Sep 22, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Bryce Harper (3) waits in the outfield before the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports Bill Streicher
Bryce Harper gave those who cover and follow the Phillies a gift in March when he revealed to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic that he had told the team that under the right circumstances he would return to the outfield:
“I talked to (the Phillies) this offseason about that, just in case a guy was available (at first) that we needed to have, needed to get,” Harper said. “I’d be more than open to it if we had a guy like that, who was going to change our lineup or change the demeanor of our team. They like me at first base. But I’d go out there to have a guy who was going to play first base and hit 35 or 40 homers.
“When Pete (Alonso) was on the block still, I kind of sat there and was like, ‘Hey, why not?’ When we talked about it, I kind of just reiterated to (the Phillies) and Scott (Boras) that I’m willing to move out there if it’s going to help us. I love playing first base. It’s been great. But if it’s going to help us win, I’d go back out there.”
This has opened up the door to months of speculation about the Phillies potentially trading for a first baseman, most notably a manufactured debate about whether the club should consider bringing back Rhys Hoskins that reached a fever pitch when the Milwaukee Brewers visited town in late May. Never mind that the Phillies passed on a chance to keep Hoskins at first base and Harper in the outfield a couple years ago.
But while all of these debates are fun, there's never been any indication that the Phillies have seriously considered moving Harper off of first base. Harper even said in his quote, "they like me at first base."
And when asked whether Harper moving back to the outfield to make room for a first baseman is a possibility in a recent episode of "Starkville," Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski seemed to squash the idea.
"Well, Bryce has said that. Bryce would be willing to do whatever needs to be done, and that's one of the many things that's great about him," Dombrowski said to Jayson Stark and Doug Glanville. "I would really prefer not to do that. And I think part of it is he has turned into a very good first baseman."
Dombrowski then pointed out how defense never seems to be a consideration in these discussions. The Phillies would be weakening their infield defense in all likelihood if they moved Harper off of first base, because he's played well there.
"Bryce adds a lot for us at first base right now," Dombrowski added. "Again, I don't want to ever say never, but I would say it's not likely."
The other reality here is there's not even a first baseman available right now worth having this discussion for. Yes, if the Phillies had seriously been interested in Pete Alonso last winter — which there's no indication they were — that's the type of impact player worth having the discussion about putting Harper back in the outfield for. Yes, if Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had become a free agent this upcoming offseason — which he won't after inking a $500 million extension with the Toronto Blue Jays — that would have been a possibility you needed to consider.
But what's out there right now? The Brewers are 44-36, so Hoskins probably isn't going anywhere. And while he could provide a jolt to the lineup, does he fall into the 35-40 home run category that Harper outlined? Potential trade candidates like Ryan O'Hearn, Josh Naylor and Carlos Santana wouldn't move the needle nearly enough either.
The biggest priority for the Phillies regarding Harper has to be keeping his bat in the lineup. In a few years, that could mean he shifts to DH. Right now, he's playing well at first base when healthy, and it puts less stress on him physically than running in the outfield does. So from here, it's hard to imagine Harper ever returning to the outfield.
