The Philadelphia Phillies, after a season that clearly left them fuming, aren’t just making small tweaks; they’re shaking things up in a major way, starting with star slugger Kyle Schwarber. Their President of Baseball Operations, Dave Dombrowski, didn’t hold back, telling everyone exactly how “not happy” the team was with last season. When a club expects to be playing for a World Series and falls short, you know changes are coming, and they’ve already axed hitting coach Kevin Long and infield coach Bobby Dickerson.
The “Unhappy” Phillies Are Changing It Up, Hard
Dombrowski laid it out plain: “We’re not happy with the season we had. When we go into a year nowadays, we’re in a position where we’re expecting, and we want to win a World Series. We’re hopeful to be still playing now, so we’re not happy with that.” That kind of direct talk tells you everything you need to know about the pressure in Philly right now. They aren’t messing around. This isn’t about minor adjustments, it’s about a complete re-evaluation, and it’s showing up in some wild roster moves that nobody expected for a guy like Schwarber.
Schwarber’s Wild Shift to the Corner Infield
So, what’s the big move? The Phillies are rolling the dice and trying Kyle Schwarber at first base. Seriously, Schwarbs at first! According to Dombrowski, the slugger is “very open to playing more first base.” This isn’t something he’s known for, either. During his time with the Cubs, he barely played there, mostly sticking to the outfield. He even played outfield for the Red Sox and Nationals, outside of a ten-game stint at first. With the Phillies, he’s been their signature designated hitter, clocking only eight games at first base, where he had three double plays but also one error. The plan, which kicked off during preseason workouts, isn’t for him to become an everyday first baseman; Dombrowski estimates about 30 games there. The goal? To keep him and other veteran players, like Bryce Harper, fresher by rotating them, saying, “Our estimated number is 30 games, and then at that time put Harp at DH, so it’s to keep those guys fresher as they age…”
That Bat Still Slugs!
Despite the positional shuffle, nobody is questioning Schwarber’s power at the plate. Last season, he didn’t slow down one bit, slashing a solid .232/.354/.503. And get this: he led all of MLB with a monster 45 home runs. That kind of offensive production is exactly why the Phillies are trying to find new ways to keep him in the lineup and healthy. Will this experiment pay off? With the Phillies desperate to live up to their World Series expectations, every move, even one as surprising as this, is under a microscope. We’ll be watching closely to see if Schwarber can add “first baseman” to his resume and help push this team to the top.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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