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It’s been nearly a month since Bryce Harper has played in the field, as an elbow injury has relegated him to designated hitter duties. On Thursday, Phillies manager Joe Girardi broke the news that the wait for Harper to return to full strength will be a bit longer.
Girardi told reporters that tests revealed a small tear in Harper’s UCL, per Alex Coffey of The Athletic, which will prevent him from throwing for at least four more weeks. He visited specialist Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Thursday morning, and will receive a PRP injection on Sunday that will keep him out of the lineup that day.
The time off from playing defense has not hindered Harper’s production at the plate. In 22 games as Philadelphia’s DH, the reigning National League MVP has batted .310/.337/.586 with five home runs, five stolen bases and 13 extra-base hits.
After battling injuries during his first few seasons, Harper has been durable for the past few seasons. From 2018 to ’20, he missed just 10 games total, then missed 21 games in ’21 in the midst of his MVP-winning performance. He has not missed a game for the Phillies yet this season.
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