'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABjAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQcQAAEDAwQDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIBAwQABREGEjFBCCEkAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAFBhEAAgICAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBBEhAAUGcf/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8Ag3zUlyiwYoxybRs12IJN53x84Jtz3hVynPdYO/5DQ4j7sdu0yEBkyAU+bgVx21SlH1mMlywjbVQmB9HLLu4IovO9NYRcSSvOHbJ2FbXP/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
When Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper announced that he would be needing to undergo Tommy John surgery after his team's momentous 2022 season, it came as a surprise to a few fans.
In the months prior, the two-time MVP was already assuming the designated hitter role instead of his usual outfield position. It was clear that the star was not 100% healthy.
Nevertheless, Bryce Harper carried the Philadelphia Phillies on his back throughout the 2022 postseason. Registering six home runs and 13 RBIs, he was one of the main drivers that led the Phillies to ascend to their first World Series since 2008.
Although the team eventually fell to the Houston Astros, Harper's offensive surge did not go unnoticed by fans. However, with his elbow continuing to ail, the reconstructive surgery was scheduled for Nov. 23, and he was expected to be sidelined until at least the following summer.
The overall timeline was shifted forward in April 2023, when Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson suggested that Harper could be back as early as May 5. The announcement shocked fans, as Harper would have taken less than half the average recovery time from the procedure to get back on the field.
"Bryce Harper will rejoin the Phillies lineup Tuesday night if cleared by doctors on Monday. Tuesday would mark 160 days since Harper’s surgery. We’re witnessing the greatest recovery ever from Tommy John." - Luke Arcaini
After being designated for a rehab assignment and performing well, it was decided that Bryce Harper would be back in the Phillies lineup sometime in the month of May.
While the Phillies are still locked in a weekend series with the Astros, many fans are wondering if Bryce Harper could potentially be back in the lineup for Monday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Speaking to ESPN on April 30, Thomson said:
“Just talking to Harp, I don’t think he’ll play [Monday] even if he’s cleared, but hopefully, he gets cleared. He’s itching.”
Although nobody knows exactly when Harper will be back on the field, Thomson's comments could very easily be taken as expressions of hopefulness that Harper will be ready to help his team very soon.
Bryce Harper cannot return soon enough for the Philadelphia Phillies
After their sensational postseason run last year, Phillies fans may have forgotten how competitive their own division is becoming. Without Harper, the Phillies have still managed to win seven of their past 10 and register the third-highest batting average in the MLB. If they can get their superstar back in the lineup soon, then they will be that much stronger.
