Bryce Harper is willing to play catching with the Phillies

The gardener Bryce harper said he is willing to play behind the plate to replace his friend JT Realmuto who went on the disabled list in the MLB; Harper can do it according to him.

Do youBryce harper could you see some time as a receiver? Probably not, but according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, the Phillies’ star slugger offered to play catcher position for Girardi’s Phillies.

“I really don’t see myself doing that,” Girardi said of the possibility of using Harper as a receiver.

The Phillies’ catcher options are short at the moment with Andrew Knapp out for a minimum of 10 days after testing positive for COVID-19. It could get worse if Realmuto’s shoulder pain escalates and he has to go on the disabled list. Rafael Marchán is scheduled to start behind the plate on Sunday.

Bryce harper He was an amateur catcher, but following his selection as the No. 1 overall pick in 2010 by the Washington Nationals, he was moved to the outfield as a way to speed up his arrival in the majors and ensure he can stay. he focused on the offensive part of his game.

It’s not the first time Harper has shown his positional flexibility. During summer camp last season, Harper spent time at third base for the fun of it during a team fight. He fielded a couple of grounders behind Aaron Nola.

Throughout his career he has played in the outfield, first and third base but never catching. There is no doubt that it would be a risk because he is the best hitter on his team right now and losing him to injury would not go down well.

The likelihood of Harper leaving the gardens in the near future is slim. Perhaps he will become a full-time designated hitter at the end of his 13-year contract. He finished as a finalist for the gold glove in his first season as a Phillie, but this year, it’s been a fight on the field for Harper. He has reported -5 outs above average in right field, but his deficiencies in the outfield are far outweighed by the impact of his bat. Harper currently leads the majors in OPS (1,001).