Off the back of a spectacular June that saw the Philadelphia Phillies go 18-8 in the month, the defending National League champions are starting to form their trade plans with the trade deadline less than a month away.

The Phillies plan on moving Bryce Harper to first base after the All-Star break which will allow Kyle Schwarber to be the designated hitter, opening up a corner outfield spot for Philly, according to Bob Nightengale. Adding an outfielder could be a priority for the Phils, though trading for another starting pitcher may be where they end up making a big splash.

The Phillies hope a return to the field will get Harper back into his groove at the plate. The two-time MVP has a .293 batting average in 51 games since returning from offseason Tommy John surgery but has just three home runs and hasn’t hit one since May 25. Philly as a team has lost much of its power. They rank 18th in the league in home runs after hitting the sixth most in 2022.

Scwarber moving to DH will benefit the Phillies in a number of ways. His outfield defense ranks as one of the worst in the league this season and although his average is below .200 he has been Philadelphia's best power hitter this season after leading the NL in homers last year.

The Phillies will inevitably make a move or two as they are on the outside looking in of the NL playoff picture as things stand. Having some flexibility in their roster is a plus and getting Bryce Harper out of the full-time DH role should make the team better in the long run.