PHILADELPHIA — Bryce Harper jogged out to right field. He turned to face the bleachers, removed his cap, raised both arms over his head, and bowed like an actor on Broadway, not an 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 a right fielder here 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.

Arraez got a standing ovation upon coming to the plate in the first inning and banged an RBI single to center field. In the third, he fouled off a bunt to spot the Nationals a strike, then got a piece of two two-strike pitches, worked the count full, and slashed a double down the first-base line.

It was, well, as advertised from a three-time batting champion who may be on his way to a fourth.

But there was also this: After both hits, Arraez, who went 2 for 4, celebrated with some combination of waving his arms, pointing to “Phillies” across his jersey, pounding his chest, and generally bringing the instant energy that only a newcomer to a team that has been together for four years can provide.

OK, press pause: It was one game. No more, no less.

But just as the firing of manager Rob Thomson amid a 9-19 start served as a defibrillator for a clubhouse that was used to 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 base) and Alec Bohm (third base to first base) — 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, or anybody else — but I don’t think that’ll have too much effect on that.”

Sure. But consider the work that went on before the game. Infield coach Bobby Dickerson worked with Arraez and shortstop Trea Turner on turning double plays, while Stott long-tossed to train his arm for longer throws at third base. They worked on cutoffs and relays from their new positions before Dickerson drilled Bohm on picks at first base.

And then there was Harper, making throws from right field.

So, as unorthodox as it may be to move so many chess pieces around the board in August, isn’t it also a way to combat the possibility of staleness setting in 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 whether to lead off Arraez or bat him cleanup. He settled on cleanup. And sure enough, Arraez came to the plate with runners on first and second in the first and third innings after Harper drew walks.

Arraez’s first hit opened the scoring, his second made it 2-0. The Phillies scored three runs in the third inning and cruised, with Luzardo allowing only four hits and two walks while striking out seven.

The first four balls put in play by the Nationals all went to right field because, well, of course they did. Harper handled them all.

And so, the grand experiment began.

It’ll be fascinating to watch it play out.

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