Phils’ Harper likely out until mid-season break

PHILADELPHIA — Phillies designated hitter Bryce Harper underwent “successful” Tommy John surgery with Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles on Wednesday, according to a team press release. In the release, the Phillies said that Harper is expected to return as designated hitter by the 2023 All-Star break, and could return in right field towards the end of the regular season.

Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said last week that Harper would undergo surgery on his right elbow, but said the team was unsure of what the extent of the surgery would be. At the time, it was possible that Harper would require only a repair of his damaged ulnar collateral ligament, a procedure called an internal brace that his teammate, Rhys Hoskins, had in 2020.

But upon further examination on Wednesday, Dr. ElAttrache decided that Harper needed a full reconstruction of his UCL, termed a “right elbow UCL reconstruction/ repair with ulnar nerve transposition” by the Phillies.

Position players typically require six to eight months of recovery time from Tommy John surgery. A mid-May return for Harper would put him in the middle of that range — just over seven months of recovery time.