Bryce Harper Situation Forces Phillies to Make Bold Kyle Schwarber Move Amid Surging Trade Rumors

When Bryce Harper took a 97 mph fastball to his surgically repaired elbow last week, you could almost hear a moment of silence at the ballpark. The Philadelphia Phillies’ MVP-caliber star had to walk off, and he did so without any drama. But one thing is for sure—the worry was real. And now it’s thickening, given that four games later, Harper is still not back.

However, on Saturday, Harper did show up—except not in the way maybe fans wanted. He was not in his jersey but in his usual clothes. He was there for the Phillies’ annual photo day, posing with the fans and giving fans reassurances. But, behind the scenes, the team is prepping for what could be a longer absence than what they had hoped for.

Meanwhile, Harper swung a bat, ran agility drills, and even made a few throws. However, Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson did admit that his return is still very much in limbo.

Thomson said, “I think the swelling is down a little bit. We’ll check him out again Sunday.” In the meantime, though, Thomson has had to get creative, and this is where a rather surprising twist comes in. So, ever since Harper went down to IL, Alec Bohm has been handed over the reins of first base. But on Friday, a strange thing was caught by the cameras—Kyle Schwarber was taking ground balls before the game.

Kyle Schwarber, the Phillies’ home run leader, designated hitter, and also full-time outfielder, is getting infield reps for the first time in ages. He hasn’t started a regular-season game at first base since 2021. Then he was still in his Boston Red Sox uniform. And across 11 MLB seasons, he has only been in this position, playing just 11 times. But given Harper is injured, maybe the Phillies are trying every trick in the book.

Thomson explained the move, saying, “I think he’s ramped it up a little bit, just because of the Harper situation. We don’t really know where we’re at with that.” But for sure, it is a risky play because Schwarber is one of the team’s best hitters right now. His slugging sits at .578, and he has smashed 19 home runs, which says enough about his merit. So shifting him to an unfamiliar role could mess up his rhythm. But given Harper’s uncertain timeline, they might not have a choice.

Plus, now with the trade deadline creeping in closer, it adds more fuel to the fire. Will the Phillies stand their ground and trust their internal depth, or is a big roster shakeup possible? For now, though, the Phillies have lost ground.

Philadelphia Phillies get steamrolled by the Milwaukee Brewers

The Phillies didn’t just lose to the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday; they legit got steamrolled. Calling it a baseball game would feel generous; it was even less than a practice. The entire Brewers team was great, but the one who broke the Phillies’ heart the most was Rhys Hoskins. In his return, the former Phillies slugger gave a cold reminder to the fans and the team of what they are missing. He smashes two three-run bombs, six RBIs, and you could almost sense the regret in fans’ eyes.

And as if that was not enough, Jackson Chourio also stole the spotlight. The rookie went 4 for 5 with five RBIs, including a three-run shot. So basically, he ended whatever hope the Phillies had of a comeback. Christian Yelich also quietly dropped four hits like it’s no big deal. The final score was 17-7, and this is a major blow.

Now, coming to Jesús Luzardo, who entered the game with one of the best ERAs, ended up exiting with a brutal line: 12 earned runs on 12 hits in just 3.1 innings. Things went downhill so quickly that even manager Rob Thomson couldn’t stick around and was ejected after a fiery outburst. Now, for sure, the Phillies had some bright game play, like homers from Bohm and Marsh, three hits from Schwarber, and a late triple play by Rojas, but it all went down the drain because the Brewers were lights out.

The Phillies will be hoping the next game is not a wreck like this one. What do you think—will it be another baseball horror show?

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