The Philadelphia Phillies get two stars back as Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper have been activated from the injured list. Both were placed on the 10-day injured list on June 28. Schwarber was activated on Monday according to the Phillies, but was put on the transaction log on Tuesday. David Dahl was designated for assignment on Monday per the team as the corresponding move. Harper’s activation was made official on Tuesday. Kody Clemens was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley as the corresponding move. Clemens being optioned is a little bit surprising, but not a total shock.
The Phillies announced the following roster moves:
– Designated Hitter Kyle Schwarber was reinstated from the 10-day injured list yesterday
– Outfielder David Dahl was designated for assignment yesterday
– First baseman Bryce Harper was reinstated from the 10-day injured list…— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) July 9, 2024
In 19 games this season, Dahl has a .207/.242/.397 line with three home runs and eight RBI, along with a 78 OPS+ and 75 wRC+. His poor hitting this year made the decision easy. As a result of Dahl having no minor league options, he has to be designated for assignment. The Phillies now have seven days to either trade him or place him on waivers. If Dahl clears waivers, he could be optioned to Triple-A. Meanwhile, Clemens has a .242/.277/.500 line with three home runs and 10 RBI in 24 games this season. He also has a 116 OPS+ and a 114 wRC+. Given that Clemens is in his last option year, this move makes sense from a roster construction perspective.
Phillies Activate Harper, Schwarber from IL
Batting Order Returns To Normal
Other Phillies stars have stepped up while Schwarber and Harper have been out of the lineup. The team will return to its traditional batting order. Schwarber returns to the leadoff spot while Harper returns to batting third. As a result, Alec Bohm, Bryson Stott, and Nick Castellanos will return to their traditional spots. With his return, Harper is set to start the All-Star Game at first base after receiving the most votes in the first round among NL players. This would be his first All-Star Game appearance with the Phillies. Harper, along with Bohm and Trea Turner, are going to be starters for the NL team.
Potential Trade Deadline Impact
The corresponding moves may be a sign of what is to come at the July 30 trade deadline. It is widely believed that the Phillies will trade for an outfielder at the moment. It is worth noting that Cristian Pache is out of options. This seemingly kept him on the roster over Clemens for now. In addition, this opens the door for the Phillies to trade for a left-handed outfield bat given their current roster construction. In recent days, the Phillies have been mentioned as a potential trade destination for Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Cody Bellinger. It is also worth noting that Weston Wilson has been playing left field in a number of recent games for Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
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