We knew that Bryce Harper was possibly coming back from his Tommy John-type surgery faster than usual, but now the Phillies player is about to break a record.
He’s going to meet with the doctors this morning and if he gets the OK, he’ll be the hitter of choice tomorrow night against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
He could play tonight, but there’s no rush.
If he succeeds, it will be the first time that a player needs only 160 days to return to the game after an operation of this kind.
Because the hitter has been responding well to guys throwing balls at him for the past few weeks, the Phillies don’t feel the need to send him to the minors first.
He’s informally hit guys about 50 times recently. In the eyes of the Phillies, that will be enough to set him up.
Note of course that to start, he will be the hitter of choice – like last year. He doesn’t have the arm to throw in the field yet and he’s not ready to play first base. He will practice the position in the next few weeks and then the Phillies will evaluate everything.
I still expect not to see him play every day, he who was to come back around the All-Star Game. But still: he thwarted all predictions.
- Drew Maggi back in the minors.
- Things are going well in Baltimore.
- Games in Mexico revived the Padres’ offense.
- Anthony Bass needs to give more.
- Chris Sale is getting back on track.
