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It’s official. Bryce Harper will make his first start at first base for the Phillies during the upcoming series against the Milwaukee Brewers, Rob Thomson said on Sunday morning.
Thomson declined to say which day Harper will make that first start. It could be as early as Tuesday or as late as Thursday.
There was an initial thought that Harper, who hit his first home run since May on Saturday, could get into the field at some point during the Padres series, but Thomson opted to maintain status quo for the first series out of the All-Star break to spread out playing time among all position players.
“As we got into the weekend with the four games in 48 hours and heat, I wanted to make sure that I got people off their feet, but also in the game so that we can get back in the swing of things after the All-Star break,” Thomson said. “It just didn’t work out, trying to get Darick Hall, [Drew] Ellis and all those guys into the games. It just didn’t work.”
Harper’s move to first base gives the Phillies much-needed roster flexibility. He’ll probably need at least one DH day a week for the foreseeable future, but more times than not, the Phillies will sport a strong defensive outfield combination.
Kyle Schwarber is expected to be the Phillies’ primary designated hitter with Harper at first. The Phillies could bring up Jake Cave, who is a great defender in left field and has a 1.118 OPS with Triple-A Lehigh Valley this season.
Thomson and the Phillies could also be intrigued with the idea of having two strong defensive center fielders in the outfield at all times. Brandon Marsh could play more left field with Rojas in center against righties and lefties if he isn’t a complete liability on offense. It’s a matter of how much offense do they want to sacrifice for defense. If veterans like Harper, Schwarber, Trea Turner, Nick Castellanos and J.T. Realmuto are all clicking, it could be an easier decision to make.
“It depends on the offense, really. Who you have available,” Thomson said. “For me, defense is so important because it’s constant. It’s usually pretty consistent whereas offense ebbs and flows so much that, you know, I see where you would take a guy like Rojas if he keeps his head above water. And if there’s not this huge upgrade in offense, you keep him there because you’re going to eliminate runs just by keeping him there.”
It’s a thrilling development for the Phillies, who came into this year expecting to have Harper back in the lineup around the All-Star break. Playing the field was in the plans but never a guarantee. A need arose when the Phillies lost Rhys Hoskins for the year to a torn ACL. Harper made a suggestion to the Phillies about coming back as a first baseman and he’s been learning the position since April.
The Phillies won’t know if he can be a viable solution at the position until they see him play in games, but it is something worth trying.
If he struggles as a first baseman, Harper could pivot to returning to the outfield near the end of the season. It’s going to take time as he continues to build arm strength, but the Phillies hope it doesn’t get to that point.
It’s still on the table.
“On the edge of the table,” Thomson joked.
