Phillies finally cut slumping outfielder to make room for Schwarber, Harper off IL

The Philadelphia Phillies are welcoming back two regulars tonight to begin the final homestand of the first half. With the Los Angeles Dodgers in town to open a three-game series, the Phillies have activated designated hitter Kyle Schwarber and first baseman Bryce Harper.

The news is music to Phillies fans’ ears. Manager Rob Thomson previously confirmed on Sunday while the team was still in Atlanta that Schwarber would definitely be returning tonight, but Harper's return was still up in the air at that time.

Phillies finally cut slumping outfielder to make room for Schwarber, Harper off IL

In the corresponding roster moves, the team announced that struggling outfielder David Dahl has been designated for assignment and infielder Kody Clemens has been optioned back to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Neither move comes as much of a surprise.

Dahl started out hot in his initial 15 plate appearances after being called up from Triple-A on June 3, slashing .333/.333/.867 with two home runs and three RBI. Since then, he has cratered into a massive slump, hitting .163 with a .446 OPS in 47 plate appearances.

Clemens did what the team hoped for, filling in for Harper at first against right-handed pitching. He only slashed .217/.250/.304 in his seven games during this stint with the big club, but with a .242/.277/.500 line on the season is sure to get another shot when a space opens up again.

Schwarber and Harper returning to lineup after minimum stay on IL

While the team has only been without the two star hitters since June 28, losing two top-of-the-order bats like Schwarber and Harper impacted the overall offense. There’s no way it couldn’t. The team still managed to go 5-4 in their absence and maintain their 8.0-game lead in the division.

Both players landed on the 10-day injured list on the same day, Schwarber with a mild groin strain and Harper with a left hamstring strain. The Phillies were lucky and dodged a bullet, with both players spending the minimum time on the injured list.

In 79 games this season, Schwarber is slashing .250/.373/.447 with 17 home runs, 49 RBI and 60 runs scored out of the lead-off spot.

Harper, who was voted in as the starting NL first baseman for the upcoming All-Star Game while on the shelf, is putting up MVP-caliber numbers this year. He’s slashing .303/.399/.582 with 20 homers and 58 RBI in 76 games.