Phillies’ Harper vows he’ll return
PHILADELPHIA — Bryce Harper has three pins in his left thumb, a cast on his left hand and an unyielding belief that he will return from injury this season to try and lead the Phillies to their first playoff appearance in 11 years.
“I’ll be back,” Harper said.
With those three words, Harper injected genuine expectations in the franchise and the fan base that the reigning NL MVP will play again at some point this season — and with a hope the Phillies are still in the wildcard hunt when he returns.
Harper declined to put a timetable on when he could he return to the lineup as the feared designated hitter in the middle of the order that led the team on a summer surge and put Philadelphia in the thick of a real pennant race.
“I don’t want to give anybody a timetable because I don’t know,” Harper said. “If I knew a specific date that I’d be back, I’d tell you. I just don’t think it’s fair to anybody. I’ll be back when I’m ready to go.”
Harper was injured last month when he was hit by a 97 mph pitch from San Diego Padres lefthander Blake Snell. Harper had pins inserted last week and will need them in the thumb for at least another three weeks. He is in a cast and unable to throw or do much of a workout.
“I don’t want to hope or think about anything,” Harper said. “I just want to go day by day and be back when I can, whenever I feel healthy, whenever that is to help this team win. Granted, if we’re out of it, I’m going to come back and play no matter what, just so I know that I can go out there and play the game. I don’t want that to be my last day playing this year. No matter what the outcome, I’m going to come back and I’ll be playing.”
The 29-year-old Harper, who signed a $330 million, 13-year deal with the Phillies in 2019, is hitting .318 with 15 home runs, 48 RBIS and a .985 OPS. Harper talked Tuesday before the Phillies were set to open a three-game set against the Nationals.
Odds and ends
Logan Gilbert earned his 10th win to tie for the major league lead, Sam Haggerty hit his first home run in over two months, and the Mariners beat the host Padres 6-2 on Tuesday. The Mariners, who have won 12 of their last 15 games, swept the two-game set to win their fifth consecutive series. Seattle (41-42) moved within one game of .500 for the first time since May 4. …
The Minnesota Twins placed veteran righthander Chris Archer on the 15-day injured list because of left hip tightness. Archer had been scheduled to start against the Chicago White Sox. Minnesota recalled righthander Josh Winder from Triple-a St. Paul to pitch in his place.