Bryce Harper's knee injury should force Phillies to finally bench or cut Alec Bohm

The Philadelphia Phillies recently acquired Luis Arraez, hoping to boost their offensive firepower. While Arraez has shown promise, it has required some adjustments to the team's defensive alignment. Bryce Harper, the Phillies' outfielder, has been struggling with a sore knee since moving to the outfield, which has forced Alec Bohm to play first base.

Harper himself admitted that his knee soreness has improved as he ramps up his conditioning. Despite this, Harper believes that playing in the outfield will help him get back into shape. However, the question remains: should the Phillies continue to put Harper in the outfield, risking further injury, just to keep Bohm in the lineup?

It is clear that Bohm has been one of the least valuable players in the MLB this season, ranking as the fifth-worst in bWAR among all players. With Harper dealing with knee soreness, it would be a mistake for the Phillies to force him into a potentially injury-prone position to keep Bohm in the lineup. Instead, the Phillies should consider moving Harper back to first base or designating him as the designated hitter (DH), allowing Kyle Schwarber to take over first base.

There are numerous better outfield options available, such as Edmundo Sosa, Derek Hill, Bryan De La Cruz, and even minor league prospects like Gabriel Rincones Jr. and Felix Reyes. The Phillies need to weigh the injury risk to Harper against Bohm's lackluster performance and make a decision that benefits the team's overall success.