The Philadelphia Phillies acquired All-Star second baseman Luis Arraez from the San Francisco Giants on the deadline’s final day. The player most affected by the move is All-Star first baseman Bryce Harper, who will move into the outfield.
Harper spoke to the media before the Phillies’ game against the Washington Nationals about the Arraez trade.
“Obviously it’s a guy that won the batting title a couple of years (ago), somebody that’s going to put the bat on the ball, exciting player,” Harper told Dave Uram of 94WIP. “I think he brings a lot to our lineup; he’s got that hit tool. It’s somebody who’s going to be really good for us, definitely excited.”
The Phillies acquired Arraez, along with reliever Caleb Killian, for prospects Ramon Marquez and Marty Gair.
Bryce Harper on Changing Positions Following Luis Arraez Trade
The next question shifted to Bryce Harper’s impending move to the outfield. To accommodate Luis Arraez, the Phillies will move Bryson Stott to third base, Alec Bohm to first base, and Harper to right field.
“I think any chance we have an opportunity to win, I’d do anything for this organization. They know that. I texted Dave [Dombrowski] last night and told him if anything pops up, make the move and see what happens.”
One additional note to that quote was Harper’s reaction to being asked about his preference to stay at first base. He looked and sounded rather perturbed at that notion despite consistently saying the same things over the years.
There are definitely concerns about the Phillies’ defensive lineup, although Arraez is an upgrade at second. The hope is that Arraez adds enough offense to offset the likely defensive downgrade into the outfield.
But as far as Harper is concerned, it’s the necessary cost to win. The Phillies have not won a postseason series since 2023, with back-to-back early exits to the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers.
In the first game following the trade, Harper will start at first base. But once Arraez reports to the team, he’ll likely see more starts in the outfield.
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