Phillies star Bryce Harper could return sooner than expected
Still recovering from offseason Tommy John surgery, Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper may be closer to returning to the field than previously expected.
During ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball matchup between the Phillies and Texas Rangers, manager Rob Thomson said Harper's rehab is progressing well, adding that the right fielder could start hitting this upcoming week and possibly graduate to at-bats at the minor league level soon.
Later in the broadcast, Harper provided an update of his own, saying he was "excited" about his progress.
"Just trying to be smart about it," Harper said via Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Philadelphia. "Understanding my good days are going to be good and some days I'll just be sore and it'll be a little tougher. But I feel good right now, just got to keep that going and keep doing the same stuff."
Harper dealt with elbow issues throughout the 2022 campaign, relegated to designated hitter for most of the season. Following Harper's surgery in the offseason to repair a torn UCL, the Phillies hoped to have him back by the MLB All-Star break.
However, optimism surrounding an early return for Harper rose last month. First, Harper hinted he was ahead of the initial timetable. Then, Phillies president Dave Dombrowski added more fuel to the fire, placing Harper on the 10-day injured list rather than the 60-day.
The Phillies won't rush Harper back, but only days into the 2023 season, their lineup is sorely missing his electric bat.
Texas completed a dominant three-game sweep of the Phils on Sunday, winning 2-1. After scoring seven runs on Opening Day, the Phillies' offense has gone quiet, outscored 18-4 over the last two games.
The Harper-less Phillies will look to snap an earlier-season three-game losing streak on Monday when they host the New York Yankees at Citizens Bank Park for their home opener.
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