Phillies

Could a Split Designated Hitter Make Sense for the Phillies After This Season?

By Nick Piccone

Published: Aug 21st, 2026 · 12:18 PM EDT

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Should there be baseball in 2027, the Phillies should probably start thinking about what that roster is going to look like. I’m sure Dave Dombrowski and John Middleton are already looking ahead as it’s their job to do that, but the shuffling of the infield and outfield after this year’s trade deadline left me with a few questions after seeing a large enough sample size.

When Bryce Harper moved to first base in 2023, there were some questions about his lingering back issues and how he would react to a position in which he’s moving laterally on almost every batted ball. While it made the outfield weaker (and they’ve really never recovered from that), Harper became a stud at the position and wound up making the infield much better. It wasn’t until 2025 where I’d given up the idea of moving Harper back to the outfield in hopes of getting a power-hitting right-handed bat that could play first base. Once Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signed a 14-year contract extension with the Toronto Blue Jays, my dream was shattered. I eventually gave up the battle and understood Harper was at first base to stay.

Not in a million years would I have expected someone like Dombrowski to trade for a guy who only wanted to play second base, therefore shuffling around their infield and outfield again. But Luis Arraez arrived, sending Harper back to the outfield and Alec Bohm from third base to first base, while Bryson Stott headed from second to third. And, hey, despite a couple hiccups after that, the infield has performed remarkably well in August. Stott is showing us shades of Scott Rolen over at third, Trea Turner hasn’t made an error since, and Bohm is no worse than Harper was at first base defensively this season. With the constant rotation of meh in right field, Harper being back there, at least for the rest of this season, is fine on the surface.

The issues arise when you start to hear Harper complain about a sore knee. He’s moving around in ways he hasn’t since early in the 2022 season. In right field, you almost have chances to overthink when a ball is hit your way, which could mess up muscle memory. Yes, these are professional ball players, but asking to do something you haven’t done in over four years is still deserving of a grace period. Although Harper’s dealing with the knee, and still has his on-again off-again back issues, he seems pretty cemented there for the rest of 2026.

Meanwhile, Kyle Schwarber is the team’s designated hitter. He’ll see the field every once in a while, but his day-to-day job is to mash baseballs. He’s done that very well for the Phillies. Harper also did that very well for the Phillies when he was asked to DH most of the 2022 season after his right elbow injury. As both of these guys get older, it’ll be paramount to prioritize their health over a long 162-game season and hopefully many playoff games. That’s why I think maybe starting as early as next season, the team could use a split DH. Schwarber DHs half the games, Harper DHs half the games. Put Schwarber in left field or at first base, put Harper in right field or at first base. And obviously give them a few games off during the course of the season.

Granted, it might seem a little silly to float this idea out now, given the offense has hit a bit of a stride this month. But I think it’s probably similar to the boost they got after Rob Thomson was fired in April. The Phillies had a terrible July after a pretty average June, and now they see the playoffs are in sight and just over a month away. There’s a natural dopamine boost. And they’re playing their best baseball since May. Harper’s here for at least five more years (unless he waives his no-trade clause) and Schwarber’s here for at least four more (which I can see the Phillies trading him towards the end of his deal if they’re not close to competing). It might be time to start thinking of ways to get the best out of these guys as they both turn 34 next season.

According to our Sportradar data, there have been a total of 1,061 batted balls hit to left field so far this season out of 3,149 total (1,152 were hit to right field and 936 to center field) when the Phillies were on defense. 348 of the 1,061 were hits, compared to 381 to right field and 362 to center field. If you want to stick Schwarber back in left, he’s no worse than Pat Burrell’s speed and Brandon Marsh’s arm. He might have fewer opportunities to cost the Phillies, and held it down pretty well out there in 2022. Yes, four years ago. I get it. He could also play first base, but if Harper returns to first base and becomes a gold glove candidate again, I’d rather see Schwarber in left.

There’s also a change in psyche that could be beneficial to Harper especially. It’s clear that the batter behind him in the lineup affects his mental faculties while inside the batter’s box. Since Arraez started batting cleanup, Harper’s walk rate has ballooned to 35.9%. His chase rate has gone from 34.6% to 29%. And while some prefer Harper to be a masher instead of a base-taker, more runners on base means more opportunities to score. Perhaps if Harper has more games to focus on hitting only during the course of a long season (hell, even if it’s a shortened 2027 season, if there’s a season at all), he could become an MVP candidate once again.

All of this isn’t to say it’ll fix the Phillies’ lineup issues. They’re on a great run right now. Schwarber and Harper have carried the offense much of the season. But asking them to continue doing that in the next few years is not conducive to sustained success. Would being a part-time DH and part-time fielder affect Schwarber’s numbers? Possibly. But that’s the beauty of 162 games. There’s enough time to formulate a big enough sample size and then decide whether a change is needed or not. And without knowing whether Arraez could return next season, keeping Harper as healthy as possible and off his feet more often could be the priority. The Phillies are already doing it now, so if they get a manager in here that can utilize that to create some flexibility and manage this roster a little better, I don’t see why this team couldn’t continue to make runs at a pennant as long as they stay healthy. And a split DH might be their best shot.

There’s always going to be risk – but is it riskier to keep Harper as healthy as possible at the cost of playing Schwarber in the field more, or to maintain the status quo and hope Harper’s body stays healthy while he continues to play like a maniac sometimes? One of his personal goals was to play all 162 games this season. If he’s already thinking about that as he’s getting older, it might be time to save him from himself. He DH’ed 56 games in 2022 before his thumb fracture in San Diego and had an OPS of 1.020. He didn’t get quite right after returning that season, but he did during the playoffs, that’s for sure. Perhaps a shakeup of the day-to-day monotony of baseball is what this team ultimately needs.

Let’s just see how the rest of this season plays out.