After playing most of his MLB career as an outfielder, the Philadelphia Phillies’ star slugger Bryce Harper will enter the 2024 season as a first baseman.

During a GM Meetings in Las Vegas earlier this week, Phillies’ president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told reporters that he and manager Rob Thomson believe the team is better with Harper manning the first base.

“We think he projects to be an outstanding first baseman,” Dombrowski said. “He’s willing to do whatever for the organization, and we just think for us, it makes us a better club now and as we go forward … It gives us a really good, athletic infield that can be together for years.”

Harper got a taste of first base during the 2023 MLB season when he stepped in for injured Rhys Hoskins. He started 36 games at the position and provided exceptional performances. Overall, the 31-year-old batted .293 with 21 homers and 72 RBIs for the season.

Moving Harper to first base full-time means that Hoskins, who is recovering from an ACL injury, will now have to look for a new team. The 30-year-old player is a free agent this summer, and the Phillies already informed him that they won’t be looking to extend his contract.

The post Phillies Plan to Use Star Bryce Harper as First Baseman Moving Forward appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Philadelphia Phillies will have to continue the postseason chase without their best player. Phillies star outfielder Bryce Harper is set to have surgery on his left thumb and is expected to spend significant time on the sidelines as a result.

Harper suffered a thumb fracture after being hit by Blake Snell’s pitch in a 4-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Saturday. The reigning NL MVP is expected to make a full recovery, but the Phillies are not 100 percent sure whether he’ll be back by the end of the 2022 campaign. 

“It’s tough, but it’s probably the best thing for him. So whatever’s best for him is best for me,” Phillies interim manager Rob Thomson told reporters. “If he’s able to come back, which we plan on, then that’s good under the circumstances.”

Harper has already been hampered by injuries this season, even before the thumb issue. This included UCL tear in his right elbow that only limited him to designated hitter duties since mid-April. But despite this, the 29-year-old has been having an impressive season. He has been hitting .318 throughout 64 games and has 15 homers and 48 RBIs to show for in 2022.

The Phillies are currently sitting third in NL East with a 39-35 record. They went 6-4 in their last 10 games.

The post Phillies’ Bryce Harper Set for Thumb Surgery, Might Not Return in 2022 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The new MLS season is quickly nearing, but All-Star right fielder Bryce Harper is still without a team. Still, that could change anytime now, since Los Angeles Dodgers decided to step up and re-ignite their interest in the 26-year-old.

According to the several media outlets, Dodgers recently met with Harper in his hometown of Las Vegas and presented him with a new offer. The only problem is that they are offering a short-term deal, which is something that the player and Scott Boras are unlikely to accept.

“It was good, just trying to get to know each other,” – said Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts about the meeting. “I think in the spirit of us, the Dodger, vetting a certain process makes sense and for those guys to do their due diligence as well.”

Since the beginning of the free-agency, Bryce Harper has been looking for a deal that will be around 10-years, and with more than $300 million worth. So far MLB teams weren’t willing to offer him that, but that changed after Dodgers entered the mix.   

According to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman, Philadelphia Phillies, who are considered to be the favorites for Harper’s signature, offered the player a deal worth more than $300 million. And it seems like Phillies are not the only ones willing to go that far now, since several other teams stepped up with their offers.

After winning NL MVP award in 2017, Bryce Harper’s production slipped a bit last season. He ended the year batting .249 with 34 home runs and 100 RBIs.

The post Dodgers Reignite Their Interest for Bryce Harper appeared first on SportzBonanza.

It looks like the Washington Nationals will not be able to keep their star outfielder Bryce Harper. Nationals’ owner Mark Lerner recently spoke with the media and said that he doesn’t expect Harper, who became a free agent after the 2018 season ended, to return to Washington next year.

“I really don’t expect him to come back at this point,” – Lerner told 106.7 The Fan. “I think they’ve decided to move on. There’s just too much money out there that he’d be leaving on the table. That’s just not Mr. Boras’ M.O. to leave money on the table.”

Lerner added that the team couldn’t make a better financial offer to the 26-year-old than the one they presented him in September, or they wouldn’t be able to keep a competitive team for the future.

“When we met with them and we gave them the offer, we told them, ‘This is the best we can do.’ We went right to the finish line very quickly” – Lerner added. “And we said, ‘If this is of interest to you, please come back to us, and we’ll see whether we can finish it up.’ But we just couldn’t afford to put more than that in and still be able to put a team together that had a chance to win the NL East or go farther than that.”

Although the Washington Nationals owner didn’t discuss the details of the offer they presented to Bryce Harper, it was reportedly a 10-year contract worth around $300 million.

It is believed that there are 12 teams – including Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, and Chicago Cubs – who are interested in Harper and will meet or have already met with the 2015’s NL MVP.

Harper had a good showing in 2018, earning his fourth consecutive All-Star appearance and putting up some impressive numbers including .249 batting average, 100 RBI and 34 home runs.

