- Oct 16, 2026
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The Philadelphia Phillies will undergo another defensive reshuffle next season after an overhaul at the trade deadline failed to solve their infield problems.
President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Bryce Harper will return to first base as his primary position, with occasional outfield duty. Kyle Schwarber will see increased time at first base, while Harper will take semi-rest days as designated hitter. The changes come after the Phillies acquired Luis Arraez and shifted Harper to right field, Alec Bohm to first base and Bryson Stott to third base.
Trea Turner remains the starting shortstop but faces questions after a difficult defensive season. The 33-year-old tied for the MLB lead with 21 errors and posted -17 Defensive Runs Saved, last among shortstops. Dombrowski said, "You cannot play shortstop like you did defensively in '26 going to '27." Turner has seven years remaining on his contract but is not guaranteed to hold the position all season.
The Phillies finished tied with the A's for last in Defensive Runs Saved and 22nd in Outs Above Average. Bench coach Don Mattingly emphasized that defense is a priority area he wants to push. Stott returns to second base, while prospects Aidan Miller and Bryan Rincon could factor into future plans.
Source: MLB Trade Rumors - Fri Oct 16, 11:07 PM ET
Written by the SportsMafia Wire desk in our own words from the original reporting (AI-assisted, checked against the source).