Would the Philadelphia Phillies really do this?
The Philadelphia Phillies have more question marks this offseason than they have had in quite some time, and perhaps the biggest area of concern is the outfield.
Harrison Bader and Max Kepler are free agents, and Nick Castellanos is as good as gone. The Phillies have been linked to Kyle Tucker, but it doesn't seem like they are one of the frontunners to land him. Cody Bellinger could be a possibility, but he may favor a New York Yankees reunion.
So then what?
Well, Cole Weintraub of NBC Sports Philadelphia has proposed a very interesting potential solution for the club: moving Bryce Harper back to right field.
"But if Harper moved back to right field, everything opens up," Weintraub wrote. "And if defense is the concern for a 33-year-old Harper in the outfield, the Phillies just played 33-year-old Nick Castellanos out there – who posted a league-low -12 outs above average. Returning Harper to the outfield gives the Phillies the freedom to chase a middle-of-the-order bat at first base. Pete Alonso should be the first call."
While the idea of shifting Harper back to the outfield in order to clear room for a run at Alonso is enticing, it could also spell disaster.
Just because the Phillies employed a terrible defender in Castellanos in right field this past season does not mean they should make the same mistake again in 2026.
Harper has been a full-time first baseman the last two years and only played eight games in right field back in 2023. And when Harper did play right field, he wasn't good.
Imagine how much worse Harper will be now after having not played the position in three years?
Yes, Philadelphia could use another big bat in the middle of the order. A trio of Harper, Alonso and Kyle Schwarber (assuming the Phillies keep him) would be terrifying for opposing pitchers. But Philly was a bottom-half team in defense this past season. Why double down on the weakness?
The real play for the Phillies — if they really want to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, that is — would be to re-sign Schwarber and then land Tucker in free agency. It would obviously result in a massive bump in payroll both for now and the future, but if you want to win, sometimes, you have to make those tough financial decisions.
Moving a 33-year-old Harper back to right field would absolutely not be the right move for Philadelphia.