It’s not something he’ll have to worry about this year, but Bryce Harper indicated that he would be open to switching between first base and the outfield in the future.
On his 31st birthday, Harper spoke with the media in a pregame press conference and was asked about his comfort level at first base.
The former catcher compared the challenge to learning how to play the outfield soon after he was selected first overall by the Nationals in the 2010 MLB Draft.
“Definitely got to continue to grow over there,” Harper said. “You know, working with Bobby [Dickerson], kind of learning on the fly. Kind of reminds me of when I got drafted. They were like, ‘Hey, you’re going to go to the outfield and learn on the fly.'”
Harper has been solid at first base for the Phillies. He posted a +1 defensive runs saved at first in just over 300 innings at first during the regular season. He looks comfortable and makes the plays the Phillies need him to.
Harper’s move to first has helped the Phillies drastically improve their defense in multiple areas. It allows Kyle Schwarber to be the team’s full-time designated hitter. It allows Johan Rojas to patrol center and shifts one of either Brandon Marsh or Cristian Pache to left field. Alec Bohm also gets to focus on being a third baseman as opposed to rotating between third and first.
“I think just all-around, being able to make everybody else feel comfortable around me,” Harper said. “And I thought, hey, talk to [Rob Thomson] and Dave [Dombrowski] and see what they say, and if they tell me to take a hike, I will. You know, stay where I’m at in my lane. They thought it was a good idea, and just been working ever since.”
It’s a selfless move that’s played a big part in why the Phillies were able to comfortably secure the top Wild Card seed over the last two months of the regular season.
Harper will continue to focus on first base for the duration of the postseason, but he could return to the outfield as early as the beginning of the 2024 season.
It begs the question of whether or not Harper has interest in alternating between the outfield and first base.
Harper’s openness to rotating is a prerequisite for the Phillies bringing back Rhys Hoskins. Hoskins, who could return in the World Series as a pinch hitter, is a free agent at the end of this year, but the Phillies could look to re-sign him if they have interest in retaining his bat. He’ll need days off from first base as he continues to recover from ACL surgery and the Phillies could insert Harper at first on days where Hoskins either needs a full day off or DHs. On days when Hoskins plays first, Harper can play the outfield, either left or right field, and Schwarber could DH.
“Of course, with Rhys possibly coming back, whatever that determines or whatever happens with that, I expect him to go back to first base and me go to the outfield and play out there in some capacity,” Harper said. “But I don’t mind giving them the option, even if he does come back, if Rhys needs a day off, or giving them the option to put me at first base and them knowing, ‘Hey, we can put him there at any point and he’ll be fine.'”
Or the Phillies could move in another direction by letting Hoskins walk and keeping Harper at first base full-time. The Phillies will have to figure it all out in the offseason. For now, the focus is on taking care of business against the D-Backs in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.
“They’re a really good team,” Harper said about the D-Backs. “They’re very well-coached. They play a fundamentally sound baseball game. They run the bases hard. They play good defense. They hit well. They’ve got a lot of young guys over there mixed in with some veterans as well. I know Longoria has been playing good baseball.
“We’re looking forward to going out there and playing against a really good team, and a lot of young guys that are really good, and I’m looking forward to it.”
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