be Andrew Painter. But like they had to give up Mickey Moniak, who is now looking fantastic, for Marsh, they may have to give up a high-potential player to land Thomas. But it would give them 2.5 years of control of a player with a rising star.  

There is one significant hang-up when it comes to any Joc Pederson deal. His injury. He missed most of the season with a right hand contusion, and only recently came back. So there is always a concern that the injury could linger and impact his play. But before the injury, he was looking great. Pederson hit 8 home runs in the month of April. Since his return, he is 1 for 13, but that is way too small a sample size to judge him. 

One complication is that like Bellinger, he is a lefty. What they really need is some righty pop. That doesn’t mean you don’t trade for Joc, but you would prefer a righty. He does have some experience in left field. But he has mostly DHed in recent years. Is he an upgrade over Schwarber in the outfield? Probably. But that doesn't mean he is a good fielder. That said, he did get a chance to play Left recently and made some impressive plays. 

Will the Giants move him? It depends, as it stands they are just .5 back from the Phillies for the final wild-card spot. But they are heading in the wrong direction. If they continue to lose and continue to fall behind, they could easily become sellers.  

The long-time Mets Outfielder made the jump to the Giants this offseason. And after struggling last season, he seems to have gotten back on track a little bit. In 74 games he has 12 home runs and 42 RBIs. Nothing mind-blowing, but solid production.  

Like his teammate Pederson, he bats from the left side. So not the ideal fit. He also has not played Left Field that much in recent seasons, though he does have some experience there. Like Joc Pederson, his availability depends on how the Giants play the next few weeks. Conforto has an opt out after this year. And given he is playing well, will probably exercise it. Meaning it would do the Giants well to move him if they decide they can't compete this season.  

Grichuk has usually been a reliable source of power in his career. Since 2016 he has failed to hit 20 HRs just twice. Last year he hit 19. But injuries have curtailed his power this season though. In 52 games he has hit 4 HRs. But that could be turning around. Two of those bombs have been hit in the last 5 games. And besides the low power numbers, he is having a decent season with the Rockies. He is hitting .289 and has 16 doubles.  

If you believe his power is coming back around, he could make for a decent fit. He is a right-handed bat, who can play every spot in the Outfield. And while he is not the best fielder, he is better out there than Schwarber. 

The Rockies will definitely be sellers at the Deadline. They have the worst record in the National League at 33-55. There is no hope for them to get back into contention. Randal Grichuk’s contract is expiring. So, he should be a guy moved. And it shouldn’t take much to get him. Like Duvall, he is a fine backup option if they can't land a better name.