Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper is close to returning to the field after being assured by doctors that his wrist injury will not require surgery, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic. The 32-year-old slugger, sidelined since June 7 due to right wrist inflammation, is currently testing his progress with controlled swings and monitoring how his wrist responds.
Rehabilitation Progress and On-Field Challenges
As part of his recovery, Harper took 20 swings from a tee recently and reported feeling better than expected.
“It felt better than I thought it would,”
Harper said, via Gelb. “So I’m happy about that.” Despite attempts to push through earlier injuries this season, the wrist pain became intolerable. Speaking to Paul Casella of MLB.com, Harper admitted,
“When I came back and I was feeling the pain, it just wasn’t a pain I could tolerate on the field. I understand what I can tolerate and what I can’t. I’ve played through pain in my career — I think everybody has at some point, right? So when I can play through the pain, I do, but it got to the point where I just couldn’t do it.”
Impact on the Phillies and Season Overview
Harper’s absence comes after he missed a handful of games earlier in the season due to an elbow injury but returned briefly before the wrist issue arose. Despite these physical setbacks, Harper has participated in 57 games this season with a .258/.368/.446 slash line, contributing nine home runs, 13 doubles, 34 RBIs, and 35 walks. His return would significantly strengthen the Phillies, who currently hold a 45-30 record, tied with the New York Mets atop the competitive National League East division.