Phillies Mailbag: Bryce’s Wrist, D’Backs Blockbuster, Kemp

We are back once again with the 97.3 ESPN Phillies Mailbag.  Each week we take your questions and answer them on The Sports Bash with Mike Gill.  Tune in each Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. to hear your questions answered on the air.

With Bryce Harper coming back "early", do you think he sees the window at a title closing quicker and he is forcing himself to play?
~Dave

The Phillies saw Bryce Harper return to the lineup on Monday night.  He batted third and took his familiar place at first base.  But despite returning, Harper still has pain in his wrist, the injury that led to an Injured List stint for Harper.

I'm not sure it's the need to respond because of a window closing, but because I think there is a new reality: Harper is going to deal with the pain as a matter of fact.

As Harper recently said to reporters last night (via ESPN):

"I didn't think I was going to take any other steps forward of feeling better," Harper said after the Phillies' 4-0 win. "I thought we were kind of at a standstill of it feeling the same the last couple of days. From BP to live [pitching], it kind of gave us the same results each day. So, thought today was a good one."

There is no bone break.  There are no torn ligaments.  Harper is just sore through normal baseball play.

I think that he is just coming to terms of managing his pain.  And it likely will continue.  Whether he takes time on the injured list or not.

So I don't think he is "forcing" himself to play, but making the decision to move forward understanding that he needs to manage the pain.

Is there any legs to the rumors around the Phillies and Diamondbacks making a blockbuster trade?
~Ryan

The Phillies figure to be busy between now and July 31, when the MLB Trade Deadline hits at 6:00 p.m. Eastern.  The Phillies are starting to be connected to other teams in trade rumors.  One of the rumors suggests that the Phillies will go back.

Coll notably broke the news of Jose Alvarado's 80-game suspension for a violation of the MLB and MLBPA's joint drug agreement.

I would not doubt that a "discussion" happened here. I do not tend to think that someone who works for the Phillies flagship station would be irresponsible with reporting.

I also think that that particular duo would be a big boost to the Phillies.

But there are reasons to wonder if it is something that could happen.

First, are the Arizona Diamondbacks really sellers?   The Diamondbacks are 10.5 games out of first place in the National League West.   That seems like a really tough deficit to overcome.

However, the Diamondbacks are four games out of a Wild Card.  For a team with that much talent, it's not hard to think they can have a good week to two weeks in July and feel like they are back in it.

But having lost new ace Corbin Burnes to Tommy John surgery, they just might feel compelled to sell.

Both Miller and Suarez are playing like All-Stars.  And they will both be free agents this offseason.  That could keep the price down.  Miller is inexpensive (just $1 million in salary this year) and Suarez is earning $15 million.

Any team could afford Miller; the Diamondbacks might like to save $7 million in a deal.

Then there's the question of Alec Bohm.  I tend to think they would not trade Bohm mid-season.  So what would happen?  Bryce Harper in left field?  Bohm at first?  Suarez at first?  Schwarber in left field?  A mix of designated hitters depending on the day?

I think we will hear a lot of these proposed trades the next four weeks.  And I think at the very least, Dave Dombrowski is doing is due diligence by talking to everyone.  I don't think we will know until July 31 at 6pm just who is going where.

Has Otto Kemp done enough to stick around?
~Larry

The Phillies had to make one roster cut yesterday when Bryce Harper returned.  That unfrotunately went to Millville's Buddy Kennedy.  Kennedy was 0 for 7 in very limited action since he was summoned from Triple-A.

Right now, Kemp is pretty much in a platoon with Max Kepler in left field.  Kemp initially replaced Harper's roster spot, but he essentially exists in the roster spot formerly held by Weston Wilson.  Wilson's play necessitated an option to Triple-A.

Should the Phillies add pieces, it is hard to say.  It depends on who is coming to the Phillies.   The Phillies also have Edmundo Sosa to occupy the middle of the infield if necessary, as well as third base if Alec Bohm moves over to first base.

I question the roster spot of Johan Rojas.  I'm not sure he is adding much value to the Phillies these days.  I would like to think Kemp is more valuable to the Phillies ahead of Rojas at this point.

The Phillies could add a center fielder, but that remains to be seen.  With Brandon Marsh coming alive at times, they might choose to look elsewhere instead.