The heart and soul of the current Philadelphia Phillies roster, Bryce Harper, admitted on Friday that he is battling through multiple injuries that should concern Phils fans.
Entering the MLB games today, the Phillies own the best record in the National League and are one game behind the Yankees for the No. 1 spot in the MLB standings. It has been a fantastic season for Philadelphia and there are real hopes they can win the franchise’s first World Series title since 2008.
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After losing in the Series two years ago and coming up short in the 2023 NLCS, this is a championship-or-bust season for the Phillies. However, if they are to win it all in 2024, Bryce Harper must be healthy to continue his impressive postseason legacy. But there is reason to believe the 31-year-old will be far from 100% in October.
Before a big game on Friday against division rivals the Braves, Harper revealed to Phillies media that he is dealing with both wrist and elbow injuries. The first baseman unexpectedly started wearing a sleeve on his right arm this week. Which drew the attention of Philadelphia fans.
Bryce Harper stats (2024): .278 AVG, .369 OBP, .520 SLG, 26 HR, 76 RBI, 72 R
Bryce Harper dealing with random discomfort ‘in the area’ he had Tommy John surgery on
“I don’t want to make excuses for what I do,” he said on Friday [h/t MLB.com]. “You know what I’m saying? I’ve just got to get through it. Hopefully, it gets better, rather than getting worse. [The wrist’s] finally getting to the point where I feel like it’s turning a corner. My elbow is just like — there.”
Harper noted he had no idea where the wrist issues came from but it is a positive sign it seems to be getting better. The elbow, however, is more troubling. Harper had Tommy John surgery on the limb two years ago. The eight-time All-Star claims the repaired ligament isn’t bothering him but the discomfort is “in that area.”
Bryce Harper contract: 13 years, $330 million
Bryce Harper has not hit a home run in 73 straight at-bats entering tonight’s game and has been stuck at 16 for weeks. The team could obviously rest him in September. But their six-game lead in the NL East isn’t insurmountable so letting him heal up may not be an option in a few weeks.
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