Bryce Harper breaks silence on wrist recovery
The Philadelphia Phillies lost All-Star first baseman Bryce Harper to a wrist injury in early June. The ailment sidelined the two-time MVP for 22 games, leaving Philadelphia without its most accomplished hitter. But the wait is over as Harper has been activated from the injured list and will rejoin the Phillies for their series opener against the San Diego Padres.
While obviously great news for the team, Harper may not be entirely out of the woods just yet. 'Harper says he feels way better than he did a month ago when [the Phillies] decided to shut him down. But it sounds like he will have to see how he's feeling on a day-to-day basis,' NBC Philly's John Clark wrote on X.
The Phillies welcome Bryce Harper back to the lineup
Harper had been on the 10-day IL since June 6 with inflammation in his right wrist. Although he's ready to make his return to the Phillies' lineup, reporting indicates that he'll have to manage soreness in his wrist and occasionally take games off until he's fully healthy.
The eight-time All-Star had just returned to the lineup on June 3 after a Spencer Strider fastball off his elbow cost him five games. He avoided the injured list after getting hit by the pitch but landed on the IL with the wrist issue three games after rejoining the team.
The Phillies didn't rush the 14th-year veteran's recovery, recognizing the ailment would take time to heal. Harper faced live pitching over the weekend while traveling with the team to Atlanta. The workout went well and Philadelphia activated Harper without sending him on a minor league rehab assignment.
In his absence the Phillies' offense has been inconsistent. The team has gone 12-10 since Harper's injury and went from 2.5 games back in the division to taking a 1.5-game lead over the New York Mets in the NL East. But Philadelphia has had trouble scoring runs. With the exception of Friday's Kyle Schwarber-led offensive eruption, the Phillies scored a total of four runs in five games.
Harper's addition to the lineup should help stabilize the unit. While his overall stats are down in 2025, Harper heated up in May. He slashed .308/.381/.484 with 3 home runs and 17 RBI in 24 games last month. The Phillies hope the veteran first baseman will pick up where he left off when he rejoins the team.
Related: Phillies' Rob Thomson delivers tough truth on top prospect's MLB Futures Game status
Related: Ranger Suarez's historic run for Phillies draws high JT Realmuto praise
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