Bryce Harper Will Be Phillies First Baseman Into The Future: What It Means

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Two critical Phillies rumors came out of this week's MLB general managers meetings in Arizona that could have ripple effects on the organizations plans and the shape of the franchise for years to come.

The first was that superstar Bryce Harper will be the Phillies full time first baseman in 2024 and beyond, President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski said, as the Phillies believe he can be a Gold Glover and that staying in the infield will keep him healthier as he ages.

“We think he projects to be an outstanding first baseman,” Dombrowski told the Associated Press. "It gives us a really good, athletic infield that can be together for years."

That essentially closes the door on franchise icon Rhys Hoskins' time in Philadelphia, while reaffirming the obvious in regards to the Phillies infield. No changes are coming.

The second piece of news is that the team is "open" to trading streaky right fielder Nick Castellanos, as reported by numerous outlets, including Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

With Harper at first, the team is now free to enshrine Kyle Schwarber as the permanent designated hitter. Brandon Marsh is guaranteed a spot in left or center field, but the team says Johan Rojas will have to earn the center field job. Given that Castellanos is on the chopping block, significant moves could be coming in the outfield.

It is unlikely the Phillies look to free agency to fill those holes. Nothing on the market offers close to either the offense of Castellanos or the defense of Rojas. While it's true that the Phillies could target a different type of hitter, it would be extremely uncharacteristic of management to shake up a key piece of a locker room with a now famously strong culture for anything less than a blockbuster.

It's a stretch still to say that a blockbuster is likely, but Dombrowski has a long history of unexpected, groundbreaking moves. Given the Phillies resources and committment from ownership to winning, nothing is off the table.

There are two outfielders that have been connected to trade rumors, and one who is available in free agency, who would fit the "blockbuster" bill and justify the Phillies either moving on from Castellanos or not giving Rojas a full time shot. Mike Trout, Juan Soto, and Cody Bellinger.

Trout, of course, has been the subject of "bring him home" rumors for years, but the move has never really made sense for the Phillies until now. Patch explored the hypothetical, which has plenty of potential positives and negatives, last week.

Whisperings connect Soto, in the last year of his contract with a San Diego club looking to shred payroll, to nearly every club with a big budget. Like Bellinger, Soto is a superstar left handed bat who would command an enormous payday.

There's always the possibility that the Phillies make one of these major moves and keep Castellanos. And the rumblings about them being open to move him could be just smoke and mirrors from a Dombrowski front office that rarely leaks rumors it doesn't want out in the ether. There could certainly be strategy and gamesmanship at play.