Phillies' Bryce Harper 'Open to Anything,' Willing to Become Full-Time 1st Baseman

Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce Harper isn't ruling out the possibility of making first base his primary position moving forward.

Asked by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic if he would consider staying at first base after seeing the first extended action of his career at the position this season, Harper said: "I'm open to anything really."

Harper had been an outfielder for his first 10 MLB seasons with the Washington Nationals and Phillies, but he served as the designated hitter for 90 of the 99 regular-season games he appeared in during the 2022 campaign due to a torn UCL in his right elbow.

He underwent offseason Tommy John surgery, and since making his 2023 season debut in May, Harper has not seen any action in the outfielder.

Harper has primarily remained the DH, spending 84 games in that spot, but he has also made 20 appearances at first base after only making two cameos at the position in his MLB career previously.

The transition to first has been relatively smooth for Harper, as he has made some spectacular plays and has only committed one error.

Per Rosenthal, Phillies infield coach Bobby Dickerson said Harper has far exceeded expectations at first base, and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski expressed his belief that Harper could win a Gold Glove at first base in the future if he sticks with it.

Remaining at first base moving forward would largely allow Harper to protect his arm, and it could add some longevity to the 30-year-old veteran's career since there is less running involved than in the outfield.

The two-time National League MVP's power at the plate has clearly been impacted by the elbow injury, as he hit just 18 home runs last season and has 15 so far this season. By comparison, he clubbed 35 homers in his last fully healthy season in 2021.

Still, Harper, has been productive at the plate and a key member of the Phillies' lineup, slashing .293/.388/.478 with 57 RBI and 67 runs scored.

The universal DH means Harper can be deployed in that spot regularly moving forward, but putting him at first base gives the Phillies more flexibility and the option to give other players partial rest days.

It doesn't sound as though Harper or the Phillies have closed the door on him playing in the outfield next season and beyond, but given his early success at first base, fully transitioning to that position may be in the best interest of his long-term health.