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Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) looks on during warms up before the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game three of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Bryce Harper Gives Phillies Another Year of Quality Production at First Base

Originally posted on Philadelphia Phillies on SI
By Matt Postins | Last updated Oct 13, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The Philadelphia Phillies moved Bryce Harper to first base during the 2023 season out of necessity. Now, they would be wise to keep him where he’s at.

Harper worked at first base because of his Tommy John surgery. Unable to play his usual right field due to his recovery, playing first base made sense because it didn’t require as much throwing. He proved to be a quick study and became a solid defender. His power played well at the position, and it gave the franchise the flexibility to move other players around the field.

He was an All-Star there in 2024, won a Silver Slugger and finished sixth in National League MVP voting. Now more than two years removed from his recovery, there could be temptation to move him back to the outfield. For now, the Phillies would be wise to keep him where he is.

Harper played 130 games at first base. Alec Bohm (13) and Otto Kemp (17) played more than 10 games there. But it’s the 32-year-old position and should not change in 2026, given Harper’s advancing age, workload, value to the franchise and the remaining six years on his contract.

Philadelphia Phillies First Basemen in 2024

Harper put together another quality slash in 2024 — .261/.357/.487 with an .844 OPS, including 27 home runs and 75 RBI. It’s worth nothing that his batting average has dropped each of the past two seasons. It was .293 in 2023 and then .285 in 2024. But he’s been productive hitting around .260, as he had 35 home runs and 114 RBI in 2019.

Per Baseball Savant his batting run value was +23 and in the 89th percentile in the Majors. Most of his batting percentiles were well in the red, though his chase rate (35.6%) and his whiff rate (13%) were among the worst 15 percent in the game and are worth improving on. His fielding run value was minus-1, which was in the 46th percentile, but he was in the 76th percentile in range.

Bohm was mostly a third baseman and his slash — .287/.331/.409 — was a nice bounce-back. But he didn’t show the power that made him a 2024 All-Star as he only hit 11 home runs. Kemp, promoted in-season due to injuries, hit eight home runs and 28 RBI on a .234/.298/.411 slash in 62 games. He’s a quality depth piece, but he’s not a front line first baseman yet.

Moves around the diamond might tempt the Phillies to move Harper. Philadelphia wants to re-sign Kyle Schwarber to be the designated hitter. Harrison Bader and Max Kepler are free agents. There is also a temptation to try and move Nick Castellanos. Too many losses might require a move by Harper.

But slotting him back in right field risks more injury than the Phillies can afford. Harper has had his share of those and entering his age 33 season keeping him healthy for as much of his deal as possible should define the path forward. He’s become a quality first baseman, especially offensively, and should stay there in 2026.

This article first appeared on Philadelphia Phillies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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