Injury Report: Bryce Harper Caught Sprint-Testing Hamstrings Before Phillies’ Game

The Philadelphia Phillies are sitting in a comfortable first position in the National League West. All credit goes to the team’s 10-game win over the Atlanta Braves; the team is firing in all departments. However, seeing their ace Bryce Harper get injured and put on a 10-day injury list, their offensive department looked slightly sluggish. It was a mishap attempt to extend his leg out to score a single, leading him to land upon the hamstring injury. 

Still, each day is a fresh start, and Harper was spotted running the bases ahead of Saturday’s clash against the Braves. It was a hamstring injury that happened on June 27 against the Miami Marlins. On the final play of the game, he came up limping, sighting flashbacks of his past injuries and hoping for a possible return post-recovery. 

Bryce Harper is hopeful for a return against the Atlanta Braves

Ever since Bryce Harper was taken off the field, fans have been worried about the star’s future career. However, after all the scans were done, it was found that the injury wasn’t serious. Steering his way through the injuries, Harper looked good in his practice sprint session. 

Also, reporting for Fox Sports, top MLB insider Ken Rosenthal came up with an injury update regarding Harper: “Harper will probably return late next week, but Kyle Schwarber he’s going to be back first.” Aside from Bryce’s injury, his teammate Schwarber suffered from a left groin injury. Eventually, it might be Kyle who will return, with Harper not far behind. 

Without a doubt, Bryce Harper was the key player for the Phillies before the recent injury. In his last 76 games before his groin issue, the two-time MVP smashed 20 home runs and 20 doubles. This pushed his sluggish percentage to an impressive .582. More to it, the Philadelphia first baseman recorded a staggering.981 OPS along with a 3.7 WAR. Right now, despite missing games due to injury, Bryce is still on top in home runs and WAR stats. Regarding the slugging percentage, along with OPS, walks, and offensive win percentage, he still ranks fifth. 

Ultimately, all the rankings and plate numbers didn’t go unnoticed by the fans. For the 2024 All-Star game selection, Bryce Harper received the most votes in the National League. Perhaps, despite the Phillies star slugger being such a valuable asset, his absence didn’t put Phillies under the pump. 

The Phillies still going strong without Harper in their lineup

While some teams falter without their star player, the Phillies still stand strong. Without Harper in their lineup since June 27, they have gone 5-2, continuing their National League East dominance. Even more, they are crushing the Atlanta Braves, leaving aside the very last game, where they lost 5-1.

Also, keeping aside Bryce’s injury, the Phillies are doing well without their important prospect, Kyle Schwarber. He suffered a groin strain just a day before Bryce’s injury and exited the field. The duo together has been a formidable pair to keep their team at the top of the leaderboard. Both of them scored a combined 37 home runs before they got injured. 

However, even in the offense department, without Harper, they are doing great. Despite having sluggers like Nick Castellanos and Trea Turner, both have managed to score runs in his absence. Castellanos, alongside Turner, has also been a key player for the Phillies. In the 2024 season, he has scored 12 home runs and 43 RBI, with a batting average of.238, he’s looking in good nick. Additionally, Trea Turner is no exception. He struck two homers in the last match against the Braves, breaking his team’s losing streak. 

Eventually, as things stand for the Phillies, the team is performing well without their key asset, Bryce Harper. Therefore, there’s no need for Harper to rush with a recovery. As reports suggest, he’s sprinting down the tracks, and his return could be expected by July 9. Still, all will depend upon his recovery time, and when he feels he’s 100% fit, he could return and resume his dominant run in the MLB league.