Luis Arraez drives in two runs, brings ‘new blood’ energy in his Phillies debut in 5-0 victory over Nationals
Arraez drove in a run in each of his first two at-bats in his Phillies debut. Jesús Luzardo allowed just four hits across eight innings against Washington.
Bryce Harper jogged out to right field. He faced the bleachers, removed his cap, raised both arms over his head, and bowed like a stage actor on Broadway, not a star athlete off Broad Street.
Then, on the first pitch, he caught a flyball.
Just like old times.
And when we say old times, we’re talking about 2022 — April 16, 2022, to be exact. It took 1,571 days and 752 games, but Harper turned back into an outfielder Tuesday night, part of the Phillies’ Grand Experiment to squeeze another run from a core that keeps chasing an elusive championship.
“There may be some bumps and bruises with this,” said interim manager Don Mattingly, referring not to Harper specifically but a creative (read: crazy?) plan to trade for contact-hitting savant Luis Arraez at the deadline while uprooting three-quarters of the infield. “But these guys are baseball players. They’re going to be fine.”
So far, so good.
Batting behind Harper in the cleanup spot, Arraez drove in two runs in his first two at-bats, and the out-of-position Phillies made every play to back an eight-inning gem from Jesús Luzardo in a 5-0 laugher over the Nationals.
“I was excited,” Arraez said following the Phillies’ fourth straight victory after losing four in a row and eight of nine. “I was happy, especially when the fans gave me the ovation. That was beautiful.”
Indeed, most of the 38,731 paying customers stood and cheered before Arraez banged an RBI single to center field in the first inning. In the third, he fouled off a bunt to spot the Nationals a strike, then got a piece of two two-strike pitches and capped an eight-pitch at-bat by slashing a double down the first-base line.
Say this: Arraez arrived as advertised, a three-time batting champion who may be on his way to a fourth.
“It’s kind of what he brings,” Mattingly said. “You see he’s not afraid to take a pitch, not afraid to get down in a count, that he’s not afraid to hit with a strike. He’s not a guy that really swings and misses much at all, so it’s like, you can tell the confidence he has.”
But there was also this: Arraez, celebrating his hits with some combination of arm-waving, pointing to “Phillies” across his jersey, and pounding his chest. It’s a spark, especially for a group of position players that has been together for four years.
OK, press pause: It was one game. But just as the firing of manager Rob Thomson amid a 9-19 start was like a defibrillator for a clubhouse that’s used to the extreme continuity of running back the guts of the roster, could the addition of Arraez — and position changes for Harper, Bryson Stott (second base to third), and Alec Bohm (third base to first) — bring a similar effect?
“I think bringing [Arraez’s] energy in here will change it more than anything, just the energy aspect of that from him,” Harper said in a conversation at his locker before the game. “Any time you bring new blood into the clubhouse, it’s obviously a change. I don’t think changing of positions, for me personally — it might be different for Bryson or Bohmer — but I don’t think that’ll have too much effect on that.”
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Sure. But consider what went on before the game. Arraez and shortstop Trea Turner worked on turning double plays, while Stott long-tossed to loosen his arm for longer throws. Infield coach Bobby Dickerson drilled Stott on cutoffs and relays from third base before working with Bohm on picks at first base.
And there was Harper, making throws from right field.
It was all new and uncertain, maybe even exciting. And as unorthodox as it is to move all these chess pieces around the board in August, could it also be a way to combat the onset of staleness over a long season for players who are as familiar with one another as the Phillies?
“Yeah, no, it’s definitely different,” Harper said. “But if we’re just talking about like the energy effect, all that kind of stuff, I don’t think it’s going to be any different on that part. Obviously we’re all going to be the same and play the way we do.
“But bringing a guy like Arraez that plays with the energy and the fire that he does, I think can help us. I think a lot of us are super grateful to play in a ballpark that we play in, with the fans that we do have. We don’t take that lightly. I think having a packed house every night and stuff really helps you play well, right?”
Mattingly debated Arraez in the leadoff or cleanup spot. He settled on cleanup. Sure enough, Arraez delivered with runners on first and second in the first and third innings after Harper drew walks.
“I’ve known him for a long time, and that’s what he does,” said Luzardo, who gave up four hits and two walks and threw 98 pitches in his longest start of the season. “He’s going to get his knocks, but just the energy he brings in the clubhouse, in the dugout, on the field, just kind of keeps it light.”
And because the baseball gods have a sense of humor, the first four balls put in play by the Nationals all went to right field. Harper handled them all.
After bowing to the fans, of course.
“A lot of them remembered,” Harper said of his pregame ritual in his previous life as a Phillies right fielder. “That was pretty cool to see.”
And so, the Grand Experiment began.
It’ll be fascinating to watch it play out.
No matter what moves the Phillies make before the trade deadline Monday, they will have to fix some of their issues internally. Chief among them: Trea Turner's defense at shortstop. And that's where infield coach Bobby Dickerson comes in. Dickerson sat down with "Phillies Extra," The Inquirer's baseball podcast, to discuss Turner's struggles, the problems with analytics in measuring defense, his unique coaching style, and more. Watch here.
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