The post Nationals’ Owner Doesn’t Expect All-Star Bryce Harper to Resign With the Team appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After playing most of his MLB career as an outfielder, the Philadelphia Phillies’ star slugger Bryce Harper will enter the 2024 season as a first baseman.

During a GM Meetings in Las Vegas earlier this week, Phillies’ president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told reporters that he and manager Rob Thomson believe the team is better with Harper manning the first base.

“We think he projects to be an outstanding first baseman,” Dombrowski said. “He’s willing to do whatever for the organization, and we just think for us, it makes us a better club now and as we go forward … It gives us a really good, athletic infield that can be together for years.”

Harper got a taste of first base during the 2023 MLB season when he stepped in for injured Rhys Hoskins. He started 36 games at the position and provided exceptional performances. Overall, the 31-year-old batted .293 with 21 homers and 72 RBIs for the season.

Moving Harper to first base full-time means that Hoskins, who is recovering from an ACL injury, will now have to look for a new team. The 30-year-old player is a free agent this summer, and the Phillies already informed him that they won’t be looking to extend his contract.

The post Phillies Plan to Use Star Bryce Harper as First Baseman Moving Forward appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Philadelphia Phillies will have to continue the postseason chase without their best player. Phillies star outfielder Bryce Harper is set to have surgery on his left thumb and is expected to spend significant time on the sidelines as a result.

Harper suffered a thumb fracture after being hit by Blake Snell’s pitch in a 4-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Saturday. The reigning NL MVP is expected to make a full recovery, but the Phillies are not 100 percent sure whether he’ll be back by the end of the 2022 campaign. 

“It’s tough, but it’s probably the best thing for him. So whatever’s best for him is best for me,” Phillies interim manager Rob Thomson told reporters. “If he’s able to come back, which we plan on, then that’s good under the circumstances.”

Harper has already been hampered by injuries this season, even before the thumb issue. This included UCL tear in his right elbow that only limited him to designated hitter duties since mid-April. But despite this, the 29-year-old has been having an impressive season. He has been hitting .318 throughout 64 games and has 15 homers and 48 RBIs to show for in 2022.

The Phillies are currently sitting third in NL East with a 39-35 record. They went 6-4 in their last 10 games.

The post Phillies’ Bryce Harper Set for Thumb Surgery, Might Not Return in 2022 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The new MLS season is quickly nearing, but All-Star right fielder Bryce Harper is still without a team. Still, that could change anytime now, since Los Angeles Dodgers decided to step up and re-ignite their interest in the 26-year-old.

According to the several media outlets, Dodgers recently met with Harper in his hometown of Las Vegas and presented him with a new offer. The only problem is that they are offering a short-term deal, which is something that the player and Scott Boras are unlikely to accept.

“It was good, just trying to get to know each other,” – said Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts about the meeting. “I think in the spirit of us, the Dodger, vetting a certain process makes sense and for those guys to do their due diligence as well.”

Since the beginning of the free-agency, Bryce Harper has been looking for a deal that will be around 10-years, and with more than $300 million worth. So far MLB teams weren’t willing to offer him that, but that changed after Dodgers entered the mix.   

According to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman, Philadelphia Phillies, who are considered to be the favorites for Harper’s signature, offered the player a deal worth more than $300 million. And it seems like Phillies are not the only ones willing to go that far now, since several other teams stepped up with their offers.

After winning NL MVP award in 2017, Bryce Harper’s production slipped a bit last season. He ended the year batting .249 with 34 home runs and 100 RBIs.

The post Dodgers Reignite Their Interest for Bryce Harper appeared first on SportzBonanza.

It looks like the Washington Nationals will not be able to keep their star outfielder Bryce Harper. Nationals’ owner Mark Lerner recently spoke with the media and said that he doesn’t expect Harper, who became a free agent after the 2018 season ended, to return to Washington next year.

“I really don’t expect him to come back at this point,” – Lerner told 106.7 The Fan. “I think they’ve decided to move on. There’s just too much money out there that he’d be leaving on the table. That’s just not Mr. Boras’ M.O. to leave money on the table.”

Lerner added that the team couldn’t make a better financial offer to the 26-year-old than the one they presented him in September, or they wouldn’t be able to keep a competitive team for the future.

“When we met with them and we gave them the offer, we told them, ‘This is the best we can do.’ We went right to the finish line very quickly” – Lerner added. “And we said, ‘If this is of interest to you, please come back to us, and we’ll see whether we can finish it up.’ But we just couldn’t afford to put more than that in and still be able to put a team together that had a chance to win the NL East or go farther than that.”

Although the Washington Nationals owner didn’t discuss the details of the offer they presented to Bryce Harper, it was reportedly a 10-year contract worth around $300 million.

It is believed that there are 12 teams – including Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, and Chicago Cubs – who are interested in Harper and will meet or have already met with the 2015’s NL MVP.

Harper had a good showing in 2018, earning his fourth consecutive All-Star appearance and putting up some impressive numbers including .249 batting average, 100 RBI and 34 home runs.

The post Nationals’ Owner Doesn’t Expect All-Star Bryce Harper to Resign With the Team appeared first on SportzBonanza.