With a rough start to the season in a tough division, Philadelphia Phillies fans (and MLB in general) are eagerly awaiting Bryce Harper’s return to play.
There’s still no timeline for the outfielder’s return, but Phillies manager Rob Thomson told the Philadelphia Inquirer on Saturday that Harper could return without even playing minor league games.
At that time, Harper will try to play first base in order to help the team fill the absence of Rhys Hoskins, who will not return this season.
Thomson said earlier this week that the 30-year-old could probably act as the hitter of choice right now, but he still can’t slide, delaying his return to the field.
The big hitter hasn’t played since the last World Series, after undergoing Tommy John-style surgery to repair a torn right elbow.
It is unusual for a player coming out of such surgery not to play in the minors before arriving in the big leagues. But the skipper of the Pennsylvania roster pointed out that advances in virtual reality technology that many teams are now using to improve batting practices could help Harper take the leap straight.
