Surging Phillies Anticipate ?Realistic? September Return for Megastar Slugger Bryce Harper as the Race for Wild Card Spot Intensifies

The Philadelphia Phillies are at their best when Bryce Harper keeps smashing the ball out of the park. But off-late, the Phillies are trying to adjust to a life without him, on a temporary basis. Nonetheless, Harper is always a frontline pick for the Phillies. So, the team is eagerly looking ahead to his recovery in anticipation of his return post-surgery.

Bryce Harper is a right fielder for the Philadelphia Phillies. He often plays as a designated hitter because of his powerful hitting skills. Harper is a seven-time All-Star player. He also played for the Washington Nationals earlier.

The Phillies were struggling in the initial stages of the ongoing season. As a result, the team administration fired manager Joe Girardi in June. Since then, interim manager Rob Thomson has guided the team. The team performances also have improved by a long margin. Now the management is looking ahead to get Harper back into the mix.?

Bryce Harper: Injury and the road to recovery?

Therefore, Harper has been out of action during the period in mention. But he has struggled through fitness issues this season, even before the thumb injury. An elbow ligament tear rendered him unable to defend and throw. So his participation got limited to the role of a designated hitter.

There is a chance that Harper might require a Tommy John surgery. But that injury notwithstanding, he can still swing the bat and run the bases. Also, while recovering from the broken thumb, he has already resumed batting practice with hopes of a September 1st comeback.

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According to a?source, the President of baseball operations, Dave Dombrowski, spoke about Harper’s situation saying,?“When you say Sept. 1, I think that’s a realistic goal.”?Dombrowski also added that Harper would return as a designated hitter. It’s a strategy of the Phillies management staff to keep Harper fit and effective after returning from injury.?

Chances for the Philadelphia Phillies in this season

In the absence of Harper, rookie?Darick Hall?has done a magnificent job as the designated hitter. Hall has smashed eight home runs playing in 34 games so far. The Phillies now have a 64-51 win-loss record winning seven out of the last ten concluded games. In the National League Wild Card list, the Phillies are next only to the Atlanta Braves, giving stiff competition to the San Diego Padres and the Milwaukee Brewers.?

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Do you think the Philadelphia Phillies have a better chance of winning the World Series this season after Bryce Harper’s return?