Bryce Harper Was Hurting Phillies More Than Realized at 1B

Bryce Harper has been historically poor playing first base this season.

Sep 8, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first base Bryce Harper (3) fields a ground ball during the fourth inning against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There has been a lot of talk about the new defensive alignment being used by the Philadelphia Phillies since the MLB All-Star break.

To accommodate their biggest acquisition, Luis Arraez, the team shuffled things around. He is remaining at second base, with Bryson Stott moving from the keystone to third base. Alec Bohm has flipped from the hot corner to first base, with the biggest change being Bryce Harper heading back out to right field.

This alignment has received plenty of criticism, and rightfully so. Even though he is willing, sending Harper to the outfield, where he is already experiencing some knee soreness, is unnecessarily risky.

Alas, Bohm has quieted a lot of critics with his performance at the plate. And it turns out, based on the new Statcast First Base Receiving statistics, he is a massive upgrade over Harper defensively at first base.

Where does Bryce Harper rank in First Base Receiving?

Aug 1, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) catches a fly ball hit by Baltimore Orioles right fielder Tyler O'Neill (not pictured) for an out during the eighth inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For being so inexperienced at first base, Bohm is actually handling himself well. His +1 Receiving Outs Above Average is 25th out of 151 players who have made at least one play at first base this year. When changing the minimum to 50, he moves up to No. 22.

No matter what play amount is used, Harper is at the opposite end of the spectrum. He is currently dead last in Receiving OAA with -8. The next closest player is Rafael Devers of the San Francisco Giants with -5.

Harper has proven adept at scooping the ball, with his 0.7 being tied for eighth. His 0.4 on bounces is tied for 19th, and when receiving low throws from teammates, he has a 0.5, which is good for a tie in 13th.

However, he struggles mightily with on-target throws, producing -3.5, which is the worst mark among first basemen. There aren't any other players in the MLB who have surpassed the -3.0 threshold, with Andrew Vaughn of the Milwaukee Brewers being second worst at -2.6.

Bryce Harper has regressed defensively in 2026

Jul 18, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies infielder Bryce Harper (3) looks on against the New York Mets in the sixth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Harper’s -4.0 on high throws is lapping the competition, with the next closest person being Casey Schmitt of the Giants with -1.0. On wide throws, he has a -1.9, which Spencer Horwitz of the Pittsburgh Pirates, with -2.2, has handled less productively.

Bohm, on the other hand, has only produced a negative number with on-target throws, with a -0.7. He is 0.0 or better in every other category, as his 6-foot-4 frame certainly helps him compared to the 6-foot-1 frame Harper is working with.

Data goes back to 2021 for first baseman receiving stats, and Harper’s -8 is the worst single-season mark on record. He was a -2 in 2024 and 0 in 2025, so this regression in 2026 is certainly something the Phillies have to take note of and keep an eye on moving forward.

Sign up for our free newsletter to receive the latest news and updates!