Phillies hope Hall will provide more power at first base

PHILADELPHIA -- Darick Hall might be playing the best baseball of his life, Rob Thomson said Sunday at Citizens Bank Park.

“He’s just really swinging the bat well,” Thomson said. “His at-bats are really good. He’s just ready.”

He is needed, too. The Phillies are hitting better since the beginning of June, but they need more power in the lineup, especially at the corners.

So before Sunday's game, the Phillies recalled Hall from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to play first base, at least until Bryce Harper is cleared to play there sometime between the All-Star break and the Aug. 1 Trade Deadline.

“It was a long road with the thumb and the rehab, but I feel really good,” Hall said. “I was really happy with the progress that I made in the time I was playing. The past couple weeks have been really good. I’m excited.”

The Phillies optioned Kody Clemens to Triple-A to make room for Hall on the 26-man roster.

Phillies' first basemen entered Sunday 19th in baseball with a .742 OPS, while Phillies third basemen ranked 27th with a .631 OPS. It has been a struggle because Rhys Hoskins tore the ACL in his left knee in March, and Hall, who opened the season as Hoskins’ replacement, tore a ligament in his right thumb in early April, which required surgery.

Since then, Alec Bohm (.755 OPS) shuttled between first and third, depending on the starting pitching matchup. Clemens (.644 OPS) and Edmundo Sosa (.656 OPS) then played first or third, respectively.

The Phillies hope Hall provides the same boost he provided last summer, when Harper missed two months with a broken left thumb. Hall batted .250 with nine home runs, 16 RBIs and an .804 OPS in 142 plate appearances.

Hall batted .325 with three home runs, 15 RBIs and a .944 OPS in 21 games this season with Lehigh Valley. He will play first base for the Phillies every day against right-handed pitching. He might occasionally start against left-handed starters, but that remains to be seen.

“The next thing is just perform,” Hall said. “We had to focus on getting the swing right, doing it the right way. And then powering through the right swing. It was a lot of reps early, build the reps up, build the strength up, honing on technique and then power it. I feel good. I like where I’m at. And the good thing is the pain is gone.”

But what happens when Harper is ready to play first base? It is expected that Kyle Schwarber will move from left field to DH. If not exclusively, then enough that playing time for Hall will become more limited.

The Phillies optioned Hall to Triple-A soon after Harper rejoined the Phillies last August, but Thomson said there is a way for Harper and Hall to co-exist.

“Possibly,” he said. “We’ll see where we’re at, at that point.”

Clemens batted .230 with four home runs, 13 RBIs and a .644 OPS in 148 plate appearances. He had a walk-off hit against the Tigers on June 8, but he batted .208 with three RBIs and a .507 OPS in his last 81 plate appearances.

“I thought he did a great job,” Thomson said. “He played really well defensively. He had some big hits for us. I know he’s slowed down a little bit lately, but we want him to go down there and play different positions, second, third, maybe a little left field. He’s a pro, he’s a great teammate and good player.”