Phillies’ Answer to Bryce Harper’s Injury Could Lie In Surging Infielder

The Philadelphia Phillies know they can’t contend this season if Bryce Harper’s injury persists and they don’t find a suitable replacement for him.

Harper was put on the injury list Saturday when the team was in Pittsburgh for a wrist injury that bothered him last season as well.

“It’s tough. Obviously, I want to be out there. It’s frustrating,” Harper told Paul Casella of MLB.com. “I never want to not be playing, so it’s definitely frustrating for me. But it just wasn’t good for me to keep going out there.”

This comes after Harper missed five games from being hit in the elbow with a pitch from Spencer Strider. If he remains on the injured list for a significant period of time, the Phillies could pursue Orioles slugger Ryan O’Hearn.

O’Hearn is having a career season with the Orioles this year posting a 158 OPS+ in a season in which Baltimore has been desperate for any sort of positivity. Outside of him, though, the O’s haven’t had much success which has led to him becoming available at the trade deadline.

“Unless the O’s make up significant ground over the next few weeks, they’re likely to be sellers at the Trade Deadline,” Jake Rill wrote for MLB.com. “In that scenario, their best trade chip is the 31-year-old O’Hearn, who has been among the AL’s top hitters this season. He also brings value with his versatility, as he’s capable of playing first and both corner-outfield spots. But his biggest asset is his bat. Entering Monday, O’Hearn is hitting .316 with eight doubles, nine home runs, 24 RBIs and an .897 OPS through 54 games.”

O’Hearn’s presence would give the Phillies a huge lineup boost to fill Harper’s place at first base. When the superstar returns from injury, it gives Rob Thomson some flexibility in the lineup.

Philadelphia could do one of two things: Move O’Hearn to the DH spot and play Kyle Schwarber in left field or keep O’Hearn at first base and move Harper back to the outfield.

Harper has said previously he would be open to it.

“I talked to them this offseason about that,” Harper told The Athletic in an interview. “Just in case a guy was available (at first) that we needed to have, needed to get. I’d be more than open to it, if we had a guy like that who was going to change our lineup or change the demeanor of our team. They like me at first base. But I’d go out there to have a guy who was going to play first base and hit 35 or 40 homers.”

O’Hearn would receive the remainder of his $8 million club option from the Phillies if he were traded. He’s set to become a free agent at the end of the season.

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