After not playing defense in a big league game since April 16, 2022 in Miami, Bryce Harper will start at first base during the Phillies’ home series against the Brewers this week. Manager Rob Thomson declined to specify which game would be Harper’s first at the position, but it will be one of those three, from July 18-20.
It has been a long road for Harper to get here. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in November, Harper began working out at first base with infield coach Bobby Dickerson in April. He began taking full infield practice a few weeks ago and began throwing to bases last week. Harper played catch between games of Saturday’s doubleheader.
This work was necessary because Harper has only 1/3 of a big league innings’ worth of experience at the position. He’s played the bulk of his career in right field. Thomson said that the possibility of Harper returning to right field isn’t “off the table,” but that if does happen, it’ll be later in the season.
“It’s on the edge of the table,” Thomson said. “Teetering.”
Since that game in April, when he injured his elbow on a throw from right field, Harper has only suited up for the Phillies as a designated hitter. Having him play in the field will create some flexibility for Thomson. It would allow Thomson to keep Kyle Schwarber in the lineup without having to play him in the outfield, for example. Defensive metrics rank Schwarber as one of the worst defenders in baseball.
Between Brandon Marsh, Johan Rojas and Cristian Pache — who will undergo surgery on Monday — the Phillies have plenty of savvy defenders available to them. Left-handed outfielder Jake Cave has been slugging in triple-A, too, but is not the defender that Pache, Rojas and Marsh are. When asked if his priority is to have a better defensive unit or offense, Thomson said it depends on the offense.
“It depends on who you have available,” he said. “For me, defense is so important because it’s constant and it’s usually pretty consistent. Whereas offense ebbs and flows so much that I see where you can take a guy like Rojas if he keeps his head above water, and there’s not this huge upgrade in offense in keeping him. Because you’re going to eliminate runs just by keeping him on the field.”
Pache to undergo surgery
Pache will undergo surgery Monday to remove a screw in his throwing elbow. It started bothering him this past weekend. Thomson said that Pache will be out for a few weeks but not months. He said he’ll play again this season.
“You can see it,” Thomson said of the screw. “It hasn’t come through the skin but there is a bump there that the screw has kind of wedged itself out. So they’ve got to get it out of there. It’s painful right now.”
The screw was placed in Pache’s elbow before he signed his pro contract in 2015.
Extra bases
Jose Alvarado (left elbow inflammation) is still not throwing, but is feeling “much better,” according to Thomson. ... Seranthony Dominguez (left oblique strain) will throw another live batting practice on Tuesday. ... Andrew Painter (right proximal ulnar collateral ligament sprain) is still not throwing. He is still feeling discomfort in his elbow. The team will reassess him after the weekend.
