Back in May 2024, Bryce Harper first reported wrist discomfort. Though the issue seemed to ease as the year progressed, it has resurfaced over a year later. On June 7, the Philadelphia Phillies placed their star first baseman on the 10-day injured list, hoping the rest will help finally resolve the lingering problem.
As the team’s leader and ultimate competitor, Harper’s ongoing injury has raised serious concern among the Phillies and their fans. While the club believes it can stay afloat during his absence, there’s growing uncertainty about how effective Harper — and the offense as a whole — can be if the problem continues to linger throughout the season.
Unclear timeline for Bryce Harper’s return from wrist injury won’t be what Phillies fans want to hear
Bryce Harper spoke candidly about the state of his injury while in Pittsburgh, telling MLB.com’s Paul Casella, “It’s been long enough to where it’s gotten to the point where I can’t really function on a baseball field or hit a baseball or anything like that. So, it’s just a good time for me to take some time and get it right.”
The problem, as Casella notes, is that there’s no clear timeline for his return. “Just got to get through the treatment phase and see what I can do,” Harper said. “But we’ve got to get it to calm down and [I’ll] get out there when I can.”
Since then, Harper has undergone treatment and is reportedly starting to feel better, per Charlotte Varnes of The Athletic. Still, the uncertainty around his return remains.
While the Phillies have endured stretches without Harper before — going 10-7 last year during his IL stint with a hamstring injury (despite also missing Kyle Schwarber at the time) — they’ve struggled more in his absence this season, posting a 3-7 record so far. That includes five missed games last week after Harper was hit in the elbow by a 95 mph fastball from Spencer Strider.
The offense has yet to find its rhythm again, despite a hot 36-20 start to the year. In June, the Phillies were batting just .223 heading into Wednesday’s series finale against the Cubs. Meanwhile, their pitching has faltered too, with a combined 5.33 ERA over the last 10 games — 6.15 from the starters and 4.27 from the bullpen.
Still, there are signs the team may be emerging from its slump. Monday’s thrilling 11-inning walk-off against the Cubs and Tuesday’s 7-2 win were steps in the right direction. Slumps happen, even to contenders, and this stretch could end up being just a blip in a strong season — as long as it doesn’t snowball like last year.
The Phillies remain legitimate National League contenders, even with Harper sidelined. While his absence is far from ideal, it doesn’t make success impossible. Fans have seen players like Freddie Freeman battle through injuries in the postseason, and the Braves’ 2021 World Series run after losing Ronald Acuña Jr. shows how deep teams can push through adversity.
Ultimately, Harper can afford to take the time he needs to heal properly — something Phillies fans should be familiar with, considering he powered through a torn UCL during the second half of their 2022 World Series run.
