The Philadelphia Phillies came out on top in their recent series against division rival Atlanta Braves, but the win was overshadowed by a major setback.
In the first inning of the series opener, star slugger Bryce Harper was hit by a pitch from Spencer Strider on his surgically repaired elbow. He was quickly taken out of the game, and although Harper expressed optimism about staying off the injured list, the team is bracing for the possibility of him being out for an extended period.
“Since Harper has been out, Alec Bohm has seen the bulk of the innings at first base,” according to Lochland March of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “But Kyle Schwarber also got some extra infield work taking grounders pregame on Friday.”
While Bohm has been the go-to substitute at first base for Harper, the move to give Schwarber more reps there is a bigger surprise. He hasn’t started a game at that position since 2021 and has only played 11 games there in his 11-year Major League Baseball career.
The Phillies also need to be cautious about making moves that might disrupt Kyle Schwarber’s rhythm at the plate. He’s been the team’s top offensive performer this season, posting a .578 slugging percentage with 19 home runs.
However, uncertainty surrounding Bryce Harper’s status has led the team to unexpectedly consider using Schwarber in a defensive role, a move that could potentially impact his offensive consistency.
“I think he’s ramped it up a little bit, just because of the Harper situation,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said of Schwarber’s first base reps, per March. “We don’t really know where we’re at with that.”
As Harper recovers from the frightening hit, the Phillies remain hopeful that Schwarber won’t have to step in defensively before Harper returns to the lineup.
Leave a Reply